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I
I
THE
GENUINE WORKS
OF
FJLAVIUS JOSEPHUS,
THE
LEARNED AND AUTHENTIC JEWISH HISTORIAN,
AND CELEBRATED WARRIOR.
TRANSLATED FROM THE" ORIGINAL GREEK, ACCORDING TO
HAVERCAMP'S ACCURATE EDITION.
WITH COPIOUS NOTES, & PROPER OBSERVATIONS,
IN THREE VOLUMES.
VOLUME II.
CONTAINING THE LAST NINE BOOKS
OF THE
ANTIQUITIES OF THE JEWS, WITH THE LIFE
OF FLAVIUS JOSEPHUS.
WRITTEN BY HIMSELF.
TRANSLATED BT
WILLIAM WHISTON, A. M.
tfATl PROFESSOR OF MATHEMATICS IN THE UNIVERSITY OF CAMBRIDGE.
PSJJffED Af SPRINGFIELD,
THOMAS AND ANDREWS, BOSTON, AND ISAIAH.
THOMAS, JUN. WORCESTER.
1809.
Stack
Annex
THE
WORKS
OF
FLAVIUS JOSEPHUS,
CONTAINING
THE ANTIQUITIES OF THE JEWS,
BOOK XII.
Containing the Interval of an hundred and fe verity
years.
[FROM THE DEATH OF ALEXANDER THE GREAT, TO
THE DEATH OF JUDAS MACCABEUS.]
CHAPTER I.
Mow Ptolemy, the fan of Lagus, took Jcrufalem and Judea
by deceit and treachery, and carried many of the 'Jews
thence \ and planted them in Egypt.
\ i. ^^OW when Alexander, king of Macedon, had put an
1/N end to the dominion ot the Perfians, and had fettled
the affairs in Judea after the forementioned manner, he ended
his lite. And as his government fell among many, Antigonus
obtained Afia, Seleucus Babylon ; and oi the other nations
which were there, Lyfimachus governed the Hellefpont, and
Caflander poffefled Macedonia ; as did Ptolemy the fon o
Lagus feize upon Egypt. And while thefe princes ambi-
tioufly ftrove one agamft another, every one for his own prin-
cipality, it came to pals that their were continual wars, and
thofe lafting wars too ; and the cities were fufferers, and loft
a great many ot their inhabitants in thefe times of diftrefs, in
fo much that all Syria, by the means ot Ptolemy the fon ot
Lagus, underwent the reverfe ot that denomination of Sa-
viour, which he then had. He alfo feized upon Jerufalem,
and for that end made ufe of deceit and treachery ; for as he
came into the city on a Sabbath day, as if he would offer fao
4 ANTIQUITIES 01 THE JEWS." fjBook XII.
rifice, he, without any trouble, gained the city, while the
Jews did not oppofe him, _|or they did not fufpect him to be
their enemy ; and he gained it thus, becaufe they were free
from fufpicion of him, and becaufe on that day they were at
reft and quietnefs; and when he had gained it, he ruled over
it in a cruel manner. Nay, Agatharchides of Criidus, who
wrote the acts of Alexander's fuccefjors, reproaches us with
fuperftition, as it we, by it, had loft our liberty ; where he
fays thus : " There is a nation called the nation of the Jews,
who inhabit a city ftrong and great, named Jerufalem. Thefe
men took no care, but let it come into the hands of Ptolemy,
as not willing to take arms, and thereby they fubmitted to be
under an hard mafler, by reafon of their unfeafonable fuper-
flition." This is what Agatharchides relates of our nation.
But when Ptolemy had taken a great many captives, both
from the mountainous parts oi Judea, and from the places
about Jerufalem and Samaria, and the places near mount
Gerizzim. he led them all into* Egypt, and fettled them
there. And as he knew that the people of Jerufalem weret
mod faithful in the obfervation of oaths ana covenants ; and
this from the anfwer they made to Alexander when he fent
an embairage to them, after he had beaten Darius in battle, fo
he diltributed many of them into garrifons ; and at Alexan-
dria gave them equal privileges of citizens with the Mace-
donians themfelves ; and required ot them to take their oaths,
that they would keep their fidelity to the pofterity ot thofe
who committed thefe pldces to their care Nay there were
not a few other Jews, who, of their own accord, went into
Egypt, as invited by the goodnefs of the foil, and by the lib-
erality ot Ptolemy. However, there were diforders among
their pofterity, with relation to the Samaritans, on account
ot their refolution to preferve that conduct of life which was
delivered to them by their forefathers, and they thereupon
contended one with another; while thofe of Jerufalem faid,
that their temple was holy, and refolved to fend their facrifi-
ces thither ; but the Samaritans were refolved that they
Ihould be fent to mount Gerizzim.
* The. great number of thefe Jews and Samaritans that were formerly car-
lied into Kgypt- by Alexander, and now by Ptolemy the fon of Lagus, appear
afterward in ;hz v^lt inultjtuce. who. as we fhall lire prefently, were loon ran-
lomcd Liy Phiiadelphus, and by him made free, before he fent for the ieventy-
two interpreters : In the many garriioi.s, and other ioldiers of that nation in
Egypt : In the famous fet-.letnent of jews, and the number of their fynagogues
at Alexandria, long afterward ; and in the vehement contention between the
:d Satnaiitans under Philometer, about the place appointed foi public
r> in the law of Mofes ; wh-ther at the Jewifh temple of jerulalem, or
?tthe Samaritan temple at Gerizzim ; of all which our author treats hereafter.
.And as to the Samaritans carried into ligypt under the fame princes, Scaiiger
iuppoies, ihat thofe who have a gteat fyuagogue at Cairo, as alfo thofe whom
bic j;e-ignpher i'peaks of, as having feized on an \fland in the Red Sea,
aie remains ot t:]mat this very day, as the notes here inform us.
+ Of the facredneis of oaths among the Jews in the Old Tefhmo
Scripture Politic., p. 54, 65.
Chap. II.] . ANTIQUITIKS OF THE JEWS.
CHAPTER II.
How Ptolemy Philadelphus procured the laws of th<> Jews to
betranjlated into the Greek Tingue ; .and fet many (.actives
free ; and dedicated many gifts to God.
i 'TXT'HEN Alexander had reigned twelve years, and after
V V him Ptolemy Soter forty years, Philadelphus then
tok the kingdom of Egypt, and held it forty years within one.
He procured the* law to be interpreted ; and fet free thofe
that were come from Jerufalem into Egypt, and were in fla-
very there, who were an hundred and twenty thouland. The
occafion was this : Demetrius Phalerius, who was library-
keeper to the king, was now endeavoring, if it were poffible,
to gather together all the books that were in the habitable
earth, and buying whatfoever was any where valuable or a-
greeable to the king's inclination (who was- very earnestly
fet upon collecting of books) to which inclination of his De-
metrius was zealously fubfervient. And when once Ptole-
my afked him, How many ten thoufands of books he had col-
lected ? He replied, That he had already about twenty times
ten thoufand, but that, in a little time, he fhould have fifty
times ten thoufand. But he laid, he had been informed that
there were 'many books ot laws among the Jews, worthy ot
inquiring after, and worthy of the king's library, but which
being written in characters and in a dialect of their oj^n, will
caufe nofmall pains in getting them tranflated into tTO Greek
tongue; that the characterjin which they are written leems-to
be like to that which is the proper character of the Syrians,
and that its found, when pronounced, is like theirs alfo ; and
that this found appears to be peculiar to themfelves. Where-
fore he faid. that nothing hindered why they might not get
thofe books to be tranflated al(b, lor while nothing is wanting
that is necefTary tor that purpose, we may have their books
alfo in this library. So the king thought that Demetrius was
very zealous to procure him abundance of books, and that
he fuggefted what was exceeding proper tor him to do ; and
therefore he wrote to the Jewiih High Prieft, that he ihould
act accordingly.
* Of the tranflation of the other parts of the Old TeHament by feventy
Egyptian jews, in the reigns of Ptolemy the (on of Lzgus, a-id Philadelphia ;
z.s a!!o of the tranflation of the Pentateuch by (eventytwo Jerutalem Jews, in the
icventh yearot Philadelpiius at Alexandria ds given ns an account or by Anfte-
us, and thence by Philo and Joiephus, with a vindication of Arifteus' hiftorv,
fa the Appendix to Lit.'Accomp. of Proph. at lat^-i, p. 117 i,-,t.
ANTIQUITIES OF THE JEWS. [Book XII.
2. Now there was one Arifteus, who was among the king'g
moft intimate friends, and on account ot his modefty very
acceptable to him. This Arifteus refolved frequently, and
that before now, to petition the king, that he would let all the
captive jews in his kingdom tree ; and he thought this to be
a convenient opportunity for the making that petition. So
he difcourfed, in the fir ft place, with the captains of the
king's guards, Sofibius ot Tarentum, and Andreas ; and per-
iuaded them to aflift him in what he was going to intercede
with the king for. Accordingly Arifteus embraced the fame
opinion with thofe that have been before mentioned ; and
went to the king, and made the following fpeech to him :
" It is not fit for us, O king, to overlook things haftily> or to
deceive ourfelves, Out to lay the truth open : For fince we
have determined not only to get the laws of the Jews tranf-
cribed, but interpreted alfp, tor thy fatistaction, by what
means can we do this, while fo many ot the Jews are now
fbves in thy kingdom ? Do thou then what will be agreea-
ble to tny magnanimity, and to thy good nature: Free them
from the milerable condition they are in, becaufe that God,
who fupporteth thy kingdom, was the author ot their laws,
as I have learned by particular inquiry ; for both thefe peo-
ple, and we alfo, worfhip the fame God, the tramer ol all
things We call him, and that truly by the name of Zet/j | or
life, or Jupiter i becaufe he breaths life into all men. Where-
fore do thou reilore thefe men to their own country ; and
this do to the honor of God, becaufe thefe men pay a pecu-
liarly excellent worfhip to him. And know this farther, that
though ^>e not of kin to them by birth, nor one of the fame
country with them, yet do 1 defire thefe favors to be done
them, fmce all men are the workmanfhip of God , and 1 am
ienfible that he is well pleafed with thofe that do good. I do
therefore put up this petition to thee, to do good to them."
3. When Arifteus was faying thus, the king looked upon
him with a cheerful and joyful countenance, and faid, " How
many ten thoufands doft thou fuppofe there are of fuch as
want to be made tree ?" To which Andreas replied, as he
flood bye. and faid, " A few more than ten times ten thouf-
and. ;> The king made anfwer, " And is this a tmall gift that
thou afkeft, Arifteus ?" But Sofibius, and the reft that flood
bye, laid, That " he ought to offer fuch a thank offering as
was worthy ol his greatnefs of foul, to that God who had giv-
en him his kingdom." With this anfwer he was much pleaf-
ed ; and gave order, that when they paid the foldiers their
wages, they fhould lay down [an* hundred andj twenty
* Although ihis number 120 drachmae [of Alexandria, or 60 Jewtfh Shek-
els] be here three times repeated, and that in all Joiephus's copies Greek and
Latin, yet iiuce all the copies, of Arifteus, whence Joiephus took his relationi
Chap. II.3 ANTIQUITIES OF THE JEWS.
drachmae for every one of the flaves. And lie promifed to
publifh a magnificent decree, about what they requeftecl,
which ftouH confirm what Arifteus had propofed. and efpe-
eially what God willed fhould be done ; whereby he laid he
would not only fet thofe free who had been led away captive
by his father, and his army, but thole who were in bis king-
dom before and thofe alto, if any fuch there were, who rud
been brought away fmce. And when they faid, that their
redemption money would amount to above tour hundred tal-
ents, he granted it. A copy of which decree I have deter-
mined to preferve, that the magnanimity < a this king may be
made known. Its contents were as follows : " Let all thole
who were foldiers under our father, and who, when they over-
ran Syria and Phoenicia, and laid wafte Judea, took the Jews
captives, and made them flaves, and brought them into our
cities, .and into this country, and then lold them; as alfo all
thofe that were in my kingdom before them : And it there be
any that have been lately brought thither, be made free oy
thofe that poffefs them ; and let them accept of [an hundred
and I twenty drachmae tor every fljve. And let the foldiers
receive this redemption money with their pay, but .the reft
out of ;he king's trcafury : For 1 iuppofe that they were made
captives without our father's content, and againft equity ;
and that their country was harraffed by the infolence ol (he
foldiers. and that, by removing them into Egypt, the foldiers
have made a great profit by them. Out ot regard therefore
to juftice. and out ot pity to thole that have been tyrannized
over, contrary to equity, I enjoin thofe that have luch Jews
in their fervice to let them at liberty, upon the receipt ot the
before mentioned fum ; and that no one ufe any deceit about
them, but obey what is here commanded. And 1 will, that
they give in their names within three days alter the publica-
tion ot this edi6i, to fuch as are appointed to execute the
lame, and to produce the flaves before them alfo, for I think
it will be for the advantage of my affairs : And let every one
that will inform agdinft ihufe that do not obey this decree;
and I will, that their eftates be cc nfifcated into the king's
treafury." When this decree was read to the king, it at firil
Contained the reft that is here inlerted, and onruttted only
thofe Jews that had formerly been brought, and 'hofe brought
afterwards, which had not been diffintily mentioned, fo he
ha e this fum feveial tirpea, and ftill as no more 'ban 20 drachma, or 10 Jfw-
iih fhi.-k.Hs; end finer the i\ in ot th? taints, to he if. down pr-tently, which
is little above 460, 6-r ioiiv what more than 100.000 fiaves. and is nearly the lanK-
in Jole;>hus and Arifkus, does be ter tgree to 20 thjn o ; 20 drachm -
finer ihe value of a fkve of eld was, at the uunoft. hut 30 fhekels, >r 60
di :chni i-, toe Exod. xx'. 32, w'ie in the p etent circuaattancts of theie Jc\v-
ilh (lives and th dc fo very mini i. us PuiL-cieiphus wotiKi lather redccir;
them at a c caper than at a d;a:er iate, there is ^reat icaton to prefer hero A r !','.
teus's copifs before jaiephus'3.
8 ANTIQUITIES OF THE JEWS. [Book XII,
added thefe claufes out of his humanity, and with great gen-
crofity. He alfo gave order, that the payment, which was
likely to be done in an hurry, fhould be divided among the
king's minifters, and among the officers oi his treafury.
When this was over, what the king had decreed was quickly
brought to a conclufion ; and this in no more than feven
days time, the number of the talents paid for the captives be-
ing about four hundred and fixty and this, becaufe their maf-
ters required the [hundred and | twenty drachmae for the
children alio, the king having, in effect, commanded, that
thcfe fhould be paid for, when he faid in his decree, that
they fhould receive the forementioned fum for every flave.
4. Now when this had been done after fo magnificent a
manner, according to the king's inclinations, he gave order to
Demetrius to give him in writing his fentiments concerning
the tranfcribing of the Jewifh books ; for no part of the ad-
miniftration is done rafhly by thefe kings, but all things are
managed with great circumfpection. On which account I
have fubjoined a copy of thefe epiflles, and fet down the
multitude of the veflels fent as gifts fto JerufalemJ and the
conduction of every one, that the exactnefs of the artificers
\vorkmanfhip, as it appeared to thofe that faw them, and
which workman made every vefTel, may be made manifeft,
and this on account of the excellency of the veflels them-
felves. Now the copy of the epiftle was to this purpofe :
*' Demetrius to the great king. When thou, O king, gav-
eft me a charge concerning the collection of books that were
wanting to fill your library, and concerning the care that
ought to be taken about fuch as are imperfect, I have ufed
the utmoft diligence about thofe matters. And I let you
know, that we want the books of the Jewifh legiflation, with
fome others ; for they are written in the Hebrew characters,
and being in the language of that nation, are to us unknown.
It hath alfo happened to them, that they have been tranfcribed
more carelefsly than they ought to have been becaufe they
have not had hitherto royal care taken about them. Now it
is neceffaiy that thou fhouldft have accurate copies of them.
And indeed this legiflation is full of hidden wifdona, and en-
tirely blamelefs. as being the legiflation of God : Fur which
caufe it is as Hecateus of Abdera fays, that the poets and
hiftorians make no mention of it nor of thofe men who lead
their lives according to it, fince it is an holy law, and ought
not to be publilhed by profane mouths. If then it pleafe thee,
O king, thou mayeft write to the high prieff, of the Jews, to
lend fix of the elders out of every tribe, and thofe fuch as are
mo ft fkiltul of the laws, that by their means we may learn
the clear and agreeing fenfe of thefe books ; and may obtain
an accurate interpretation of their contents, and fo may have
fuch a collection of thefe as may be fuitableto thydefire,"
Chap. II.] ANTIQUITIES OF THE JEWS. 9
4. When this epiftle was fent to the king, he commanded
that an epiftle fliould be drawn up for Eleazar, the Jewilh
high-prieft, con-erning thefe matters ; and that they fhould
inform him of the releafe of the Jews that had been in flavery
among them. He alfp fent fifty talents of gold for the making
of large bafons, and vials and cups, and an immenfe quantity
of precious ftones. He alfo gave order to thofe who had trre
cuftody of the cherts that contained thofe ftones, to give the
artificers leave to choofe out what forts of them they pleafed.
He withal appointed, that an hundred talents in money fhould
be fent to the temple, for facrifices, and for other ufes. Now
I will give a defcription of thefe vefTels, and the manner of
their conftruftion, but not till after I have fet down a copy of
the epiftle which was written to Eleazer the high-prieft, who
had obtained that dignity on the occafion following : When
Onias the high-prieft was dead, his fon Simon became his
fucceffor. He was called * Simon the jfujl, becaufe of both
his piety towards God, and his kind difpofition to thofe of
his own nation. When he was dead, and had left a young
fon, who was called Onias, Simon's brother Eleazar, of whom
we are fpeaking, took the high priefthood ; and he it was to
whom Ptolemy wrote, and that in the manner following :
' King Ptolemy to Eleazar the high-prieft, fend.eth greeting :
There were many Jews who now dwell in my kingdom, whom
the Perfians, when they were in power, earned captives.
Thefe were honoured by my father ; fome of them he placed
in the army, and gave them greater pay than ordinary ; to
others of them, when they came with him into Egypt, he com-
mitted his garrifons, and the guarding of them, that they might
be a terror to the Egyptians. And when I had taken the gov-
ernment, I treated all men with humanity, and efpecially thofe
that are thy fellow citizens, of whom I have fet tree above an
hundred thoufand that were flaves, and paid the price ot their
redemption to their mafters out of my own revenues ; and
thofe that are of a fit age, I have admitted into the number of
my foldiers. And tor fuch as are capable ot being faithful to
me, and proper for my court, I have put them in fuch a poft,
as thinking this [kindnefs done to them] to be a very great and
an acceptable gitt, which I devote to God for his providence
over me. And as I am defirous to do what will be gratetul to
thefe, and to all the other Jews in the habitable earth, I have
determined to procure an interpretation of your law, and to
have it tranllted out ot Hebrew into Greek, and to be repofit-
ed in my library. Thou wilt therefore do well to choofe out
and fend to me men of a good character, who are now elders
in age, and fix in number out of every tribe. Thefe, by their
* We have a very great encomium^of this Simon tht jfu/1, the fon of Oaias I.
in the fiftieth chapter of the Ecclefiaflicus, through the whole chapter. Nor js it
improper to conlult that chapter itlelf upon this occafion.
VOL. II. B
10 ANTIQUITIES OF THE JEWS. [BookXIL
age, muft be fkilful in the laws, and of abilities to make an ac-
curate interpretation of them : And when this fhall be finifhed
1 /hall think that I have done a work glorious to mylelf. And
I have fent to thee Andreas, the captain of my guard, and
Arifteus, men whom I have in very great efteem ; by whom
I have fentthofe firft fruits which I have dedicated to the tem-
ple, and to the faerifices, and to other ufes, to the value of an
hundred talents. And it thou wilt fend to us, to let us know
what thou wouldft have farther, thou wilt do a thing accept-
able to me."
5. When this epi (lie of the king's was brought to Elcazar,
he wrote ananfwerto it with all the refpeci poffible ; " Elea-
zar the high-prieft to king Ptolemy, fendeth greeting : If thou
and thy * queen Arfinoe, and thy children, be well, we are
entirely fatisfied. When we received thy epiftle, we greatly
rejoiced at thy intentions : And when the multitude were
gathered together, we read it to them, and thereby made them
fenfible of the piety thou haft towards God. We alfo (hewed
them the twenty vials of gold, and thirty of filver, and the
five large bafons, and the table for the fhew-bread ; as alfo
the hundred talents for the Sacrifices, and for the making what
ihall be needful at the temple. Which things Andreas and
Ariiteus. thofe mofl honoured friends of thine, have brought
us : And truly they are perfons of an excellent character, and
of great learning, and worthy of thy virtue. Know then that
we will gratify thee in what is for thy advantage, though we
do what we ufed not to do before ;. ior we ought to make a
return for the numerous afts of kindnefs which thou haft done
to our countrymen. We immediately therefore offered fa-
erifices for thee and thy lifter, with thy children and friends;
and the multitude made prayers, that thy affairs may be to thy
mind ; and that thy kingdom may be preferved in peace, and
that the tranflation of our law may come to the conclufion
thou defireft, and be for thy advantage. We have alfo chofen
fix elders out of every tribe, whom we have fent, and the law
with them. It will be thy part, out of thy piety and juftice,
to fend back the law. when it hath been tranflated ; and to re-
turn thofe to us that bring it in fafety. Farewell."
6. This was the reply which the high-prieft made. But it
does not feem to me to be neceffary to fet down the names of
the feventy [two] elders who were fent by Eleazar, and carri-
ed the law, which yet were fubjoined at the end of the epiftle.
However, I thought it not improper to give an account of
thoie very valuable and artificially contrived vefiels which the
* \Vlien we have here and prefently mention made of Philadelphia's Queen,and
fifler Arfinoe, we are to remember, with Spanhehn, that Arfmoe was both his iiftrr
and his wife, according to the old cuftom of Perfia, and of Egypt at this very
time ; nay of the Aflyrians long afterward. See Antiq. B. XX. ch. ii. $ i. vol. II.
Whence we have, upon th coins of Philadelphus, this known infcription, the di-
*in< brother sndfjler.
Chap. II.] ANTIQUITIES OF THE JEWS. 15
king fentto God, that all may fee how great a regard the king
had for God ; ior the king allowed a vafl deal of expences for
thefe vefifels ; and came often to the workmen, and viewed
their works, and iuffered nothing ot careleffhefs or negligence
to be any damage to their operations. And I will relate how
rich they were as well as I am able, although perhaps the na-
ture of this hiftory may not require fuch a defd iption, but I
imagine 1 ihall thereby recommend the elegant taite and mag-
nanimity of this king to thofe that read this hiflory.
y. And firit I will defcribe what belongs to the table. It
was indeed in the king's mind to make this table vaflly large
in its dimensions ; but then he gave orders that they mould
learn what was the magnitude of the table which was already
at Jerufalem, and how large it was, and whether there were a
pollibility of making one larger than it. And when he was
informed how large that was which was already there, and that
nothing hindered but a larger might be made, he faid, That
' he was willing to have one rrade that mould be five times
as large as the prefent table, but his fear was, that it might be
then ulelefs in their facred miniflrations,by its too great large-
nefs ; for he defired that the gifts he prefented them, mould
not only be there for mow, but fhould be ufeful alfo in their
facred miniftrations." According to which reafoning, thatthe
former table was made of fo moderate a fize for ufe, and not
for want of gold, he refolved that he would not exceed the for-
mer table in largenefs, but would make it exceed it in the
variety and elegancy ot its materials. And as he was faga-
cious in obferving the nature of all things, and in having a j uft
notion ot what was new and furprifing ; and where there was
no fculptures, he would invent fuch as were proper, by his
own (kill, and would fhew them to the workmen, he com-
manded that fuch fculptures mould now be made, and that
thofe which were delineated, ihould be molt accurately form-
ed, by a conftant regard to their delineation.
8. When theretore the workmen had undertaken to make
the table, they framed it in length two cubits [and an half,] in
breadth one cubit, and in height one cubit and an half ; andtllfe
entire flrufture of the work was ot gold. They withal made a
crown of an hand-breadth round it, with wave work wreathed
about it, and with an engraving imitated a cord, and was ad-
mirably turned on its three parts ; for as they were of a trian-
gular figure, every angle had the fame difpofition of its fculp-
tures, that when you turned them about, the very fame form
of them was turned about without any variation. Now that
part ot the crown work that was inclofed under the table had
its fculptures very beautitul, but that part which went round
on the outfide was more elaborately adorned with molt beau-
tiful ornaments, becaufe it was expofed to fight, and to the
view of the fpeftators ; for which reafon it was that both
thofe fides which were extant above the reft were acute, and
12 ANTIQUITIES OF THE JEWS. [Book XIL
none of the angles, which we before told you were three, ap-
peared lefs than another when the table was turned about.
.Now into the cord- work thus turned were precious Hones in-
ferted, in rows parallel one to the other, inclofed in golden
buttons, which had ouches in them ; but the parts which were
on the fide of the crown, and were expoled to the fight, were
adorned with a row of oval figures obliquely placed, ot the
raoft excellent fort of precious flones, which imitated rods
laid dole, and encompalfed the table round about. But un-
der thefe oval figures, thus engraven, the workmen had put a
crown all round it, where the nature of ail iorts ot fruit was
reprefented, infomuch that the bunches of grapes hung up.
And when they had made the flones to reprelent all the kinds
of fruits before mentioned, and that each in its proper colour,
they made them fait with gold round the whole table. The
Jike difpofition of the oval figures, and of the engraved rods,
was framed under the c* own, that the table might on each fide
fhew the fame appearance of variety, and elegancy of its or-
naments, fo that neither the pofition of the wave- work nor of
the crown might be different, although the table were turned
on the other fide, but that the proipett of the fame artificial
contrivances might be extended as far as the ieet ; ior there
was made a plate of gold tour fingers broad, through the entire
breadth ot the table, into which they infertedthe feet, and then,
iaitened them to the table by buttons, andbutton-holes, at the
place where the crown was fituate, that fo on what fide loevcr
ot tlie table one fhould iland, it might exhibit the very fame
view of the exquifite workmanfhip, arid ot the vaft expeiuvs
beftowed upon it : But upon the table itfelf they engraved a
rneander, inferting into it very valuable ftones in the middle
like ftars, ot various colours ; ihe carbuncle and the emerald,
each of which fent out agreeablerays of light to the fpettators ;
vcith fuch flones ot other forts alfo as were moil curious, and
beft efteemed, as being mofl precious in their kind. Hard by
this meander a texture ot net work ran round it, the middle of
which appeared like a rhombus, into which were inierted rock
cryftal, and amber, which by the great refemblance ot the ap-
pearance they made, gave wonderiul delight to thofe that faw
them. The chapiters ot the feet imitated the firft buddings ot
lilies, while their leaves were bent and laid under the table,
but fo that the chives were feen flanding upright within them.
Their bafes were made of a carbuncle ; and the place at the
bottom, which refted on that carbuncle, was one palm deep,
and eight fingers in breadth. Now they had engraven upon it
with a very fine tool, and with a great deal ot pains, a branch
ot ivy, and tendrils of the vine, fending forth clufters of grapes,
that you would guefsthey were no wife different from real ten-
drils; for they were fo very thin, and fo very tar extended
at their extremities, that they were moved with the wind, and
one believe that they were the product of nature, aad
Chap. II.] ANTIQUITIES OF THE JEWS. I
not the reprefentation of art. They alfo made the entire work-
niaulhip ot the table appear to be three-fold, while the joints
ol the leveral parts were fo united together as to be invifible,
and the places where they joined could not be dHtinguilhed.
Now the thicknefs of the table was not lefs than halt a cubit.
So that this gift by the king's great generofity, by the great
value ot the materials, and the vaiiety ot its exquifite ftrutture,
and the artificers {kill in imitating nature with graving tools,
was at length brought to perfection, while the king was very
deiirous that though in largenefs it were not to be different
from that which was already dedicated to God, yet that inex-
quifite workmanfhip, and the novelty ot the contrivances, and
in the fplendour of its conilruction, it Ihould far exceed it, and
be more illuftrious than that was.
9. Now ot the cifterns ot gold there were two, whofe fculp-
ture was of kale-work, from its bads to its belt like circle, with
various lorts oi ftones inchaled in the fpiral circles. Next to
vhich there was upon it a meander ot a cubit in height ; it
was competed ot denes ot all forts ot colours. And next to
th>is was the rod work engraven ; and next to that was a rhom-
bus in a texture ot net work, drawn out to the brim of the ba-
fon, while imail Ihiclds made of ftones, beautiful in their kind,
and of four fingers depth, filled up the middle parts. About
the top ot the bafon were wreathed the leaves ot lilies, and of
the convolvulus, and the tendrils of vines in a circular manner.
And this was the conftruclion ot the two filterns of gold, each
containing two firkins. But thole which were ot fiiver were
much more bright and fplendid than lookin^-glafTes ; and you
might in them lee the images that fell upon them more plainly
than in the other. The king alfo ordered thirty vials ; thole
ot which the parts that were of gold, and filled up with pre-
cious ftones, were ihadowed over with the leaves of ivy, and
ot vines, artificially engraven. And thefe were the veflels
that were after an extraordinary manner brought to this per-
ieclion, partly by the (kill of the workmen, who were admira-
ble in fuch fine work, but much more by the diligence and
generofity of the king, who not only fupplied the artificers
abundantly, and with great generofity, with what they want-
ed, but he torbad public audiences for the time, and came and
itood by the workmen, and faw* the whole operation. And
this was the caufewhy the workmen were fo accurate in their
performance, becaufe they had regard to the king, and to his
great concern about the velfels, and fo the more indetatigably
.kept clofe to the work.
10. And thefe were what gifts were fent by Ptolemy to Je-
rufalem, and dedicated to God there. But when Eleazar the
high prieft had devoted them to God, and had paid due refpecl
to thole that brought them, and had given them prefents to be
carried to the king, he difmilTed them. And when they were
come to Alexandria, and Ptoleajy heard that they were come,
f4 AMTSOUITIES OF THE JEWS. [Book XII.
and that the feventy elders were come alfo, heprefently fent
for Andreas and Arifteus, his ambaffadors, who came to him,
and delivered him the epiltle which they brought him from
the high prieft, and made anfwer to all the queftions he put to
them by word of mouth. He then made halle to meet the el-
ders that came from Jerufalem for the interpretation of the
laws ; and he gave command, that every body who came on
occafions fhould be fent away, which was a thing furprifing,
and what he did not ufeto do, for thofethat were drawn thither
upon fuch occafions ufed to come to him on the fifth day,
but ambafladors at the month's end. But when he had fent
thofe away, he waited for thefe that were fent by Eleazar ; but
as the old men came in with the prefents, which the highprieit
had given them to bring to the king, and with the membranes,
upon which they had their laws written in * golden letters,
he put queftions to them concerning thofe* books ; and when
they had taken off the covers wherein they were wrapt up,
they (hewed him the membranes. So the king flood admiring
the thinnefs of thofe membranes, and the exaftnefs of the junc-
tures ; which could not be perceived, (fo exa6tly were they
connecled one with anotherj ; and this he did for a confide-
rable time. He then faid, that he returned them thanks tor
coming to him, and ftill greater thanks to him that fent them:
And, above all, to that God whole laws they appeared to be.
Then did the elders, and thofe that were prefent with them,
cry out with one voice, and wifhed all happinefs to the king.
Upon which he fell into tears by the violence of the pleafure
he had, it being natural to men to afford the fame indications
in great joy, that they do under forrows. And when he had
bid them deliver the books to thofe that were appointed to
receive them, he fainted the men ; and faid, that it was but
juft to difcourfe, in the firft place, of the errand they were fent
about, and then to addrefs himfelt tothemfelves. He promif-
ed, however, that he would make this day on which they
came to him remarkable and eminent every year through the
whole courfe of his life ; for their coming to him and the vic-
tory which he gained over Antigonus by fea, proved to be on
the very fame day. He alfo gave orders, that they mould fup
with him ; and gave it in charge that they fhould have excel-
lent lodgings provided for them in the upper part ot the city.
II. Now he that was appointed to take care of the reception
of ftrangers. Nicanor by name, called for Dorotheus, whofe
duty it was to make provih'on for them, and bid him prepare
lor every one of them what fhould be requisite for their diet
and way of living. Which thing was ordered by the king
after this manner : He took care, that thofe that belonged to
to every city, which did not ufe the fame way of living, that
* The Talmudifts fay, that it is not lawful to write the law in letters of gold
contrary to this certain and very ancient example. See Hudion's and JLeland' 8
aotes here.
Chap. II.] ANTIQUITIES OF THE JEWS. *5
all things fhould be prepared for them according to the cuftom
of thofe that came to him, that being feafled according to the u-
fual method of their own way of living, they might be the better
pleafed, and might not be uneafy at any thing done to them, from
which they were naturally averfe. And this was now done in
the ca(e of thefe men by Dorotheus, who was p,ut into this office
becaufe of his great fkill in fuch matters belonging to common
life ; for he took care of all fuch matters as concerned the recep-
tion of ftrangers, and appointed them double feats for them to fit
on, according as the king had commanded him to do ; for he had
commanded that half pi their feats fhould be fet at his hand,
and the other half behind his table, and took care that no re-
fpect fhould be omitted that could be fhewn them. And when
they were thus fet down, he bid Dorotheus to minifter to all
thofe that were come to him from Judea, after the manner they
ufed to be miniftered to : For which caufe he fent away their
facred heralds, and thofe that flew the facrifices, and the reft
that ufed to fay grace : But called to one of thofe that were
come to him, whofe name was Eleazar, who was a prieft, and
defired him to * fay grace ; who then ftood in the midft of them,,
and prayed, that " all profperity might attend the king, and
thofe that were his fubjects." Upon which an acclamation
was made by the whole company, with joy and a great noife;
and when that was over, they fell to eating their fupper, and
to the enjoyment of what was fet before them. And at a little
interval afterward, when the king thought a fufficient time had
been interpofed, he began to talk philosophically to them, and
he afked every one of them a t philofophical queftion,and fuch
an one as might give light in thofe enquiries ; and when they
had explained all the problems that had been propofed by the
king about every point, he was well pleafed with their an-
fwers. This took up the twelve days in which they were
treated : And he that pleafes may learn the particular queftions
in that book of Arifteus's, which he wrote on this very oc-
afion.
12. And while not the king only, but the philofopher Mene-
demus allo admired them, and faid, that " all things were
governed by providence ; and that it was probable that thence
it was that fuch force or beauty was difcovered in thefe mens
\vords," they then left off afking any more fuch queftions.
But the king faid, that he had gained very great advantages
* This is the mofl ancient example I have met with, of a grace, or fhort pray-
er, or thankfgiving before meat ; which, as it is ufed to be faid by an heathen prieft,
vras now laid by Eleazar, a Jewifh prieft who was one of thefe feventy two inter-
preters. The next example I have met with is that of the ElTcnes, Of the War,
B. II. ch. viii. (j 5. vol. III. both before and after it ; thole of our Saviour
before it, Mark viii. 6. John Mi. 11. 23. and St. Paul, Afts xxvii. 35, ar.d
a form of fuch a grace or prayer for Chriftians, at the end of the fifth book, of the
Apoftolical Conftitutions, -which ieemsto have been intended for both times, both
before and after meat
t They were rather political queftions and aHfwcrsj Uncling, to the good and
religious government of mankind.
16 ANTIQUITIES OF THE JEWS. [Book XII.
by their coming, for that he had received this profit from them,
that he had learned how lie ought to rule his fubjects. And
he gave order, that they Ihould have every one three talents
given them ; and that thofe that were to conduct them to their
lodging mould do it. Accordingly, when three days were o-
ver, Demetrius took them, and went over the caiifeway feven
furlongs long : It was a bank in the fea to .an ifland. And
when they had gone over the bridge, he proceeded to the
northern parts, and (hewed them where they fhould meet,
which was in anhoufe that was built near the more, and was
a quiet place, and fit for their difcourfing together about their
work. When he had brought them thither, he entreated
them, (now they had all things about them which they wanted
for the interpretation of their lawj that they would fuffer no-
thing to interrupt them in their work. Accordingly, they
madean accuratemterpretation, with great zeal, andgreat pains ;
and this they continued to do till the ninth hour of the day ; after
which time they relaxed and took care of their body, while their
food was provided for them in great plenty ; befides, Dorotheus,
at the king's command, brought them a great deal of what was
provided for the king himfelt. But in the morning they came
to the court, and fainted Ptolemy, and then went away to their
former place, where, when they had * warned their hands, and
purified themfelves, they betook themfelves to the interpreta-
tion of the laws. Now when the law was tranlcribed, and the
labour of interpretation was over, which came to its conclu-
fion in feventy-two days, Demetrius gathered all the Jews to-
gether to the place where the laws were tranflated, and where
the interpreters were, and read them over. The multitude did
alfo approve of thofe elders that were the interpreters of the
law. They withal commended Demetrius tor his pj-opofal, as
the inventor of. what was greatly for their happinefs ; and they
defired, that he .would give leave to their rulers alfo to read
the law. Moreover, they all, both the prieft and the ancient-
eft of the elders, and the principal men of their common weal,
made it their requeft, that fince the interpretation was happily
finifhed, it might continue in the ftate it now was, and might
not be altered. And when they all commended that determin-
ation of theirs, they enjoined, that if any one obferved either
any thing fuperfluous, or any thing omitted, that he would
take a view of it again, and have it laid before them, and cor-
rected ; which was a wife aflion of theirs, that when the thing
was judged to have been well done, it might continue forever.
13. So the king rejoiced, when hefaw that his defign of this
* This purification of the interpreters, by warning in the fea before they praye*
to God, every morning, snd before they let about tranflating, may he compared
with the like praftice of Peter the apoftls, in the recognitions of Clement, B. IV.
ch. iii. and B. V. ch. xxxvi. and with the places of the Profeuchoe, or of prcy-
er,which were fometimes built near the fea or rivers alfo. Of which matter fceAnticK
B. XIV. ch. x. 5, 23. Vol. II. and Aftsxvi. 13. 16.
Chap. II.] ANTIQUITIES OF THE JEV/S. I?
nature was brought to perfection, to fo great advantage ; and
he was chiefly delighted with hearing the laws read 10 him ;
and was aftonifhed at the deep meaning and wifdotn of the
legiflator. And IK; began to clifcourfe with Demetrius " How
it came to pafs, that when this legillation was fo wonderful,
no one, either of the poets, or of the hiitoiians had made men-
tion of it." Demelrius made anfwer, that " no one duril be
fo bold as to touch upon the defcription of thele laws, becaufe
they were divine and venerable 1 , and becaufe fome that had at-
tempted it were afflicted by God." He alfo told him, that.
" Theopompous was defirous of writing fome what about them,
but was thereupon diiturbed in his mind for above thirty days
time ; and upon lome iniermiflion of his diftemper, he appeal-
ed God [by prayer,] as fufpeling that his madnefs proceeded
from that caufe." Nay, indeed he further faw a dream, th:it
his diltemper befelhirn while he indulged too great a cunofi-
ty about divine matters, and was defirous of publifhing them
among common men ; but when he left off that attempt, here-
covered his uridei {landing again. Moreover he informed him
of Theodecles, the tragic poet, concerning whom it was re-
ported, that when in a certain dramatic reprefentation, he was
defirous to make mention of things that were contained in the
lacred books, he was afflicted with a darknefs in his eyes ; and
that upon his being confciousof the occafion of his diftemper,
and appealing God [by prayer,] he was treed from that afflic-
tion.
14. And when the king had received thefe books from De-
metrius, as we have faid already, he adored them ; and gave
order, that great care fhould be taken of them, that they might
remain unconupted. He. alfo defired that the interpreters
would come often to him out of Judea, and that both on ac-
count of the refpc6ts that he would pay them, and on account
of the prefents he would make them : For he faid, '' It was
now but juff. to fend them away, although if, of their own ac-
cord, they would come to him hereafter, they fhould obtain
all that their own wifdom might juflly require, and what his
generofity was able to give them." So he then fent them a-
way ; and gave-to every one of them three garments of the
bell fort, and two talents of gold, and a cup of the value of one
talent, and the furniture of the room wherein they were feaft-
ed. And thefe were the things he preieuted to them. But
by them he fent to Eleazer the high-prieft, ten beds, with feet
of filver, and the furniture to them belonging, arid a cup of
the value of thirty talents ; and befides thefe, ten garments,
and purple, and a very beautiful crown, and an hundred pieces
of the fineft woven linen ; as alfo vials and dimes, and vellels
for pouring, and two golden cifterns, to be dedicated to God.
He alfo defired hiru, by an epiftle, that he would give thefe
interpreters leave if any of them were defirous, of coming to
him, becaufe he highly valued a convcrfation with men of luch
VOL. II. C
1% ANTIQUITIES OF THE JEWS. [Bock XIL
learning ; and (hould be very \\i\\\ng to lay cut his wealth up-
on fuch men. And this was what came to the Jews, and was
much to their glory and honour, from Ptolemy Philadelphus.
CHAP. III.
How th: Kin's of Afia honoured the nation of the Jews, and
made them Citizens oj thoj'c Citits which they built.
I. nTHE Jews alfo obtained honours from the kings ( [
1 Alia when they became their auxiliaries ; for Seleu-
cus Nicator made t'.ein citizens in thofe cities which he built
in Alia, and in the lower Syria, and in the metropolis itfell,
Acitioch ; and gave them privileges equal to thofe ot the Ma-
cedonians and Gieeks, who were the inhabitants, infomuch
that these privileges continue to this very day : An argument
lor which you Irivcm this, that whereas the Jews do make ufc
ot * oil pic pn<>-d ly foreigners, they rece-ve a certain fum of
money from th.; pioper olficeis belonging to their exercifesas
the value would have deprived them of, in the laft war, Mu-
cianus, who was then prefident of Syria, preferved it to them.
And when the people or' Alexandria and of Antioch did alter
that, at the time that. Vefpafian and Titus his (on governed the
habitable earth, pray that thefe privileges of citizens might be
taken away, they did not obtain their icqm-fh In which be-
haviour any one may difcern the f equity and generality of the
Romans, especially of Vefpafian and Titus, who, although they
had been at a gre-u deal ot pains in the war ygainft the Jews,
and wereexafperated againft them, becaufe they did not deliv-
er up t.itir weapons to them, but continued the war to the very
Sail, yet did not they take away any of their fore-mentioned
privileges belonging to them as citizens, but reftrained their
^.nger ; md overcame the prayers of the Alexandrians and Anti*
ochians, who were a very powerful people, infomuch that they
diel not yield to them, neither out of their favour to thefe peo-
ple, nor out of their old grudge at thofe whofe wicked oppo-
lition they had fubdued in the war: Nor would they alter any
* The iifeofr.il was much greater, and the donatives of it itiuch more valuable
in ]urtt3, and the neighbouring countries, than it is amongftus. It was alio, in the
cays i t Jotephus; thought unlawful lor Jews to make u!e of any oil that was pre-
pared by hia:hens, perhaps os account of fonie iuperflitions intermixed with its
(.repau-tion i y thole 1 eathfns. T Vhen therefore the heathens were to make them a
donative of oil, thiy paid them money inftead of it. See, Of the \Var, K. II. ch.
,\xi. i, 2. vol II. the Life ot Jofcphus, ^ 13. Vel. II. and Hudfon's note on the
place bt'orc us.
t 'Ihis, and theliVe great and juR charaftersof the juflice and equity, and gcn-
erofiiy of the old Romans, both to the Jews and other conquered nations, affords
us a very rood reaion why ahnighty God, upon the rcivdica of the Jews for their
wickedness, chofe them for his people, and firft eftablifhed chriftianity in that em-
pire. Of which matter, fte foleuhus here, , as alfo Autiq. B. XIV. ch, x. $ ss,
t. R. XVI.ch. ii. ^,u vol.'ll.
Chap. III.] ANTIQUiTIE& OF THE JLV/S, 1$
of the ancient favours granted to the Jews, but faid, that thofe
who had borne arms agaiuft tliem, and fought them, had fuf-
L-red puniiliment already, and that it was not jult .to deprive
th.,:e tl-.it had not offended ot the privileges they enjoyed.
2. We alio know that Marcu-, Agnppa was ot the like, dif-
ion towards the Jews : For when the people of Ionia were
very angry at them, and befought Agrippa, that they, and they
only might have thofe privileges ot citizens which Antiochus,
the grandion ot Seleucus (who by the Greeks was called the
GodJ had bellowed on them ; and delired, that if the Je vs
were to be joint partakers with them they might be obhg,\i to
worship the gods they themfelves worfhipped : But when thele
matters were uroug.u to the trial, the Jews prevailed, and ob-
tainj.l leave to make life o- their own tufloms, and this under
the patronage of Nicoiausot Damascus ; lor Agrippa gave ien-
tence, that he could not innovate. And it any one ha 1 h a mind
to know this matter accurately, let him perufe the hundred and
twenty-third, and hundred and twenty-fourth book of thehif-
tory ot this Nicolaus. Now, as to this determination of A-
grippa, it is not to much to be admired, for at that time our
nation had not made .var again it ;he Romans. But one may
well be aftonilhed at the generality o* VefpaGan and Titus that
alter fo great wars and contefts which they had from us, they
Jnould ufe iuch moderation. Bat I wiil now return to that
part ot my hifiory, whence I made the piefeut d grefiioa.
3. Now it happened that in the r.-ign ot Antiochus the Grea^
\vho ruled overall Afia, that the Jews as wvll as tht i.ihibi-
tants ot Celefyria fu lie red greatly, and their land was iorcly
harralled : For while he was at war with Ptolemy Phil/pafor,
and with his fon, who was called Epiphanes, it tell out tint
thefe nations were equally fu/Iercrs both when he was beaten,
and when he beat the others : ^o that they were very hke to a
fnip in a Itorm, which is toiled by the waves on both tides ; and
jult thus were they in their fituation in the middle between An-
tiochus's prosperity, and its change to a-iverfity. But at
length, when Antiochus had beaten Ptolemy, he lei zed upon
Judea : And when Philopator was dead, Ins fon fent out a
great army under Scopas. the general of his forces, againftthe
inhabitants ot Celefyria, who took many of their cities, and in
particular our nation ; which, when he fell upon them, went
over to him. Yet was it not long afterward u hen Antiochus
overcame Scopas in a battle fought at the fountains ol Jordan,
and deftroyed a great part of his army. But afterward, when
Antiochus fubdued thofe cities of Celefyria which Scopas had
gotten into his poffeflion, and Samaria with them, the Jews,
ot their own accord, went over to him, and received him into
the city fjerufalem,] and gave plentiful provifion to all his
army, and to his elephants, and readily aflilted him when he
befieged the garrifon which was in the citadel of Jerufalem.
Wherefore Antiochus thought it but juii to requite the Jews
ANTIQUITIES OF THft JEWS. [Book X1L
diligence and zeal in his fervice : So he wrote to the generals
of bis armies, and to his iriends, and gave teftimony to the
good behaviour of the Jevys towards him, and informed them
what rewards he had relolved to bellow on them tor that their
behaviour. 1 will fct down prefently the epiftles themfelves,
which he wrote to the generals concerning them, but will firit
produce the teftimony ot Poly bins ot Megalopolis ; lor thus
does he (peak, in the fixteenth book ot his hiilory : " Now
Scopas, the general ot Ptolemy's army, went in hafte to the
Superior parts ot the country, and in the winter time oyerthew
the nation ot the Jews. He alfo faith, in the fame book, that
when Scopas was conquered by Antiochus, Antiochus receiv-
ed Batanea and Samaria, and Abila and Gadara ; and that, a
while afterwards, there came in to him thole Jews that inhabit-
ed near that temple which was called Jerufatcm : Concerning
which, although I have more to fay, and particularly concern-
ing the pre fence ot God about that temple, yet do I put off
that hiflory till another oppoitunity." This it is which Poly-
pins relates. But we will return to the i'mes ot the hi (lory,
when we have firft produced the epillles ot king Antiochus.
" King Antiochus to Ptolemy, fendcth greeting :
" Since the Jews, upon our firft entrance on their country v
flemonftrated their friendship towards us ; ami when we came
to their city | Jerufalem, | received us in a fplendid manner,
and came to meet us with their fenate. and gave abundance of
provifions to our foldiers, and to the elephants, and joined
with us in ejecting the garrifon ot the Egyptians that Wfie in
the citadel, we have thought fit to reward them and to retrieve
the condition of their city, which hath been greatly depopula-
ted by fuch accidents as have befallen its inhabitants, and to
bring thofe that have been fcattered abroad back to the city,
And, in the firft place, we have determined, on account ot
their piety towards God, to beftow on them as a pen (ion, tor
their facnfices oi animals that are fit for facrifice, tor wine and
oil, and frankincenfe, the value of twenty thoufand pieces ot
filver, and ( fixj facred artabrae of fine flour, with one thou-
fand four hundred and fixty medimni of wheat, and three hun-
dred and feventy-five medimni of fait. And thefe payments
I would have fully paid them, as 1 have fent orders to you. 1
would alfo have the work about the temple fiuifhed, and the
cloiftcrs, and if there be any thing elfe that ought to be rebuilt.
And tor the materials ot wood, let it be brought them put of
Judea itfelf, and out of the other countries, and out ot Libanus
tax tree : And the fame I would have obferved as to thofe oth-
er materials which will be neceffary, in order to render the
temple more glorious. And let all of that nation live accord-
ing to the laws of their own country : And let the fenate and
ike priefts, and the fcribes of the temple, and the facred fing-
Chap. III.] ANTIQUITIES OF THE JEWS. 21
ers, be difcharged from poll-money and the crown tax, and
othtr taxes alio. And that the city may the fooner recover
its inhabitants, I grant a difcharge from taxes for three years
to its prefent inhabitants ; and to fuch as ihall come to it, until
the month Hyperbereteus. We alfo difcharge them lor thef u-
uire from a third part of their taxes, that the lofles they have
fuftaincd may be repaired. And all thofe citizens that have
been carried away, and are become flaves, we grant them and
their children their freedom ; and give order that their fub-
Itance be reltored to them."
4. And thefe werfe the contents of this epiftle. He alfo pub-
h'ihed a decree, through all his kingdom, m honour ot the tem-
ple, which contained what follows : " It Ihall be lawful for no
foreigner to come within the limits of the temple round about ;
which thing is forbidden alfo to the Jews, unlefs to thofe who,
according to their own cuftom have purified themfelves. Nor
let any flefh of horfes, or of mules, or of affes, be brought into
the city, whether they be wild or tame ; nor that of leopards,
or foxes, or hares ; and, in general, that of any animal which is
forbidden tor the jews to eat. Nor let their (kins be brought
into it ; nor let any fuch animal be bred up in the city. Let
them only be permitted to ufethe faerifices derived from their
fore-fathers, with which they have been obliged to make ac-
ceptable atonements to God. And he that tianfgrefTeth any
ot thefe orders, let him pay to the prieffs three thoufand
drachmae o( filver " Moreover this Antipchus bare teftimo-
iiy if) our piety and fidelity, in an epiftleof his, written when
"lie was informed oi a fedition inPnrygiaand Lydia, at which
nine he was in the fuperior provinces, wherein he command-
ed Zeuxis, the general ot his forces, and his mo ft intimate
iriend. to iend fome of our nation out of Babylon into Phry-
gia. The epiltle was this :
" King Antiochus to Zeuxis his father, fendeth greeting.
" If you are in health, it is well. I alfo am in health. Hav-
ing been informed that a fedition is arifen in Lydia and Phry-
gia, I thought that matter required great care: And upon ad-
viiingwithmy friends what was fit to be done, it hath been
thought proper to remove two thoufand families of Jews, with
th'.-ir effects, out of Mefopotamia and Babylon, unto the caf-
tles and places that lie moft convenient ; tor I am perfuaded
that they will be well difpofcd guardians of our poffeffions,
becaufe of their piety towards God, and becaufe I know that
uiy predeceffors have born witnefs to them, that they are faith-
ful, and, with alacrity, do what they are defired to do. I will,
therefore, though it be a laborious work, that thou remove
thefe Jews ; under a promife, that they (hall be permitted to
life their own laws. And when thou lhalt have brought them
to the places fore-mentioned, thou lhalt give every one of their
22 ANTIQUITIES OF THE JEWS. [Book XU,
families a place for building th?ir houfes, and a portion of
land tor their huftjandry, and for the plantation of their vines ;
and thou (halt difcharge them from paying taxes of the fruits
of the earth tor ten years ; and let them have a proper quan-
fity ot wheat tor the maintenance of their fervants, until they
receive bread-corn out ot the earth : Alfo let a fufficient (hare
be given to fuch as minilter to them in the neccffaries ot life,
that by enjoying the effels ot our hum.i:iity, they may (hew
themfelves the more willing and ready about o >r affairs. Take
care likewifeof that nation, as far as thou art able, that they
rnay not have any diftnrbance given them by any one." Now
theie teftimonials which I have produced, are fu'ficient to de-
clare the trie-adlhip that Antiochus the Great bace to the Jews.
CHAP. IV.
How Antiochus made a league with Ptolemy ; and how Owat
provoked Ptolemy Euergetes to anger ; and kow jfofcph brou Jit
all things right again, and entered into friend/hip with him;
and what other things were done by Jofeph, and his f on Hyr-
canus.
I. A FTER this Antiochus rnadc a friendfhip and a league
L\. with Ptolemy ; and gave himbis daughter Ck-opatra
to wiFe, and yielded up to him Celefyria, and Samuna and
Judea,_and Phenicia, by way of dowry. And upon the divif-
loa of the taxes between the two kings, all the principal men
framed the taxes ot their several countries, and collecting the
fum that was fettled for them, paid the lame to the [two] kings.
Now at this time the Samaritans were in a fiourithing condi-
tion, and mqch diftrefled the Jews, cutting off parts of their-
land, and carrying off flavcs. This happened when Onias
was high-pried ; tor after Eleazar's death, his uncle Manafleh
took the priefthood.and a'terhehad e:idedhis life, Ouias re-
ceived that dignity. He was the fon ot Simon, who was cal-
led the Jujl ; which Simon was the brother of Eleazer, as I
faid betore. This Onias was onrot a little foul, and a great
lover ot money ; and tor that reafon, becaufc he did not pay
that tax of twenty talents ot filver, which his forefathers paid
to thefe kings, out ot their own eftates, he provoked king Ptol-
emy Euergetes to anger, who was the father of Philopater.
Euergetes lent an ambaffador to Jerufalem, and complained
that Onias did not pay his taxes, and threatened, that it he did
not receive them, he would feize upon their land, and fend fol-
diers to live upon it. When the Jews heard this meffage ot
the king's, they were confounded : But fo fordidly covetous
was Onias. that nothing of this nature made him afhamed.
2. There was now one Jofeph, young in age, but of great
reputation among the people ot Jerufalem, for gravity, pru-
dence, and juftice. His father's name was Tobias; and his
Chap. IV.] ANTIQUITIES OF THE JEWS. i^
mother was the fifterof Onias the high-pried, who informed
him of the coming of the ambaflador ; for he was then fojourn-
ing at a village named * Phicol, where he was born. Hereup-
on he came to the city [Jerufa!em,J and reproved Onias for
not taking care of the prefervation ot his countrymen, but
bringing the nation into dangers, by not paying this money.
For which prefervation of them, he told him he had received the
authority over them, and had been made high-prieft : But that,
in cafe he was io great a lover ot money, as to endure to fee
his country in danger on that account, and his countrymen
naffer the greateft damages, he advifed him to goto the king,
and petition him to remit either the whole, or a part ot the
fum demanded. Onias'sanlwer was this, That he did not care
for his authority, and that he was ready, if the thing were prac-
ticable, to lay down his high prieilhood ; and that he would
not go to the king, be-caufe he troubled ru-thimfelf at all about
fuch matters. Jofeph then afked him, If he would not give
him leave to go ambailador on behalf of the nation ? He re-
plied, That he would give him leave. Upon which Jofeph
went up into the temple ; and called the multitude together, to
a congregation, and exhoited them not to be difturbed nor af-
frighted, becaufe of his uncle Onias's careleffhefs, but defired
them tovbe at reft, and not terrify themfelves with fear about
it ; for he promised them that he would be their ambaffador to
the king, and perfuade him that they had done him no wrong.
And when the multitude heard this, they returned thanks to
Jofeph. So he went down from the temple, and treated Ptol-
emy's ambafFador in an hofpitable manner. He alfo prefent-
ed him with rich gitts ; and feafied him magnificently for
many days, and then fent him to the king before him, and told
him that he would foon follow him : For he was now more
willing to go to the king, by the encouragement of the ambaf-
fador, who earneuMy perfuaded him to come into Egypt ; and
promifed him that he would take care that he mould obtain
every thing that he defired of Ptolemy, for he was highly
pleaied with his frank and liberal temper, and with the gravity
ot his deportment.
3. When Ptolemy's am'oalTador was come into Egypt, he
told ,he king otthe thoughtlefs temper ot Onias ; and inform-
ed him ot the goodneis of the difpofition of Jofeph ; and that
he was coming to him, toexcufe the multitude, as not having
done him any harm, for that he was their patron. In mort,
he was fo very large in his encomiums upon the young pan,
that he difpofed both the king and his wife Cleopatra to have a
kindnefs tor him before he came. So Jofeph fent to his friends
at Samaria, and borrowed money ot them, and got ready what
* The name of this place, Phic>'! t is the very fsme->vith irct cf ihe chief captain
of Abirr.cltch's hoit. ia the days of Abraham, Gen. xri. Z2, nnd might poiiibly
be the p'ace ( f that Phicel's nativity or abgdr , fcr -* :-'erns to bs.
luuth pan of Pj.lci\ine, as that was.
>J4 ANTIQUITIES OF THE JEWS. [BookXII
was necedary for his journey, garments, and cups and beafLs
ior burden, which amounted to about twenty thoufand drachma,
and went to Alexandria. Now it happened, that at this time
ail the principal men and rulers went up out of the cities ct
Syria and Phenicia, to bid for their taxes ; tor every year the
king fold them to the men of the greeted power in every city.
So thefemen faw Joieph journeying on the way. and laughed
at him tor his poverty and meannelsj But when he came to
Alexandria and heard that king Ptolemy was at Memphis, he
vent i'.p tiiithef to meet with him ; which happened as the
king was fitting in his chariot, with his wife and with his friend
Atheiiion, who was the very pcrfon who had been ambaHador
at Jerufalem, and been entertained Ky Jofeph. As foon there-
fore as Athenionfaw him, lie prefentiy made him known to the
king, how good and generous a young man he was. So Ptol-
emy faluted him firfl, and defired him to come up into l\\^
chariot ; and as Jofeph fat there, he began to complain of the
management oi Unias. To which he anfwered, Forgive him
on. account of his age, for thou canft not certainly be unac-
quainted with this, that old men and intants have their minds
exatlly alike; but thou (halt have from us, who are young
men, every thing thou deffreft, and fhah have no cauie to
plain. With this good humour and pleafantry of theyoun^
man, the king was fo delighted, that he began already, as though
he had long experience ot him, to have a ftill greater affefclion
ior him, inibmuch, that he bade him take his diet in the kings
palace, and be a gueft at his own table every day. But when
the king was come to Alexandria the principal men of Syria,
faw him fitting with the king, and were much offended at it.
4. And when the day came on which the king was to let the
taxes ot the cities to farm, and thofe that were the principal
men of dignity in their feveral countries were to bid for them,
the fum of the taxes together, of Celefyria and Phenicia, and
Judea, with Samaria [as they were bidden tor,J came to eight
thoufand talents. Hereupon Jofeph accufed the bidders, as
having agreed together to eftimatethe value of the taxes at too
Iowa rate ; and hepromifed, that he would himfelf give twice
as much for them : But for thofe who did not pay, he would
fend the king home their whole fubftance ; for this privilege
was fold together with the taxes themfelves. The king was
pleafed to hear that offer ; and becatife it augmented his reven-
ues, he faid, he would confirm the fale ot the taxes to him.
But then he afked him this queftion, Whether he had any
furetiesthat would be bound for the payment ot the money ?
he anfwered very pleafantly, I will give fuch lecurity. and
thofe of perfons good and refponfible, and which you fhali
have no reafon to difti uih And when he bid him name them,
who they were, he replied, I give thee no other perfons, O
king,$formy fureties than thyfelf, and this thy wife; and you
fhall be fecurity for both parties. So Ptolemy laughed at the
Chap. IV.] ANTIQUITIES OF THE JEWS. 25
propofal, and granted him the farming of the taxes without a-
ny fureties. This procedure was a fore grief to thofe that
came from the cities into Egypt, who were utterly difappoin-
ted ; and they returned every one to their own country with
fhame.
5. But Jofcph took with him two thoufand foot foldiers from
the king ; for he deftred he might have fome afhftance, in or-
der to force fuch as were refractory in the cities to pay. And
borrowing of the king's friends at Alexandria five hundred
ta'enti, he made hafte back into Syria. And when he was at
Afkelon- and demanded the taxes ot the people of Afkelon,
they refufed to pay any thing ; and affronted him alfo : Upon
which he ieized upon about twenty of the principal men, and
flew them, and gathered what they had together, and fent it
all to ihe king; and informed him what he had done. Ptole-
my admired at the prudent conducl oi the man, and commen-
ded him for what he had done ; and gave him leave to do as
he pleafed. When the Syrians heard of this, they were afton-
ilhed ; and having hetore them a lad example in the men of
Afkelon that were flain, they opened their gates, and willing-
ly admitted ,ofepb, and paid their taxes. And when the in-
habitants of Scythopolis attempted to affront him, and would
not pay him thofe taxes which they formerly ufed to pay,
without difputing about them, he flew alfo the principal men
ot that city, and fent their effefts to the king. By this means
he gathered great wealth together, arid made vail gains by this
farming ot the taxes ; and he made ufe ot what effate he had
thus gotten, in order to fupport his authority, as thinking it a.
piece ot prudence to keep what had been the occafion and
foundation of his prefent good fortune ; and this he did by
the affiftance of what he was already poffefled of, for he pri-
vately fent many prefents to the king, and to Cleopatra, and
to their friends, and to all that were powerful about the court,
and thereby purchafed their goodwill to himfelt,
6. This good fortune he enjoyed for twenty -two years ; and
was become the father oi feven ions, by one wife : He had alfo
another fon, whole name was Hyrcanus, by his brother Soiy-
mius's daughter, whom he married on the following occafion.
He once came to Alexandria with his brother, wlio had along
with him a daughter already marriageable, in order to give her
in wedlock to fome ot the Jews ot chief dignity there. He
then fupped with the king, and tailing in love with an a6trefs,
that was of great beauty, and came into the room where they
feafted, he told his brother ot it, and entreated him, be-caule a
Jew is forbidden by their law to come near to a foreigner, to
conceal his offence, and to be kind and fubfervient to him,
and to give him an opportunity ot fulfilling hisdefires. Upon
which his brother willingly enfertained the propofal of icrving
him, and adorned his own daughter, and brought her to him.
by night, and put her into his bed. And Jofepk being difor-
VOL. II. D
26 ANTIQUITIES OF THE JEWS. [Book XII.
dered with drink, knew not who fhe was, and fo lay with his
brother's daughter ; and this did he many times and loved her
exceedingly ; and faid to hip brother, that he loved this aftrefs
fo well, that he mould run the hazard of his life [if he muft
part with her I, and yet probably the king would not give hirn
leave [to take her with him ]. But his brother bid him be in
no concern about that matter, and told him, he might enjoy
her whom he loved without any danger, and might have her
for his wife ; and opened the truth of ihe matter to him, and
allured him that he chofe rather to have his own daughter a-
bufed, than to overlook him, and fee him come to [public]
difgrace. So Jofeph commended him for this his brotherly-
love ; and married his daughter ; and I y her begat a Ton, whofe
name was Hyrcanus, as we faid before. And when this his
youngeil fon mewed, at thirteen years old, a mind that was
both courageous and wife, and was greatly envied by his
brethren, as being of a genius much above them, and fuch an
one as they might well envy, Jofeph had once a mind to know
which of his Tons had the belt difpofition to virtue, and when
ho fent them feverally tothofe tha, had then the belt reputation
for inftrufting youth, the reft of his children, by reafon of
their floth. and unwillingnels to take pains, returned to him
foolilh and unlearned. After them he Tent out the youngeft,
Hyrcanus, and gave him three hundred yoke of oxen, and bid
him go two days journey into the wildernefs, and fow the
land there, and yet kept back privately the yokes of the ox-
en that coupled them together. When Hyrcanus came to the
place, and found he had no yokes with him, he contemned
the drivers of the oxen, who advifed him to fend fome to his
father, to bring them fome yokes ; but he thinking that he
ought not to lofe his time, while they mould be fent to bring
him the yokes, he invented a kind of ftratagem, and whatfui-
ted an age older than his own ; for he flew ten yoke of theox-
en, and diftributed their flefh among the labourers, and cut
their hides into feveral pieces, and made him yokes, and yok-
ed the oxen together with them ; by which means he fowed
as much land as his father had appointed him to fow, and re-
turned to him. And when he was come back, his lather was
mightily pleafed with his fagacity, and commended the fiiarp-
nefs of his underflanding, and his boldnefs in what he did.
And he ftili loved him the more, as if he were his only genu-
ine fon, while his brethren were much troubled at it.
7. But when one told him that Ptolemy had a fon juft born,
and that al! the principal men of Syria, and the other coun-
tries fubjeft to him, were to keep a feftival, on account of the
child's birth-day, and went away in hafte with great Detinues
to Alexandria, he was himfeK indeed hindered from going by
old age, but he made trial of his fons, whether any of them
would be willing to go to the king. And when the elder fons
excufed theinfelves Irom going, and laid, they were not cour-
Cjhap. IV.] ANTIQUITIES OF THE JEWS. 2?
tiers good enough for fuch conversion, and advifed him to
lend their brother Hyrcanus, he gladly hearkened to that ad-
vice ; and called Hyrcanus and alked ni ir i, whether he would
go to the king ; and whether it was agreeable to him to go or
not? And upon his promiie that he would go, and IMS faying
that he mould not want much money ior his journey, becaule
he would live moderately; and that ten thoufand drachmae
would be fufficient, he was p leafed with his fon's prudence.
After a little while the fon advi.'ed his lather riot to fend his
prefents to the king from thence, but to give him a letter to
his fteward at Alexandria, that he might turniihhim with mon-
ey, for purchafing what ihould be moft excellent and mod pre-
cious. So he thinking that the expence often talents would
be enough tor prefents to be made th~ king ; and commend-
ing his fon, as giving him good advice, wrote to Arion his
fteward that managed all his money matters at Alexandria ;
which money was not leis than three thoufand talents on his
account, for Jofeph fent the money he received in Syria, to
Alexandria. And when the day appointed for the payment
of the taxes to the king came, he wrote to Arion to pay them.
So when the fon hadafked his father fora letter to this fteward,
and had received it, he made halie to Alexandria. And when
he was gone, his hrethren wrote to all the king's friends, that
they mould deftroy him.
8. But when he was come to Alexandria, he delivered his
letter to Arion, who afked him how many talents he would
have ? (hoping he would afk for no more than ten, or a little
more,) he faid he wanted a thoufand talents. At which the
fteward was angry, and rebuked him, as one that intended to
live extravagantly ; and he let him know how his father had
gathered together his eftate by pains-taking, and refilling his
inclinations, and wilhed him to imitate the example ot his
lather : He allured him withal, that he would give him but
ten talents, and that for a prefent to the king alio. The Ion
was irritated at this, and threw Arion into pn'on." But when
Arion's wife had informed Cleopatra of this, with her entreaty,
that (he would rebuke the child for what he had done, (for
Arion was in great efteem with her) Cleopatra informed the
king of it. And Ptolemy fent for Hyrcanus, and told him,
that " he wondered when he was fent to him by his father,
that he had not yet come into his prefence, but had laid the
fteward in prifon." And he gave order, therefore that he
fhould come to him, and give an account of the reafon of what
he had done. And they report, that the anfwer he made to
the king's meffenger was this : That '' there was a law of his
that forbad a child that was born, to tafte of the facrifice be-
fore he had been at the temple and facrificed to God. Accord-
ing to which way ot reafoning he did not himfeH come to him,
in expectation ot the prefent he was to make to him, as to one
who had been his father's benetador; and that he had punim-
J>8 ANTIQUITIES OF THE JEWS. [Book XII,
ed the flave tor difobeying his commands, for that it mattered
not whether a mailer was little or great : So that unlefs we
punilh inch as thefe, hou thyfelf mayeft alfo expect to be
defpifed by thy fubjects." Upon hearing this his anfwer, he
fell a laughing, and wondered at the great ioul ol the child.
9. When Anon was appriied that this was the king's difpo-
fition, and that he had r.o'way to help himfc-U, he gave the
child a thoufand talents, and was let out oi prifon. So after
three days were over, Hy rearms came and fainted the king
and queen. They faw him with pleafure, and feaited him in
an obliging manner, out ot the relpecl they bare to his tather.
So he came to the merchants privately, and bought an hun-
dred boys, that had learning, and were in the flower o\ their
ages, each at a talent a piece; as alfo he bought an hundred
maidens, each at the fame price as the other. And when he
was invited to teaft with the king among the principal men of
the country, he fat down the lo^eft of them all, becauie he
was little regarded, as a child in age Itill ; and this by thofe
who placed every one according to their dignity. Now when
all thofe that fat with him had laid the bones of the feveral
parts on an heap before Hyrcanus, (tor they had themfelves
taken away the flylh belonging to them,) till the table where
he fat was filled tull with them ; Trypho, who was the king's
jelter, and was appointed for jokes and laughter at feilivals,
was now afked by the guelts that iat at the table [to expofe
him to laughter.] So he Uood by the king, and laid, '' Doft
thou not fee, my Lord, the bones that he by Hyrcanus ? by
this fimihtude thou mayelt conjecture that his tather inyde all
Syria as bare as he hath made theie bones." And the king
laughing at what Trypho faid, and afkingof Hyrcanus, ' How
he came to have io many bones before him ?" he iv
Very rightfully, my lord : For they are dogs that eat the fle(h
and the bones together, as thefe thy guefts have d-n^, (look-
ing in the mean time at thole gueitsj for there is nothing be-
fore them ; but they are men that eat the fiefh and caft away
the bones, as i, who am alfo a man, have now done." Upon
which the king admired at his aniwer, which was fo wilely
made ; and bid them all make an acclamation, as a mark ot
their approbation of his jeft. which was truly a lacetious one.
On the next day Hyrcanus went to every one of the king's
friends, and of the men powerful at court, and faiuted them ;
but ftill enquired of the fervants what prefent they would
make the king on his fon's birth-day ? and when fome faid,
that they would give twelve talents, and that others of greater
dignity would every one give according to the quantity of
their riches, he pretended to every one to be grieved that he
was not able to bring fo large a prefent, for that he had no
more than five talents. And when the fervants heard what he
faid, they told their matters ; and they rejoiced in the proipeft
that Jofeph would bedifapproved, and would make the king
Chap. IV.] ANTIQUITIES OF THE JEWS. 2fjf
angry, by the fmallnefs of his prefent. When the day came,
the others, even thole that brought the moit, offered the king
not above twenty talents ; but Hyrcanus gave to every one ot
the hundred boys, and hundred maidens that he had bought, a
talent a piece, tor them to carry, and introduced them, the
beys to ihe king, and the maidens to Cleopatra : Every body
wondered at the unexpected richneis ot the prefenrs, even the
king and queen themielves. He alfo prelented thofe that at-
tended about the king with gitts to the value of a great num-
ber ot talents, that he might eicape the danger he was in troni
them ; tor to thefe it was that Hyrcanus's brethren had writ-
ten to deitroy him. Now Ptolemy admired at the young
man's magnanimity ; and commanded him to afk what gift he
pleaied. But he defired nothing elfe to be done for him by
the king, than to write to his tather and brethren about him.
So when the king had paid him very great refpefts, and had
given him very large gitts, and had written to his tather and
his brethren, and all his commanders, and officers about him,
he fent him away. But when his brethren heard that Hyrca-
nus had received fucli favours from the king, and was return-
ing home with great honour, they went out to meet him, and
to dertroy him, and that with the privity of their father : For
he was angry at him tor the [largej furn ot money that lie be-
llowed tor prelents, and fo had no concern tor his preierva-
tion. However Joteph concealed the anger he had at his Ion,
out ot fear of the king. And when Hyrcanus's brethren came
to fight him, lie flew many others ot thole that were with them :
As alio two ot h;s brethren themfelves, but the reft ot them
eic.iped to Jerufalem to their lather. But when Hyrcanus
came to the city where no body would receive him he was
aii. id tor himfelf, and retired beyond the river Jordan, and
there abode, but obliging the Barbarians to pay their taxes.
10 At this time Seleucus, who was called Soter, reigned o-
ver Afia, being the ion of Antiochus the great. And [now^J
Hyr< anus's iather Jofeph died. He was a good man and ot
great magnanimity ; and brought the jews out of a ftate ot
poverty and meannefs, to one that was more fplendid. He re-
tained the farm ot the taxes of Syria, and Phemcia, and Sa-
maria, twenty -two years. His uncle allb, Onias, died [about
this time J and left the high pnefthood to his ion Simon. And
when he was dead, Onias his ion (ucceeded him in that digni-
ty. To him it was that Areus, king ot the Lacedemonians,
ient an embaflage, with an epiitle ; the copy whereof here
follows :
".Areus, king ot the Lacedemonians, to Onias, fendeth greeting :
' We have met with a certain 1 writing, whereby we have
*difcovered, that both the Jews and the Lacedemonians are of
pne flock, and are derived from the * kindred ot Abraham :
I * Whence it comes that thefe Lacedemonians ckclarethemfclves hereto be of kin
30 ANTIQUITIES'OF THE JEWS. [Book XII.
It is butjuft therefore, that you, " who are our brethren,
ihould fend to us about any of your concerns as you pleafe.
We will allo do the fame thing, and efteem your concerns as
our own ; and will look upon our concerns as in common with
yours. Demoteles, who brings you this letter, will bring
your anfwer back to us. This letter is four-fquare ; and the
Teal is an eagle, with a dragon in his claws."
II. And thefe were the contents of the epiftle which was
fent from the king of the Lacedemonians. But upon the death
of Jofeph, the people grew {"editions, on account of his fons :
For whereas the elders made war againft Hyrcanus, who was
the youngeftof Jofeph's ions, the multitude was divided, but
the greater part joined with the eiders in this war ; as did Si-
mon the high-prieft, by reafon he was of kin to them. How-
ever, Hyrcanus determined not to return to Jerusalem any
more, but feated hiinfelf beyond Jordan ; and was at perpetual
war with the Arabians, and flew many of them, and took many
ot them captives. He alfo creeled a ftrong caftle, and built it
entirely of white {lone to the very roof ; and had animals of a
prodigious magnitude engraven upon it. He alfo drew round
it a great and deep canal of water. He alfo made caves of ma-
ny furlongs in length by hollowing a rock that was over a-
gainft him ; and then he made large rooms in it, fome for feaft-
ing, and fome for fleeping, and living in. He introduced alfo
a vaft quantity of waters which ran along it, and which were
very delightful and ornamental in the court. But ftili he made
the entrances at the mouth of the caves fo narrow, that no
more than one perfon could enter by them at once : And the
reafon why he built them after that manner was a good one ; it
was for his own prefervation, left he Ihould be beueged by his
brethren, and run the hazard of being caught by them. More-
over, he built courts of greater magnitude than ordinary,
which he adorned with vaftly large gardens. And when he
had brought the place to this ftate, he named it Tyre. This
place is between Arabia and Judea, beyond Jordan, not iar
from the country of Hefhbon. And he ruled over thofe parts
to the Jews, as derived from the fame anceftor Abraham, I cannot tell, unlefs, as
Grotius tuppoies, they were derived from the Dores, that came of the Pelaigi.
ThcJe are by Herodotus, called Barbarians ; and perhaps were derived from the
Syrians and Arabians, the poflerity of Abraham by Keturah See Antiq B XVI
ch. x. ^ 22. Vol. II. aud Of the War, B. I. ch. x'xvi. i. Vol. III. and Grot, on
1 Maccab. xu. 7. We may farther obferve from the retognitUiiis of Clement, that
Ehezer, of Damafcus, thefervant of Abraham, Gen. xv. 2. and xxiv. was of old by
iome taken for n.s/u* So that if the Lacedemonians were fprung from him,
they might think themfelves to be of thepoftcrity of Abraham, as well as the lews
who were fprung from Ifaac. And perhaps this Eliezer of Damafcus is that very
Damafcus, whom Trogus pompeius, as abridged by Juftm, makesthe founder of the
lewifc nation itfelf though he afterwards blunders, and makes Azelus, Adores,
Abraham, and Ifrael k.ngsof Judea, and fucceffors to this Damafcus. It may
>e improper to obferve farther, that Mofes Chorenefis, in his hiftory of the
Armemans informs us, that the nation of the Pharthianj Was alfo derived from
Abraham, by Keturah, and her children.
Chap. V.] ANTIQUITIES OF THE JEWS. JI
for feven years even all the time that Seleucus was king of
Syria. But when he was dead, his brother Antiochus,. who
was called Epiph^nes, took the kingdom. Ptolemy allo, the
king of Egypt, died, who was befides called Epiphanes. He
left two fons, and both young in age ; the elder of which was
called Philomel or, and the younger Pkyfcon. As for Hyrca-
mis, when he faw that Antiochus had a great army, and feared
left he (hould be caught by him, and brought to punifhment
for what he had done to the Arabians, he ended his life, and
flew himfelf with his own hand ; while antiochus feized upon
all his fubftance.
CHAP. V.
How, upon the quarrels oj the. Jeios one again/I another about
the high prieflkood, Antiochus made an expesition again ft Je-
rufalem, took the city, and pillaged the temple, and dijlrefled
the Jews : As a/fo, how many of the Jews jorfook the. laws
of their country ; and how the Samaritans followed the cuf-
toms oj the Greeks \ and named their temple at Mount Gernz-
zim t the temple of Jubiter Hellenius.
I. A BOUT this time, upon the death of Onias the high
x\ prieft, they gave the high priefthood to Jefus's bro-
ther ; for that fon which Onias left [or Onias I V .j was yet
but infant : And, in its proper place, we will inform the rea-
der of all the circumftances that betel this child. But this Je-
fus, who was the brother of Onias was deprived of the high
priefthood by the king, who was angry with him, and gave
it to his younger brother, whofe name alfo was Onias, for Si-
mon had thefe three fons, to each of which the priefthood
came, as we have * already informed the reader. This Jefus
changed his name to J-afon ; but Onias was called Menelaus.
Now as the former high prieft Jefus, raifed a fedition againfl
Menelaus, who was ordained after him, the multitude were
divided between them both. And the fons of Tobias took the
* We have hitherto had but a few of thofe many citations where Jofephus fays,
that he had ellewhere formerly treated of many things, of which yet his prefent
books have not a lyllable Our eommentators have hitherto been able to give no
tolerable account of these citations, which are far too numerous, and that ufually
in all his copies both Greek and Latin, to be luppoled later interpolations, which
is almoft all that has been hitherto faid upon this occafion. What I have to fay-
farther is this, that we have but very few of thele references before, and very many
in and after the hiftory of AntiochusEpiphar.es; and that Jofephus's firft book,
the Hebrew or Chaldee, as well as the G'reek hif^ry of the Jewish War, long fince
loft, began with that very hiftory, io that the references are moft probably made
to that edition of tie feven books of the War. See ieveral other examples, be-
fides thole in the two fections before us. in Antiq. B JCIII ch. ii. ^ i. 4. vol. II.
and ch. iv. \ 6. 8. ch. v. () 6. u. ch. viii, i 4 aud ch. xiii ^ 4. i and Antia. B.
XVIII, ch. ii. $ 5. vol. II.
$3 ANTIQUITIES OF Tii JEV,';>. ("Book
part of Menelaus, but the greater part of the peopleaflifted Ja-
fon ; and by that means Menelaus, and the fons of Tobias
were diltreffed, and retired to Antiochus, and informed him*
that they were defirous to leave the laws of their country, and
the Jcwiih way of living according to them, ami to follow the
king's laws, and the Grecian way of living: Wherefore they
defired his permilTion to build them a* Gymnafium at jeruhi-
lem. And when he had given thm leave, they alfo hid the
circnmcifion of their genitals, that even when they were nak-
ed, thev might appear to be Greeks. Accordingly they left
ofFall the cuiloms that belonged to their own country, and im-
itated + he practices of the other nations.
2. Now Antiochus, upon the agreeable fituation of the af-
fair' of his kingdom, refolved to make an expedition againfl
Egypt, both bccaufe lie had a defire to gain it, and hecaufe
he contemned the fon of Ptolemy, as now weak, and n:
of abilities to manage affairs of fuch confequence ; fj he came
with great forces to Pelufium, and circumvented Ptolemy
Philometor by treachery, and fei/.ed upon Egypt. He then
came to the places about Memphis; and when he had taken
them, he made hade to Alexandria, in hopes of taking it by
fiege, and of fnnduing Ptolemy, who reigned there. But he
was driven not only from Alexandria, but out of all Egypt, by
the declaration of the Romans, who charged him to let that
country alone ; according as I have elfewhere formerly de-
clared. I will now give a particular account of what concerns
this king, how he fubdued Judea and the temple; for in my
former work I mentioned tiofe things very briefly, and have
therfore no >v thought it necefTary to gu over that hiftory again,
and that with great accura y.
3. t King Antiochus returning out of Egypt for fear of the
Romans, made an expedition againil the city Jerufalem ; and
when he was there, in the hundred forty and third year of
the kingdom of the Selucidas, he took the city without fight-
ing, thofe of his own party opening the gates to him. And
when he had gotten pofleffion of Jerufalem, he flew many of
the oppofite party ; and when he plundered it of a great deal
of money, he returned to Antioch.
4. Now it came to pafs, alter two years, in the hundred for-
ty and fifth year, on the twenty-fifth day of that month, which
* This word Gymnajtum, properly denotes a place where the exercife? \vere
performed naked, which, becatfe it would naturally diftingnish circumciled Jews
from uncircumciled GcntiKs, theie Jewish apoftates endeavoured to appear uncir-
cumcifed, by means of chirurgical operation, hinted at by St. Paul, -2. Cor. vii,
18. and described Sy Cclfus, B VII. ch, xxv. as Dr Hudlbnheie informs us.
~r Hereabout Jofephtis begins to follow the firft bo*'k of the Maccabe s, a mod
excellent and moft authentic hiftory ; and accordingly it is here, with great fidelity
and exaftnefs, abridged by him : Between wh->fe prefent copies there ieem to be
fewer variations than in any other (acred Hebrew book of the Old Teftament what-
foever, (for this book allo was originally written in Hebrew which ; .s very natural,
becauie it was wiitten lo much nearer to the times of jofephus than the reii were.
Chap. V.] ANTIQUITIES OF THE JEWS. 33
us cJ.led Chajleu, and by the Macedonians Apelleus in
the hiui- Ired and fifty-third olympiad, that the king came up to
Jerusalem, a<id. pretending peace, he got pofleffion of the
chy by trea. heiy : At which time lie fpared not fo much as
ih-jt admitted him into it, on account of the riches that
lay in the temple ; hut led hy his covetous inclination (for he
lerfi A ;i ; in it a greit deal of gold, and many ornaments
thdt had heen dt dicaJed to it of very great value]: and in or-
der to plunder its wealth, he ventured to hreak the league he
ha;i made So he left the temple bare; and took away the
golden altar f of incenfe, j and table i of fhew-bred,] and the
altar [')\ burnt-offering ;j and did not ahfu'.a from even the
Vails, which were made of fine linen and fcarlet. He alfo
emptied it of its fecret treafures and left nothing at all remain-
ing ; and ! y this means call the Jews into great lamentation,
for he forbad them to offer thofe daily facrifices which they uf-
ed to offer to God, according to the law. And when he had
pillaged the whole city, fome of the inhabitants he fle<v, and
ibme he carried captive, together with their wives and chil-
dren, fo that the multitude oi thofe captives that were taken
alive amounled to about ten thoufand. He alfo burnt down
the fineft buildings ; and \vhen he had overthrown the city
walls, he built * a citadel in the lower part of the city, for the
plac^ was high, aad overlooked the temple, on which account
he fortified it with high walls and towers, and put into it a gar-
r i fon of Macedonians. However, in that citadel the impious
and wicked part of the [Jewifb] multitude, from whom it
proved that the citizens differed many and fore calamities.
And when the king had buih an idol altar upon God's altar, he
{lew fwine upon it, and fo offered a facrifice neither according
to the law, nor the Jewifh religious worfhip in that count) y
He alfocompelled them to forfake the worth ip which they paid
their own God, and to adore thofe whom he took to be gods ;
and make them build temples and raife idol altars in every
city and village, and offer fwine upon them every day. He
alfo commanded them not to ciicumci'e their fons, and threat-
ened to punifh any that (houlci be found to have tran.'greffed
his injunction. He alfo appointed overfeers, who Ihould
compel them to do what he commanded. And indeed many
Jews there were who complied with the king's commands, ei-
ther voluntary, or out of fear ot the penalty that was denounc-
* This Citadel, of which we have fuch frequ-nt mention in the following hiftory,
b <>th in the Maccabees, and joiephus, ieems to have been a caiUe built on an hill,
lower thau mount /.ion, though upon its fkirts, ard higher than mount Moriah,
bv:t between them both ; which hill I he enemies of the Jews now got pofleflion ot,
and built on it this citadel, and fortified it, till a good while afterwards the Jews
i it, demolimed it, and levelled the hill itielf with the common ground,
that their enemies tni^ht no more recover it. and mi^ht thence o\erlook the temple
if'eit. and do them luch nnlchief'as they hdd. long undergone from it, Antic;. JJ.
Xi II ch. vi. : . 6.
VOL. II. E
34 ANTIQUITIES OF THE JEWS. [Book XIL
ed : But the belt men, and thofe o! the nobleft fouls, did not
regard him, but did pay a greater refpect to the cuitorrs ot
their country, than concern as to the punishment which he
threatened to the difobedic'ir ; on which account they every
day underwent great miferies, and bitter toiments, tor they
were whipped with rods, and their bodies were torn to pieces,
and were crucified, while they were 1H11 aiive, and breathed :
They alfo flrangled thofe women and their ions whom they had
circumcifed, as the king had appointed, hanging their fons a-
bout their necks as they were upon the croflcs. And it there
were any facred book or the law found, it was defhoyed, and
thofe with whom they were found, miferably periihed alio.
5. When the Samaritans faw the Jews under theie fufFenngs,
they no longer conieffed that they were of their kindred, nor
thatthe temple on Mount Gerizzim belonged to Almighty God.
This was according to their nature, as we have already
fhown. And they now faid, that they were a colony o\ Mecles
and PerHans : And indeed they were a colony o* theirs. So
they fent ambafladors to Antiochus, and an epiftle ; whofe
contents are thefe : '* To king Antiochus the god. Epiphanes,
a memorial from the Sidonians, who live at Sechem. Our
ioretathers, upon certain frequer.t phigues, and as lollowing a
certain ancient fuperftition, had a cuftom of oblerving that day
which by the Jews is called \\ieSab6~dtb*. And when they had
erected a temple at the mountain called Gcnzzim, though with-
out a name, they offered upon it the proper facrifices. Now,
upon the juft treatment of thefe wicked Jews, thofe that man-
ge their affairs, fuppofmg that we were of kin to them, and
practifed as they do, make us liable to the fame accufations,
although we be originally Sidonians, as is evident from the
public records We therefore befeechthee, our benefactor
and faviour, to give order to Apollonius, the governor of this
part of the country, and to Nicanor, the procurator of thy af-
fairs, to give us no difturbance, nor to lay to our charge what
the Jews are accufed for, fmce we are aliens from their nation,
and from their cuftoms ; but let our temple, which at p re fent
hath no name at all, be named, The Temple of jfupi-
ter Hdlenius. If this were once done, we fhould be no long-
er difturbed, but mould be more intent on our own occupation
with quietnefs. and fo bring in a greater revenue to thee."
When the Samaritans had petitioned for this, the king lent
them back the following anfwer, in an epiftle : " King Antio-
chus to Nicanor. The Sidonians, who live at Shechem, have
fent me the memorial inclofed. When therefore we were ad-
vifing with our friends about it, the meflengers fent by them
reprefented to us, that they are no way concerned with accufa-
tions which belonged to the Jews, but choole to live after the
* This al!cpition of the Samaritans is remarkable, that though they were not
Jews, yet did they, from ancient times, obferve tlie Sabbath-day, and, as they elfe
where pretend, the Sabbatic year also. Antiq. B, XII, ch. vii. \ 6.
Chap. VI.] ANTIQUITIES OF THE JEWS. 35
cuftom of the Greeks. Accordingly we declare them free
from fuch accufations, and order that, agreeable to their peti-
tion, their temple be named, I he Temple oj Jupiter Hdlemus"
He alfo fent the like epiftle to Apoilonius, the governor of
that part of the country, in the forty -fixth year, and the eigh-
teenth day of the month Hecatombeon.
CHAP. VI.
How, upon Antiochus's prohibition to the Jews to make ufe of
the Laws of their Countiy, Mattatkias the [on of A/a/no/teus,
alone dcfpijed the king and over came the eenerqls of'Anhochus's
army : Asolfo cancermng the Death oj Mattathias and t/is/uc-
ceffion of Judas.
i. TVJOW at this time there was one whofe name was Mat-
i. if tathias, who dwelt at Modin, the fon of John, the
fon of Simeon, the fon ot Afamoneus, a priefl ot the order of
Joarib, and a citizen ot Jerufalem, He had five fons John,
who was called Gadlis, and Simon, who was called Matthes,
and j Judas, who was called Maccabeus,* and Eleazar, who
was called Auran, and Jonathan who was called Apphus. Now
this Mattathias lamented to his children the fad ftate of their
affairs, and the ravage made in the city, and the plundering
of the temple and the camities the multitude were under ; and
he told them that it was better for them to die for the laws ot"
their country, than to live fo inglorioufly as they then did.
2. But when thofe that were appointed by the king were
come to Modin, that they might compel the Jews to do what
they were commanded ; and to enjoin thofe that were there to
oiler iacrifice, as the king had commanded, they de fired that
Mattathias, a perlon ot the greateU character among them,
both on other accounts, and particularly on account of fuch
a numerous and fo delerving a family of children, would be-
gin the facrifice, becaufe his fellow citizens would follow his
example, and becaufe (uch a procedure would make him hon-
oured by the king. But Mattathias faid, " he would not do
it ; and that if all the other nations would obey the commands
of Antiochus, either out of fear, or to please him, yet would
not he nor his fons leave the religious wormip of their coun-
try." But as foon as he had ended his fpeech, there came one
of the Jews into the midft of them, and facrificed, as Antio-
* That this appellation of Macca^ee was not firft of all given to Judas Macca-
l>eiis, nor was derived from any initial letters of the Hebrew words on his banner,
Mi Kamoka Le Elim, Jehovah ? Who is like unto thte among the Gods, Jehovah ?
xod. xv. i j. as the modern Rabbins vainly pretend, iee Authent. Rec. part I. p.
205,206. Only we may note, by the way, that the original name of thefe Mac-
cabees, and theii poRerity, was Ajmonijns : which was derived from Almoncus,
the great-gran d-fa^er of Maltathias, as Jofephtu here informs us.
36 ANTIQUITIES OF THE JEWS. [2cok XII,
chus had commanded. At which Mattathias had great indig-
nation, and ran upon him violently, with hss Ions, who had
fwords with them, and flew both the man himieit that facri-
ficed, and Appelles the -ueral, YV no compelled them
to fa nfice, with a few of hisfoidiers. Ho alio ovetthn
idol altar, and cried out, " It, (aid l.e, any one be zealous tor
the laws o\ his country, and tor the worihip o! God, let iii;n
follow ine." And when he had {aid this, he made hafle into
the defart with his fons.aud iettall his Jubilance in the village,
Many others did the fame al'o, and fled with their children
and wives into the delan, and dwelt into caves. But when the
ting's generals heard this, they took all the forces they then
had in the citadel at Jerufaleni, and pnriued the j \vs into
the defart ; and when they had overtaken them, they in the
firil place endeavoured to perlaude them to repent, and to
chufe \\hat was moft tor their advantage, and not put ti.em to
the neceffify of nfiugthem according to tl;e law ot w.;r. i-ut
when they would not con ply wi : h their pel iu.t con-
tinued to be of a different mind, they ought ap.ainii then) on
the Sabbath day, and they burnt them as tl.ev Wfic :n ! ie
caves without redftance, and without fo much as flop-
ping up the entrances ot the caves. And they avoided to de-
lend themfelves on that day, becuufe they were not willing to
break in upon the honour they owed the SJ) ath even in im h
d id re lies ; tor our law requires that we reft upon
There were about a thou and, with their Wiv<. -, ar.d clu
who were imothcved and died :n tliefe caves ; i nt n,ai
that efcaped joined thenjK-lv<s ro Mattathias, and aj.p .
him to be their ruler, who taught then.' to fight, even on the
Sabbath-day ; and told at * unlcls they would do fo,
they would become their own enemies, by oblervis g the. law
| fo rigoioufly j while their arlvet aries would ihll ailauh their,
on this day, and they would not then defend themfelves, and
that nothing could then hinder but they rnuft all peri fh without
fighting." 1 his fpeech perfuade 1 them. Arid this rule con-
tinues among us to this day, that it there be a neceflity. we
may fight on Sabhath-days. So Mattathiafgot a great army
about him, and overthrew their idol 'altars, and flew thofe
that broke the laws, even ai! that he could get under his pow-
er, for many ot them were dilpet ted a?nong^the nations round
about them tor fear of him. He alio corninandeH, that rho'p
hoys which were not yet circuircited fhould be circumciled
now ; and he drove thoie away that were appointed to hinder
iuch their circumcifion.
3. But when he had ruled one year, and was fallen into a
diltemper, he called tor his Ions, and fet them round about
him, and laid, " O my fons, lam going the way of all the
earth, and I recommend to you my relolution, and befeech
you not to be negligent in keeping it, but to be mindful of
the defires ot him who begat you, and b. ought you up, and to
Chap. VII.] ANTIQUITIES OF THE JEWS. 37
prcferve the cuiloms of your country, and to recover your an-
cient torm of g .vernment, which is in danger ot being over-
turned, and not to be cariied away with thofe that, either by
own inclination, or out. ot neceffity, betray it, but to be-
come luv h Lms as are worthy ot me ; to be above all force,
and neccfliiy, and lo to <hf|<oie y: in fouls, as to be ready,,
v.'hen it 'ball beneceflary, to die tor your laws, as ienfible of
this by jufl reafonmg, that i\ God fee that you are io diipofed
he will not overlook you, but will hve a great value ioryour
Virtue, and will rellore to you again, vxh..t you have loft, and
will retuin to you that ireedom in wind, you lhall live quietly,
and enjoy your own cuftoms. Your bodies are mortal and
fubject to tdte, ! ut they receive a iort ot immortality, by the
remembrance ot what actions they have done And I would
have you To in love with this immortality.', that you may pur-
fue alter .glory, and that, when you have undergone the great-
eii difficulties, you may not icruple, lor luch tilings to lofe
your lives. 1 exhort you, especially, to agree one with anoth-
er ; and in w*;at excellence any one ot you exceeds another,
to yield to him fo tar, and by that means to reap tne advantage
ot eveiy one's own vinues. !);> you then efteem Simon as your
lather, Became he is a man ot extraordinary prudence, and to
be governed by him in what coLn;el he g:ves you. Take
Maccabeus tor the genc;ai o your army, hecaufe ot his cour-
age ana ill eiigi h, tor he will avenge- your nation, and will bring
vengean /e on your enemies. Admit among you the righteous
and rel gious, and augment their power."
4 Wi en Mattatir.ab had thus difcout led to his fons.and had
prayed to God to be their aiiiitant, and to recover to the peo-
ple then tormer conftitution, he died a littie at I er ward, and
was buried at Modm ; all the people making -great lamenta-
tion tor him. Whereupon his (on Judas took upon him the
administration t>t put)he affairs in the hundred iorty and fixth
; and this by the ready affulance ot his l-rethrcn, and ot
otheis, Judas cait their enemies out ot the country, and put
thofe ot their ir.vn country to df-ath who had tranigreffed its
laws, and punnedthe land otall the pollutions that were in it.
CHAP. VII.
Hou> Judas overthrew thf Forces of Apollonius andSeron t and
killed the Generals of tk-nr Armies themj elves; and how,
when, a tittle whue afterward, Lyjias andGnrgias were beat-
en, he went up to JerujaUm, and purified the 'lemplc,
I. T X 7 HEN Appollonius, the general of the Samaritan
V V toices heard this, he took his army, and madehalte
to go againft Judas ; who met him and joined battle with him,
and beat him ; and flew many ot his men. and among them
3$ ANTIQUITIES OF THE JEWS. [Book XII.
Appllonius himfelf, their general whofe fword being that
which he happ encd to wear, he (eized upon, and kept tor him-
felf; but he Bounded more than he flew, and took a great
deal of prey from the enemies camp, and went his way. But
when Seron, who was general of the army of Celefyria heard
that many had joined themfelves to Judas, and that he had a-
bout him an army fufficient for fighting, and tor making war,
he determined to make an expedition againft him, as thinking
it became him to endeavour to puniih thofe that tranfgrelled
the king's injunctions. He then got together an army, as
large as he was able, and joined to it the runagate and wicked
Jews, and came againft Judas. He came as far as Bethhorpn,
a village ot Judea, and tuere pitched his camp : Upon which
Judas met him ; and when he intended to give him battle, he
law that his foldiers were backward to fight, becaufe their
number was fmall, and becauie they wanted food, for they
were fading, he encouraged them, and faid to them, that
*' vitory and conqueil ot enemies is not derived from the mul-
titude in armies, but in the exerciie ot piety towards God ;
and that they had the plaineft inftances in their forefathers,
who by their righteoufnefs, and exerting themfelves on behalf
of their own laws, and their own children, had trequently con-
quered many ten thoufands, tor innocence is the ftrongeft ar-
my." By this fpeech he induced his men to contemn the
multitude ot the enemy, and to fall upon Seron. And upon
joining battle with him, he beat the Syrians ; and when their
general tell amonpr the reft, they all ran away with fpeed, as
thinking that to b 'their heft way of efcaping. So he purfued
them unto the plain, and Hew about eight hundred ct the ene-
my, but the reft efcapcd to the region that lav near the iea.
2. When king Amiochus heard of thele things, he was very
angry at what had happened ; lo he got together all his own
army with many mercenaries whom he had hired from the ifl-
ands, and took them with him, and prepared to break in'o Ju-
dea, about the beginning of the ipnng. But when upon his
muftenng his foldiers, he perceived that his treakires were de-
ficient, and there was a want of money in them, for all the tax-
es were not paid, by reafon ot the {editions there had been a-
rnong the nations, he having been , fo magnanimous and fo
liberal, that what he had was not lufhcient tor him, he there-
fore refolved firft to go into Perfia and collect the taxes ot
that country. Hereupon he left one whofe name was Lyfias,
who was in great repute with him, governor ot the kingdom,
as tar as the bounds of Egypt, and ot the lower Afia, and reach-
ing from the river Euphrates, and commuted to him a certain
part ot his forces, and of his elephants, and charged him to
bring up his fon Antiochus with all poflible care, until he came
back ; and that he mould conquer Judea, and take its inhabit-
ants for flaves, and utterly deftroy Jerufalem and abolifh the
whole nation. And when king Antiochus had given thefe
Chap. VII.] ANTIQUITIES O? THE JEWS. * 39
things in charge to Lyfias, he went into Perfia ; and in the
hundred and torty-feventh year he parted over Euphrates, and
went up to the (uperior provinces.
3. Upon this Lyfias chofe Ptolemy. the fon of Dorymenes,
and Nicanor, and Georgias, very potent men among the king's
friends, and delivered to them forty thoufand toot foldiers,
and feven thouland horfemen, and fent them againil Judea,
vho came as far as the city Emmau-s, and pitched their camp
in the plain country. There came alfo to them auxiliaries out
of Syria, and the country round about ; as alfo many of the
runagate Jews. And befides thefe came fome merchants to
buy thofe that fhould be carried captives, (having bonds with
them to bind thofe that Ihould be made prifonersj with that
fi'.ver and gold which they were to pay for their price. And
when Judas faw their camp, and how numerous their enemies
were, he perfnaded his own foldiers to be of good courage ;
and exhorted them to place their hopes of viftory in God, and
to make fupplication to him, according to the cuftom of their
country clothed in fackcloth ; and to fhew what was their ufu-
al habit of fupplication in the greateft dangers, and thereby to
prevail with God to grant you the victory overyour enemies.
So he fet them in their ancient order of battle ufed by their
forefathers, under their captains of thoufand*, and other offi-
cers; and difmiired fuch as were newly married, as well as
thofe that had newly gained polfeflions, that they might not
fight in a cowardly manner, out of an inordinate love of life, in
order to enjoy thofe bleffings. When he had thus difpo^ed his
foldiers, he encouraged them to fight by the following fpeech,
which he made to them : " O my fellow foldiers, no other time
remains more opportune than the prefent for courage, and con-
tempt of dangers ; for if you now fight manfully you may re-
cover your liberty, which, as it is a thing of itfelf agreeable
to all men, fo it proves to be to us much more deferable, by its
affording us the liberty of worshipping God. Since therefore
you are in fuch circumitances at prefent, that you muft either
recover that liberty, and fo regain an happy and blefled way
of living, which is that according to our laws, and thecufloms
of our country, or to fubmit to the moft opprobrious fuffer-
ings ; nor will any feed of your nation remain it you be beat
in this battle. Fight therefore manfully ; and fuppofe that you
muft die though you do not fight. But believe, that befides
fuch glorious rewards as thofe ot the liberty of your country,
of your laws, of your religion, you (hall then obtain everlafting
glory. Prepare yourfelves therefore, and put yourfelves into
fuch an agreeable pofture, that you may be ready to fight
With the enemy as Toon as it is day to-morrow morning."
4. And this was the fpeech which Judas made to encourage
them. But w^en the enemy fent Georgias, with five thoufand
foot, and one thoufand horfe, that he might fall upon Judas by
night, and had lor that purpofe certain of the runagate Jews a*
4& " ANTIQUITIES OF THE JEWS. [Book XIf
guides, the Ton of Mattatluas perrrived it, and refolved to 'all
upon thofe enemies that weie in (heir ca.-rp, now their fore es
' were divided. Wiuvi they had therefore 1'upped in good time,
and had lett many Has in their camp he m-irchf d ail n : ght to
thofe enemies that -.vere :it Emm.uis : So that when Georgias
found no enemy in the<r camp, but f.i p->tc ; that they were
retired, and had Uidden themfelveS a-nong the mountains, he
relolved to go and 'eeic them whrrefoever they were. ^3ut
about break of day. Ju.i.is ippear--d to tiiofe enemies that were
at Entnaus, with only three t'louland men, and thofe ill arm-
ed, hy reafon ot their poverty, and when he law the enemy
v -.'y well and fkii fully Ionised in their camp, he encouraged
the Jews, and toid them, '' that they ought to fight, though,
it were with their naked bodies, for that God had fometimes
of old given fuch men ftrerigth, and that againft fuch as were
more in number, and were armed alfo, out ot regard to their
great courage." So he commanded the trumpeters to found
for the Battle : And by thus 'ailing upon the enemies when
they did nut expert it, and thereby aftonifhing and diilurbing
their minds, he Hew many of tho e that refilled him, and went
on purfuing the reft as tar as Gadarj, and the plains ot Idu-
mea, and AHuiod, and Jamnia ; and of thefe there tell about
three thoufand. Yet did Judas exhort his foldiers not to be too
defirous of the fpoils, tor that ilill they mud have a conteftand
a battle with Gorgias, and the forces that were with him ; but
that when they had once overcome them, then they might fe-
curely plunder the camp becauie they vvere the only enemies
remaining, and they expefcled no others. And juft as he was
fpeakjng to his foldiers, Gorgias'smen looked down into that
army, which they left in their camp, and faw tht it was over-
thrown, and the camp burnt, for the fmoke that arofe from it
fhewea them even when they were a great way off, what had
happened. When therefore thofe that were with Gorgias un-
derltood that things were in this pofture and perceived that
thofe that were with Judas were ready to fight them, they al-
fo were affrighted and put to flight ; but then Judas, as though
he had already beaten Gorgias's foldiers without fighting, re-
turned and feized on the Ipoils. He took a great quantity of
gold and filver and purple aud blue, and then returned home
with joy and finging hymns to God for their good fuccefs,
for this victory greatly contributed to the recovery of their
liberty.
5. Hereupon Lyfias was confounded at the defeat of the ar-
my which he had (ent, and the next year he got together fixty
thoufand chofen men. He alfo took five thoufand horfcmen,
and fell upon Judea ; and he went up to the hill country of
Bethfur, a village ot judea, and pitched his camp there, where
Judas met him with ten thoufand men ; and when lie faw the
great number ot his enemies, he prayed to God, that he would
aflifl him, and joined battle with the firft ot the enemy that
Chap. V.] ANTIQUITIES OF THE JEWS. 41
appeared, and beat them, and flew about five thoufand of them,
and thereby became terrible to the rell of' them. Nay indeed,
Ly fiiis obferving the great fpirit of the Jews, how they were
prepared to die rather than lofe their liberty, and being afraid
of their defperate way of fighting, as if it were r al ftrength,
he took the reft of the ar:ny back with him, and returned to
Antioch, where he hitei foreigners into the fervice, and pre-
pared to fall up .,>n Mui'.-'a with a greater army.
6. When therefore the generals of Antiochus's armies had
been beaten fo ohen, Judas afTernMed the people together, and
told them, That " after thefe many victories which God had
given them, they ought to go up to Jerufalem, and purify the
temple, and offer the appointed facnfices." But as foon as
he, with the whole multitude, was come to Jerufalem, and
found the temple deferted, and its gates burnt down, and plants
growing in the temple, ot their own accord, on account of its
defertion, he and thole thai were with him began to lament,
and were quite confounded at the fight of the temple ; fo he
chofe out iome of his foldiers, and gave them order to fight a-
gainft thofe guards that were in the citadel, until he ihould
hc.ve purified the temple. When therefore he had carefully
purged it, and had brought in new veiTels, the candleftick, the
table [of fhev.'-bread.] and the alter [of incenfe,] which were
made of gold, he hung up the vials at the gates, and added
doors to them. He alfo took down the altar [of burnt-offer-
ingj and built a new one of Hones that he gathered together,
and not of fuch as were hewn with iron tools. So on the five
and twentieth day of the month Cafleu, which the Macedoni-
ans call Apelleus, they lighted the lamps that were on the can-
dleftick, and offered incenfe upon the altar [of incenfe,] and
laid the loaves upon the table [of fhew-bread,] and ottered
burnt-offerings upon the new altar [of burnt-offering.] Now
it fo fell out, that thefe things were done on the very fame day
on which their divine worfhip had fallen off, and was reduced
to a profane and common ule, after three years time ; for fo
it was, that the temple was made defolate by Antiochus, and
fo continued for three years. This defolation happened to
the temple in the hundred forly and filth ye-ir, on the tuenty-
fiith day ot the month Apel'teus, and on the hundred fifty and
third olympiad : But it was dedicated a-new, on the fame day,
the twenty-fifth of the month Apelleus, on the hundred and
th year, and on the hundred and fifty-fourth olym-
piad. An'i this defolation came to pals according to the
prophecy of Daniel, which was given iou; hundred and eight
before; tor he declared, tiiat the Macedonians would
di'F:>ive that worlhip [for fo;:.
7. Now Judas celebrated the feftival of the raftoration of
icnfices of the temple for eight days ; and omitted no fort.
of pieafures thereon : But he feaited them upon very rich and
; ;iid facrifices ; and he honoured God, and delighted
VOL. II. F
42 ANTIQUITIES OF THE JEWS. [Book XII.
them, by hymns and pfalms. Nay, they were fo very glad at
the revival ot their cuftoms, when, after a long time ot inter-
miflion, they unexpectedly had regained the freedom ot their
worfbip, that they made it a law for their pofterity. that they
ihould keep a feftival on account of the reftoratiun ot their
temple worfhip, for eight days. And Irom that time to this
we celebrate this feflival, and call it Lights. I fuppofe the
reafon was this, becaufe this liberty beyond our ii'ip^s appear-
ed to us ; and that thence was the name given to that feftival.
Judas alfo rebuilt the walls round about the city ; and reared
towers of great height againft the incur fions of enemies ; and
fet guards therein. He alfo fortified the city Bethfma, that it
might ferve as a citadel againit any diftrefles that might come
from our enemies,
CHAP. VIII.
How Judas fubducdthe Nation round about ; find haw Simon
beat the People of Tyre and Pl.olc mais : And kou* Judas over-
came Timotheus, and forced him to jly away, and did many
ether things, after Jofephand Azanashad been beaten.
\ i. T X 7HEN thefe things were over, the nations round a-
V V bout the Jews were very uneafy at the revival of
their power, and rofc up together, and deftroyed many of
them, as gaining advantage over them by laying fnares for
them, and making fecret confpiracies againft them. Judas
made perpetual expeditions againit thefe men, and endeavour-
ed to reftrain them from thofe incnrfions, and to prevent the
mifchiefs they did to the Jews. So he fell upon the Idu-
means, the poflerity of Efau, at Acrabattene, and flew a great
many of them, and took their fpoils. He alfo fhut up the fons
of Bran, that laid wait for the Jews ; and he fat down about
them, and befieged them, and burnt their towers, and deftroy-
ed the men [that were in them.] After this he went thence
in hafte againft the Ammonites, who had a great and a numer-
ous army ; of which Timotheus was the commander. And
when he had fubdued them, he feized on the city Jazer, and
took their wives and their children captives, and burnt the ci-
ty, and then returned into Judea. But when the neighbour-
ing nations underftood that" he was returned, they got togeth-
er in great numbers, in the land of Gilead, and came againft
thofe Jews that were at their borders, who then fled to the
weregarrifon ofDametha ; and fent tojudasto inform him that
Timotheus was endeavouring to take the place whither they
fled. And as thefe epiftles were reading, there came other
sneflengers out of Galilee, who informed him that the inhab-
itants of Ptolemais, and of Tyre and Sidon, and ftrangers of
Galilee, were gotten together,
Chap. VIII.] AMTIOUITIES OF THE JEWS. 43
2. Accordingly Judas, upon confidering what was fit to be
done, with relation to the neceflity both thefe cafes required,
gave onkr that Simon his brother (houid take three thou.
land chofen men, arid go to the aififtance of the Jews in Gali-
lee, while he and another of his brothers, Jonathan, n;adehafte
into the land of Gilead, with eight thoufand foldiers. And he
leh Jofeph, the fon oi Zacharias, and Azarias, to be over the
reft of the forces ; and charged them to keep judea very care-
fully, and to fight no battles with any perfons whomfoever
until his return. Accordingly Simon went into Galilee, and
fought the eneiny, and put them to flight, and purfued them
to the very gates of Ptolemais, and flew about three thoufand
of them ; and took the fpoils of thofe that were (lain, and
thofe Jews whom they had made captives, with their baggage;
and then returned home.
3. Now as for Judas Maccabeus, and his brother Jonathan,
they parled over the river Jordan ; arid when they had gone
three daysjourney, they light upon the Xabateans, who came
to meet them peaceably, and who told them how the affairs oi
thofe in the land oi Gilead flood ; and how many of them
were in diftrefs, and driven into garriions, and into the cities
of Galilee : And exhorted him to make hafte to goagainlt the
foreigners, and to endeavour to fave his own countrymen out
of their hands. To this exhortation Judas hearkened, and
returned into the wildernefs ; and in the nrft place fell upon
the inhabitants of Bofor, and took the city, and beat the in-
habitants and deflroyed all the males, and all that were able to
fight, and burnt the city. Nor did he Hop even when night
came on, but he journeyed in it to the garrifon where the Jews
happened to be then (hut up, and where Timotheus lay round
the place with his army : And Judas came upon the city in
the morning ; and when he found that the enemy were mak-
ing an affault upon the walls, and that fome ol them br
ladders, on which they might get upon thofe walls, and that
others brought engines [to batter them,) he bid ihe trumpeter
to found his trumpet, and he encouraged his foldiers cheer-
fully to undergo dangers for the fake of their brethren and
kindred ; he alfo parted his army into three bodies, and tell
upon the backs of their enemies. But when Timotheus's men
perceived that it was Maccabeus that was upon them, of both
whofe courage and good fuccefs in war they had formerly had
fufficient experience, they were put to flight ; but Judas fol-
lowed them with his army, and flew about eight thoufand of
them. He then turned afide to a city of the foreigners called
Malle, and took it, and flew all the males, and burnt the city
itfelf. He then removed from thence, and overthrew Cafpe-
om and Bofor, and many other cities ot the land ot Gilead.
4. But not long after this Timotheus prepared a great army,
and took many others as auxiliaries ; and induced fome of the
Arabians, by the promife of rewards, to go with him in this
44 ANTIQUITIES OF THE JEWS. [Book XII.
expedition, and came with his army beyond the brook, over
againft the city Raphon : And he encouraged his foldiers, if
it came to a battle with the Jews, tc fight courageously,
to hinder their palling over the brook ; tor he faid to them be-
fore hand, That " it they come over it, we fnall be beaten,"
And when Judas heard that Timotheus prepared
fight, lie took all his own army, and went in hafte againil Ti-
motheus his enemy ; and when he had paffcd over the brook,
he fell upon his enemies and fome ot them met him, whom
he flew, and others of them he fo terrified, '.hat he compelled
them to throw down their amis, and fly ; and fome of them
efcaped, but fome of them fled to what was called the i
at Carnaim, and hoped thereby to pr^Iervc themieives ; hut
Judas took the city, and i!ew them, and burnt the temple, and
lo ufed fever;:! ways ot deftroying his enemies.
5. When he had done this, he gathered the Jews together,
with their children, and wives, and the fubflance that belong-
ed to them, and was going to bring them back intojudea:
But as foon as he was come to a certain city, whole name was
Ephron, that lay upon the road, (ami as it was not];
him to go any other way, fo he was not willing to go back a-
gainj, he then fent to the inhabitants, and detired thai
would open their gates and permit them to goon their way
through the city, tor they had flopped up the gates with i.
and cutoff their paffage through it. And when the inhabitants
of Ephron would not agree to this propofal, he encouraged
thofe that were with him, and encompafled the city r
and befieged it, and lying round it by day and by night,
the city, and flew every inale in it, and burnt it all dow.
io obtained a way through it ; and the multitude of thai,
were flain was fo g>~eat that they went over the dead bodies. bi>
they came over Jordan, and arrived at the great plain, over,
againfl which is lituaie the city Bethlhan, which is called by
the Greeks * Scythopohs. And going away halts ly from
thence, they came into Judea, (ingmg pfalms and hymns as
they went, and indulging fuch tokens ot mirth as are ufual in
triumphs upon victory. They alfo offered thank-offerings,
both for their good fuccefs, and lor the preservation of their
army, for t not one ot the Jews was (lain in thefe battles.
6. But as to Jofeph, the fon of Zarharias, ai;d Azarias,
whom Judas leit generals [of the reft of the forces] at the
* The reafcn why Bethfhan was called S .veil known from Hero-
dotus. B. I. p. 105. anri S] 214. that the S<:\ overran
Afia, in the days of Jofiah, ieizcu on this city, and kipi it as lo:;j as tlu y continu-
ed in Afia, from which time k retained the name of Scj'thojsoUs, or the at:
iris.
+ This moft providential prefervation of all the religious Jews in this expedi-
tion, which was according to the will of God, is obfervalle often ai
people the jews ; and lornewh; t vey like it in the changes of the four monarchies,
v-hich \vereaifo prcvidentiai. 6ca Prideaux at tlie years 331, 333, and 334.
hap. IX.] ANTIQUITIES OF THE JEWS, 45
fame time when in Galilee, fighting againft the people of
Ptolemais, and Judas himfeif, and his brother Jonathan, were
in the land of Gilead, didtheferaen alfo affect the glory of
being courageous generals in war in order whereto they took
the army that was under their command, and came to Jamnia.
There Gorgias, the geneal of the torces of Jamnia, met them;
and upon joining battle with him, they loft* two thoufand of
their army, and fled away, and were purfued to the very bor-
ders of Judea. And this misfortune be'el them by their difo-
bedience to what injunctions Judas had given them, " Not to
fight with any one before his return." For befides the reft of
Judas's fag:icious counfels, one may well wonder at this con-
cerning the misfortune that befel the forces commanded by
jofeph and Azarias, which he underliood would happen, if
they broke any of the injun6tions he had given them. But
Judas, and his brethren, did not leave off fighting with the
Idumeans but prefied upon them on all fides, and took from
them the city oi Hebron, and demolished all its fortifications,
and {et all its towers on fire, and burnt the country of the for-
eigners, and the city Manila. They came alfo to Aihdod,
and took it, and laid it wafte, and took away a great deal of
the fpoib and prey that were in it, and returned to Judea.
CHAP. IX.
Concerning the Death of Antiochus Epiphanrs. How Antiochus
Eupatpr fought again ft jfudus and befiegcd him in the Te,
ana afterwards made Peace with him, and departed. OJ Al-
d 0.
I. A BOUT this time it was that king Antiochus, as he
JL was going over the upper countries, heard, that
there was a very rich city in Perfia, called Elymais ; and
therein a very rich temple of Diana.and that it was full of all
forts of donations dedicated to it ; as aifo weapons and breaft-
plates, which, upon inquiry, he found had been left there by
Alexander, the fon of Philip, king of Macedonia. And be-
ing incited by thefe motives, he went in hafte to Elymais, and
ailaulted it, and befieged it. But as thofe that were in it were
not terrified at iiis afiault, nor at his fiege, but opppfed him
very courageoufly, he was beaten off his hopes ; for they
drove him away from the city, and went out and purfued af-
ter hum, infomuch that he fled away as far as Babylon, and
loft a great many of his army. And when he was grieving
* Here is another great inflance of providence, tuat \vhea, even at the very time
that Simon and Judas, and Jonathan, were to iniriiculoufly preserved, and blefled,
in the juft defence of their laws and religion, theie other generals of the Jews who
\ve.it to fight for honour, in a vain-glorious way, and without any commission
from God, or the family he had railed up to deliver them, v J ;. s miferably dilap-
pointed and defeated. See i Maccab. v, 61, 63.
46 ANTIQUITIES OF THE JEWS. [Book XII.
for this difappointment, fome perfons told him of the defeat
of his commanders whom he had lett behind him to fight a-
gainft Judea, and what ftrength the Jews had already gotten :
When this concern about thefe affairs was added to the for-
mer, he was confounded, and by the anxiety he was in tell
into a diftemper, which, as it lafted a great while and as his
pains increaf$d upon him, fo he at length perceived he (hould
die in a little time; fo he called his friends to him, and told
them, that his diftemper was fevere upon him ; and confeiled
withal, that this calamity was fent upon him for the miferies
he had brought upon the Jewifh nation, while he plundered
their temple, and contemned their God; and when he had
faid this, he gave up the ghoft. Whence one may wonder at
Polybius of Megalopolis, who, though otherwife a good man,
yet Jaith, That " Antiochus died becaufe he had apurpofe to
plunder the temple of Di^na in Perfia ;" for the * purpofing
to do a thing, but not aftual'y doing it, is not worthy of pun-
ifiiment. But if Polybius could think, that Antiochus thus
loft his life on that account of his facrilegious plundering of
the temple at Jerufalem. But we will not contend about this
matter with thofe who may think, that the caufe ailigned by
this Poiybius of Megalopolis is nearer the truth than that a{-
figned by us.
2. However, Antiochus, before he died, called for Philip,
who was one of his companions, and made him the guardian
of his kingdom ; and gave him his diadem, and his garment,
and his ring, and charged him to carry them, and deliver them
to his fon Antiochus ; and defired him to take care of his ed-
ucation, and to preferve the kingdom for him t. This Anti-
ochus died in the hundred forty and ninth year : But it was
Lyfias that declared his death tot'v multitude, and appointed
his fon Antiochus to be king, (of whom at prelent he had
the care,) and called him Eupator.
3. At this time it was that the garrifon in the citadel at Jer-
ufalem with the Jewifh runagates, did a great deal of harm to
the Jews : For the foldiers that were in that garrifon rufhed out
upon the fudden, and deftroyed fuch as were going up to the
temple in order to offer their facrifices. for this citadel adjoin-
ed to, and overlooked the temple. When thefe misfortunes
had otten happened to them Judas refolved to deftroy that
* Since St. Paul, a phari r ee. confeffes, that he had not known concupi fence or de-
Jires to i-e finful, had not the tenth commandment i : ..i!t not covet, Rom.
vii. 7. the cafe feems to have been much the fame with our joiephus, who was of
the fame itft, that he had not a deep Jenfe of the greatnefs of any fins that proceed-
ed no iartherthan the intention However, fince Jofephus fptaks here properly of
the punifhment of dfath, which is not inflicted by any law either of God or man
for the bare intention, his words need not be itrained to mean, that fins intended,
but not executed, were no fins at all.
+ No wonder that Jolephus here defcribes Antiochus Eupator, as young, and
wanting tuition, when he came to the crown, iince Appian informs us, Syriac. p.
177. that he was them but nine years old.
Chap. IX.] ANTIQUITIES OF THE JEWS. 4?
\
garrifon ; whereupon he got all the people together, and vig-
oroufly befieged thofe that were in the citaclef. This was in the
hundred and fiftieth year of the dominion of the Seleucidoe,
So he made engines of war, and creeled bulwarks, and very
zealoufly prefled on to take the citadeld : But there were not
a fx>w of the runagates who were in the place, that went out
by night into the country, and got together forne other wick-
ed men like themfelves, and went to Antiochus the king, and
deftied of him, That " he would not fuffer them to be neg-
lecled, under tlie great hardfhips that lay upon them from thofe
of their own nation, and this becaufe their fufferings were oc-
cafioned on his father's account, while they left the religious
worfhip of their fathers, and preferred that which he had com-
manded them to follow : That there was danger left the citadel
and thofe appointed to garrifon it by the king, fhouid be ta-
ken by Judas- and thofe that were with him, unlefs he would
fend them fuccours." When Antiochus, who was but a child,
heard this, he was angry, and lent for his captains, and his
friends, and gave order, that they fhould get an army of mer-
cenaries together, with fuch men alfoof his own kingdom as
were of an age fit for war. Accordingly an army was collect-
ed of about an hundred thoufand footmen, and twenty thou-
fand horfemen, and thirty-two elephants.
4. So the king took this army, and marched haftily out of
Antioch, with Lyfias, who had the command of the whole,
and came to Idumea, and thence went up to the city Bethfu-
ra, a city that was ftrong, and not to be taken without great
difficulty, he fet about this city, and befieged it. And while
the inhabitants of Bethfura courageoufly oppofed him, and
fallied out upon him, and burnt his engines of war, a great
deal of time was fpent in the fiege. But when Judas heard of
the king's coming, he raifed the fiege of the citadel, and met
the king, and pitched his camp in certain firajts, at a place cal-
led Eethzachaiak, at the diftanceot feventy furlongs from the
enemy ; but the king foon drew his forces from Bethfura,.
and brought them to thofe ffraits. And as loon as it was day
he put his men in battle array, and made his elephants follow
one another through the narrow paffes, becaufe they could
not be fef Tideways by one another. Now round about every
elephant there were a thoufand footmen, and five hundred
horfemen. The elephants alfo had high towers (upon their
backs], and archers | in them]. And lie alfo made the reft of
his army to go up the mountains, and put his friends before
the reft ; and gave orders for the arrry to Ihout aloud, and fo
he attacked the enemy. He alfo expofed to fight their gold-
en and brazen fhields, fo that a glorious fplendor was fent from
them; and when they fhouted, the mountains echoed again,
When Judas law this, he was not terrified, but received the
enemy with great courage, and flew about fix hundred of the
rft ranks. But when his brother Eleazar, whom they called
48 ANTIQUITIES OF THE JEWS. [Book
Auran, faw the talleft of all the elephants armed with royal
breaft-platrs, and fuppofed that the king was upon him, he
attacked him with great quicknefs and bravery. He allo flew
many of thofe that were about the elephant, and fcattered the
reft, and then went under the belly ot the elephant, and fmote
him, and flew him ; fo the elephant fell upon Elea?ar, and by
his weight cruHied him to death. And thus did this man
come to his end, M'hen he had firft courageouily deftroyed
many of his enemies.
5. But Judas, feeing the ftrength of the enemy, retired to
Jerufalem, and prepared to endure a fiege. As for Antiochus,
he fent part of his army to Bethfura, to befiege it and with
the reft of his army he came againft jerufalem ; but the in-
habitants of Bethfura was terrified at his ftrength ; and feeing
that their prov i fions grew fcarce, they delivered themlelves
up on thefecurity of oaths, that they ihould fuffer no hard
treatment from the king. And when Antiochus had thus ta-
ken the city, he did them no other harm than fending them out
naked. He alfo placed a garrifon ot his own in the city. But
as for the temple of Jerufalem, he lay at its liege a long time,
while they within bravely defended it, for what engines foev-
er the king fet againft them, they fet other engines again to op-
pofe them. But then their provifions failed them ; what fruits
of the ground they had laid up werefpent, and the land being
not plowed that year, continued unfowed, becaufe it was the
feventh year, on which by our laws we are obliged to let it lie
uncultivated. And withal fo many of the befieged ran away
for want o I neceflaries , that but a few only were left in the
temple.
6. And thefe happened to be the circumftances of fuch as
were befieged in the temple. But then, becaufe Lyfias, the
general of the army, and Antiochus the King, were informed,
that Philip was coming upon them out ot Periia ; and was en-
deavouring to get the management of public affairs to himfelt,
they came into thefe fentiments, to leave the fiege, and to make
hafte to go againft Philip ; yet did they refolve not to let this
be known to the foldiers, or to the officers : But the King
commanded Lyfias to fpeak openly to the foldiers, and the
officers, without faying a word about the bufinefs ot Philip ;
and to intimate to them, that the fiege would be very long ;
that the place was very ftrong ; that they were already in wan:
of provifions ; that many affairs ot the kingdom wanted regu-
lation ; and that it was much better to make a league with the
befieged, and to become triends to their whole nation, by per-
mitting them to obferve the laws ot their fathers, while they
broke out into this war only becaufe they were deprived of.
them, and fo to depart home. When Ly fias had difcourfed
thus to them, both the army and the officers were pleafed with
ihis refolution,
7. Accordingly the king fent to Judas, and to thofe that were
Chap. X.j AM riOlHTIiiS OV THE JEWS. 49
befieged with them, and promifed to give them peace, and to
permit them to make uie of, and live according to the laws ot
their tatheis. And they 'gladly received his propofals : And
when they had gained fecurity upon oath, for their perlorm-
ance, they went out of the temple. But when Antiochus
iM'ne into it, and faw how itrong the place was, he broke his
oaths, and ordered his army that was there to pluck down the
walls to the ground ; and when he had fo done, he returned to
A^tioch : He alfo carried with him Onias the high-prieft,
who was alfo called Menelaus ; tor Lyfias advifed the king to
Hay Menelaus, it he would have the Jews be quiet, and caufe
him no tarther difturbance, tor that this man was the origin ot
all the mifchief the Jews had done them, by perfuading his
father to compel the jews to leave the religion ot their lathers:
So the king lent Menelaus to Berea, a city ot Syria, and there
had him put to death, when he had been high-prieft ten years.
He had been a wicked and an impious man : And, in order
to get the government to himfelt, had compelled his nation to
tranfgrefs their own laws. Atterthe death ot Menelaus, Alci-
mus, who was alfo called jfaamus, was made high-prieft. But
when king Antiochus tound that Philip had already poflefled
himfelt' of the government, he made war againft him, and lub-
dued him, and took him, arid flew him. Now, as to Onias,
the fon of the high-prieft, who, as we before informed you,
was lelt a child when his father died, when he faw that the
king had 11am his uncle Menelaus, and given the high prieft-
hood to Alcirnus, who was not of the high-prieft ftock, but as
induced by Lyfias to tranflate that dignity from this family to
another houfe, he fled to Ptolemy, king ot Egypt, and when
he found he was in great efleem with him. and with his wife
Cleopatra, he defired and obtained a place in the Nomus ot
Heliopolis, wherein he built a temple like to that at Jerufalem:
Ot which therefore we (hall hereafter give an account, in a
place more proper for it.
C H A P. X.
How Bacckides, the General of Demetrius' s Army, made an Ex-
pedition againjl jfudea, and returned without Juccejs ; and.
hozu hicanor wasjenta kitic ajierward againjl Judas, and
pen/hed, together unth his Army : As alfo concerning the
Death of Alcimus, and the Succejfion oj Judas.
! I. A BOUT the fame time Demetrius, the fon of Seleu-
/JL cus, fled away from Rome, and took Tripoli, a ci-
ty of Syria, and fet the diadem on his own head. He alfo
gathered certain mercenary foldiers together, and entered into
his kingdom, and was joyfully received by all who delivered
themfelves up to him. And when they had taken Antiochus
VOL II. ' G
5<3 ANTIQUITIES OF THE JEWS. [Book XII,
the king, and Lyfias, they brought them to him alive ; both
which were immediately put to death by the command ot De-
metrius, when Antiochus had reigned two years, as we have
already elfewhere related. But there were r.o'.v many of the
wicked Jewifh runagates that came together to him, and with
them Alcimus the high-prkft, who accufed the whole nation,
and particularly Judas and his brethren ; and laid, I hat" they
had iiain all his friends ; and that thofe in his kingdom that
were ot" his party, and waited for his return, were by them
put to death ; that the fe men had ejcf.ted them out o' their own
country, and cavu'ed them to he fojourners in a "foreign land ;
and they defired that he would fend fome one ol hi: own
friends, and know horn him what mifchici Judas 's party had
done."
2. At this Demetrius was very angry, and fcnt Bacchides, a
friend of Antiochus Epiphaiies*, a good man, and one that
had been entrufted with all Mesopotamia, and gave him an
army, and committed AKimus the high-prieft to his care;
and gave him charge to flay Judas, and thofe that were with
him. So Bacchides made hafle, and went out of Antioch
with his army ; and when he was come into Judea, he lent to
Judas and his brethren, to difcourfe with him about a league
of inendihip and peace, for he had a mind to take him t y
treachery : But Judas did not give credit to him, for he faw
that he came with fo great an army as men do not bring when
they come to make peace, but to make war. However, fome
of the people acquieked in \that Bacchides caufed to be pro-
claimed ; and fuppofing they fhould undergo no conftderable
harm from Alcimus, who was their countryman, they went
over to them ; and when they had received oaths from both
of them, that neither they themfelvcs, nor thole of the fame
fentiments, fhould come to any harm they entrufted them-
felves with them : But Bacchides troubled not himfelf about
the oaths he had taken, and flew threeA ore of them, although
by not keeping his faith with thofe that firft went over, he
deterred all the reft, who had intentions to go over to him,
from doing it. But as he was gone out of Jcrufalcm, and was
at the village called Bethzetlio he fent cut. and caught many
of the deferters, and fouie of the people allo, and flew them
all ; and enjoined all that lived in the count.y to iubmit to AJ-
cimus. So he left him there, with fome partot the army, that
he might have wherewith to keep the country in obedience,
and returned to Antioch, to king Demetrius.
3. But Alcimus was defhous to have the dominion more
* It is no -way probable that Jofephus would call Bacchides, that bitter and
bloody enemy of the Jews, as our present copies have it, a man good, or kind and
gentle. What the author of the firft book ot Maccabees, whom Jofephus here
follows, inftead of that character, fays of him, is, that he was a great man in the
ii:. > d<jm,a.ndjaithful to his king; which was very probably Joiephus's meaning
aito.
Chap. X.] ANTIQUITIES OF. THE JEWS. ,51
firmly allured to him : And understanding, that if he could
bring it about that the multitude ihould be his friends, he
fhould govern with greater iecurity, he fpake kind words to
them all, and difcourfed to each ot them after an agreeable and
pleafant manner, by which means he quickly had a groat bo-
dy or meiij and an army about him, although the greater part
of them were ot the wicked, and the deferters. With thele,
whom he ufed as his lervants and foldiers he went all over the
country, and flew all that he could h'rid of Judas's par;y. But
when Judas lav/ that Alcimus was already become great, and
had dcltroyed many of the good and holy men 1 the country,
he alfo went all over the country, and dellroyed thole that
were of the other's party. But when Alcirnus faw that he was
not able to oppofe Judas, nor was equal to him in ftrength, he
refolved to apply himfelt to king Demetrius tor his afliitance ;
fo he caine to Antioch, and irritated htm again!! Judas, arid
accufed him, alledging that he had undergone a great many
mileries by his means, and that he wouid .o more mifchief
unlefs he were prevented, and brought to puuilhtnent, which
mull be done by lending a powerful force agnail htm.
4. So Demetrius, beir.g already of opinion that it would be
a thing pernicious to his own affairs to overlook Judas, now
he was beco nmg io great, lent againd him Nicanor, the in 'it
kind and moil faithful of all his friends ; tor he it was who
fled away with him from the city of Rome. He alfo gave him.
as many forces as he thought furticient tor him to conquer Ju-
das withal, and bid him not to {pare the nation at all. When
Nicanor was come to Jerufalem he did not resolve to fight
Judas immediately, but judged it better to get him into his
power by treachery ; io he lent him a meifage of peace, and
faid, " there was no manner of neceflity for them to fight and
hazard themselves ; and I hat he would give him his oath that
he would do him no harm, tor that he only came with lome
iriends, in order to let him know what king Demetnus's in-
tentions were, and what opinion he had of their nation."
When Nicanor had delivered this meilage, Jndas and his
brethren complied with him, and iufpecting no deceit, they
gave him allurances of fgiendihip, and received Nicanor, and
his army ; but while he was faluting Judas, and they were
talking together, he gave a certain lignal to his own loldiers,
upon which they were to feize upon Judas ; but he perceived
the treachery, and ran back to his own foldiers, and fled away
with them. So upon this dilcovery of his purpofe, and of the
fnares laid for Judas, Nicanor determined to make open war
with him, and gathered his army together, and prepared for
fighting him ; and upon joining battle wlhnimata certain
village called Capharfalama, he * bea 1 Judas, and forced him
to fly to that citadel which was at Jerufalem.
* Jolephus's copies muft have been corrupted when th:y hers give viftory to
Kicanor, contrary ty tbe woids following, which imply, that lie who was beatea
2 ANTIQUITIES OF THE JEWS. ("Book XII,
5. And when Nicanorcame down from the citadel unto the
temple, lomc oi the priefts and elders met him, and faluted
him ; and fhewed him the facrifices vhich they faid they of-
fered to God tor the king : Upon which he blafphemed, and
threatened them, that unlcls the people would deliver up Ju-
rias to him 5 upon his return he would pull down their temple,
And when he had thus threatened them, he departed from Je-
rufalem : But. the prieils tell into tears outot grief o* what he
had laid, and befouglit God to deliver them from their ene-
mies. But now lor Nicanor, when he was gone out ot Jeru-
ialem, and was at a certain village called Bethoron, he there
pitched his camp, another army out of Syria having joined
him. And Judas pitched his camp at Adala, another v:
which was thirty furlongs diflant from Bethoron, having no
moie than one thoufand ioldiers. And when he had encour-
aged them not to be difmayed at the multitude ol their enemies,'
not to regard how many they were againll whom they we in-
going to right, but to confider who they thcmlelves were, and
lor what great rewards they ha/aided themlclves, and to attack
the enemy courageoully, he led them out to light, am! joining
battle with Nicanor, which pioved to he a ievere one, he
overcame the enemy and (lew many o\ them ; and at laff Ni-
canor himfelf, as he -vas fighting glorionlly, fell. I'pon
whofe iall the army did not Hay, but when they had loft their
general they were put to flight, and threw down their arms ;
Judas alfo purfued them and flew them ; and gave notice by
the found of the trumpets to the neighbouring villages, that
he had conquered the enemy ; which, when the inhabitants
heard, they put on their armour hattily, and met their enemies
in the face as they were running away, and flew them, inio-
rnuch that riot one ot them elcaped out ot this battle, and were
in number nine thoufand. This victory happened to fall on
the thirteenth day of that month which by the Jews is called
Adar, and by the Macedonians Dyflrus ; and the Jews thereon
celebrate tins victory every year, and efteem it as a feftival
rlay. After which the Jewilh nation were, for a while, tree
jrom wars, and enjoyed peace ; but. afterward they returned
jnto their former ilate ot wais andhazfrds.
6. But now as the high pncit Alcirnus was refolvingto pull
down the wall of the lanctuary, which had been there of old
lime, and had been built by the holy prophets, * he was fmit-
flfd into tbc cit.ai-l, which for certain belonged to the city of David, or to mount
.Zion. and was io the poifeision of \icr.rv>v's gamion. and not ot J'idas's : Asal-
fo it is contrary to the ex pr*f* word* of jofephus's original author, i Maccab. vii.
32, who lays that Nicanor loft about 5000 men, and fled to the city of David.
* This account of themiferable death of Alcimns or Jacimus, the wicked high
prieft, (the frlVthat was not of the family of the high prieils. and made by a vile
henthen, Lyfias,) btfore the death of Judas, and ot (udas's iuccefiion to him as high
priefl, both here, and at the conclusion of this book, direclly contradicts i Mac-
cab, ix. 54 57, which places his death after the death ot Judas, and lays not ^
Jyllable ot the high priefthood of Judas.
Chap. X.] ANTIQUITIES OF THE JEWS. 5J
tcnfuddenly by God, and fell down. This ftroke made him
fall down fpeechlefs upon the ground : And undergoing tor-
meats tor many days, he at length died, when he had been
high prie(t four years. And when he was dead, the people
bellowed the high priefthood on Judas ; who hearing ol the
power * of the Romans, and that they had conquered in war
Galatia, and Iberia, and Carthage, and Lybia ; and that, be-
fides thefe. they had fubdued Greece, and their kings, Perfeus,
and Philip, and Antiochus the Great alfo.he reJolvedto enter
inro a league of iriendfhip with them. He therefore fent to
Rome fome of his friends, Eupolemus the fon of John, and
Jafon the (on of Eleazer, and by them defued the Romans
that they would aflift them, and he their friends and would
vnte to Demetrius that he would not fight againft the Jews.
So the fenate received the ambaffadors that came from Rome
to Judas, and difcourfed with them about the errand on which
they came, and then granted them a league of affiifance. They
all') made a decree concerning it, and lent a copy of it into
Judea. It was alfo laid up in the capitol, and engraven in
brafs. The decree itfelf was this : ' The decree of the fen-
att- concerning a league of allillance and friendship with the
nation of the Jews. It lhal! not be lawful for any that are fub-
je.; t') the Romans to make wai with the nation ot the Jews,
nor to aflill ihole that do fo, either by fending them corn, or
ihij>s, or money : And if any attack be made upon the Jews,
thj Romans (fiall afliit them, as tar as they are able ; and a-
gam, it any attacK be made upon the Romans, the Jews fhall
aflift them. And if the Jews have a mind 10 add to, or to
take away any thing irom this league of aflifhnce, that lhall
be done with the common ronfenL of the Romans. And what-
loever addition ihall thus be made, it fhall be ot force." This
decree was written by Eupolemus the fon of John, and by Ja-
fon the fon ot Eleazer when Judaht was high prieft ot the
nation, and Simon his brother was general of the army. And
this was the fir ft league that the Romans made with the Jews,
and was managed after this manner.
* How veil the Roman hiftories a^ree to this account of theconquefts and pow-
erful condition of the Romans at this time, lee the not-.-s in H?.vercatnp's edition ;
only, that the number of the fcnaton. of Rome was then juil 320, is, I think, only
known from i Miccab. viii 15.
f This fubfcription is wanting, i Maccab. viii. 17, 29. and muft be the words
of Joiephus, who, by miftako, thought, as we have juft now ien, that Judas was
rt this time high prieft, and accordingly then reckoned his brother Jonathan to be
then general ot the army, \v'nich yet he fetms not to have been till after th death of
Judas.
54 ANTIQUITIES OF THE JEWS. [Book XIL
CHAP. XL
That Racchides was again ftnt out again/I Judas ; and how
Judas jell as he was courageoujty fighting.
I. T) UT when Demetrius was informed ot the death of
JDNicanor, andot the deftrurtion ot the army that was
with him, he fent Baochides again with an army in Judea, who
inarched out ot Antioch, and came into udea, arid pitched
his camp at Arbela, a city of Galilee ; and having befu-ged
and taken thofe tiiat were there in caves, (ior m-my ot tiie peo-
ple fled into fuch places,) he removed, arid made all the baits
lie could to Jerufaletn. And when he had learned that Judas
pitched his camp at a certain village whofe name was Bcthze-
tho, he led his army againlt him : They were twenty tboufoad
iootmen, and two thoufand horfemen. Now Judas had no
more foldiers than* one thoufjnd. When thefe l.iw the mul-
titude ot ^accliides's men they were -afraid, and left their camp,
and fled all away, excepting eight hundred. Now when Ju ijs
was deferted by his own foldiers, and the enemy preiied upon
him, and gave him no time to gather his array together, he
wasdifpoied to fight with Bacchides's army, though he had but
eight hundred men w i th hi m;fo lie exhorted thefe men to undergo
the danger courageoufly, and encour iged them to attack the
enemy. And when they faid they were not a body (uificientto
fight fogreat an army, and ad vifed that they mould ret ire now, a. d
fave theinfelves, and that when he had gathered his own men
together, then he liiould tall upon the enemy afterwards, his
aniwer was this : '' Let not the lun ever lee fuch a thing that
I mould Ihew my back to the enemy ; and although this be
the time that will bring me to my end, and I mult die in this
battle, I will rather Hand to it courageoufly, and bear whatl'o-
ever-comes upon me, than by now running away bring re-
proach upon my former great actions, or tarnilh their glory."
This was the fpeech he made to thofe that remained with him,
whereby he encouraged them to attack the enemy.
2. But Bacchides drew his army outot their camp, and put
them in array tor the battle. He let the horfemen on both the
wings, and the light foldiers and the archers he placed before
the whole army, but he vvashimleit on the right wing. And
when he had thus put his army in order ot battle, and was go-
ing to join battle with the enemy, he commanded the trum-
peter to give a fignal ot battle, and the army to make a Jhout,
* That this copy of Joieuhus, as he wrote it, had here not lOOObut 3000, '^ith
i Mace, ix 5 is very plain, becauie though ihe main pait ran away at firil, e\eu
in Jolephus, as well as in i Mace. ix. 6. yet, as there, io here 800 are laid to have
remained with Judas, which would be abhud, if the whole number had boeu no
ruojre thau 1000.
Chap. XI.] ANTIQUITIES OF THE JEWS. 5$
and to fall on the enemy. And when Judas had done the fame,
he joined battle with them ; and as both fides fought valiant-
ly, and the battle continued till fun-fet, Judas faw that Bac-
chides, and the ftrong<:ft part of the army was in the right
wing, and thereupon took the moft courageous men with him,
and ran upon that part ot the army, and iell upon thofe that
were there,, and broke their ranks and drove them into the
middle, and forced them to run away, and purfued them as
tar as to a mountain called Aza : But when thofe of the lett
wing fa\v that the right wing was put to flight, they encom-
paflfd Judas, and purfued him, and came behind him and
took him into the middle of their army ; fo being not able to>
fly, but encompaffed round about with enemies, he flood ftill,
and he and thofe that were withthim fought ; and when he had
flam a great many of thofe that came againft him, he at lafl was
himfelt wounded, and fell, and gave up the ghoft, and died
in a way like to his former famous aftions. When Judas was
dead, thofe that were with him had no one whom they could
regard [as their commander] but when they faw themfelves
deprived ot fuch a general they fled. But Simon and Jona-
than, Judas's brethren, received his dead body by a treaty from
the enemy, and carried it to the village Modin, where their
father had been buried, and there buried him ; while the mul-
titude lamented him many days, and performed the ufual fol-
emn rites of a funeral to him. And this was the end that Ju-
das came to. He had been a man of valour and a great war-
rior, and mindtul of the commands of their father Mattathias ;
and had undergone all difficulties, both in doing and differing,
tor the liberty of his countrymen. And when his character
was fo excellent fw'nile he was alive,J he left behind him a
glorious reputation arid memorial, by gaining freedom tor his
nation, and delivering them from flavery under the Macedo-
nians. And when he had retained the high prtefthood three
years, he died.
$6 AN'TiyurriES OF TH/. JEWS. [Book XIII,
BOOK XIII.
Containing the interval of eighty- two years,
[From the. death oj JUDAS MACCABE-ES to the death ofQuew
ALEXANDRA.]
C H A P. I.
flow Jonathan took the Government after his brother Judas ;
and how he, together with his brother Simon, waged Wu,r again jt
Bacc hides.
r. 13 Y what means the nation of the Jews recovered their
-LJ freedom when they had been brought into flavery by
the Macedonians, and what Itruggles, and how great battles
Judas the general ot their army ran through, till he was (lain
as he was fighting tor them, hath been related in the foregoing
book : but aher he was dead, all the wicked, and thofe that
tranlgreffed the laws of their forefathers, fprang up again in Ju-
dea, and grew upon them, and diltreffed them upon every fide.
A faminealfoafTiiledtheir wickednefs, and afflicted the country,
till not a tew, who by reafon of their want ot necelFarics, and be-
caufe they were not able to bear up the miferies that both the
famine and their enemies brought upon them deferted their
country, and went to the Macedonians. And now Bacchides
gathered thole Jews together who had apoftatized from the ac-
cuitomed way of living ot their toretathers and chofe to live
like their neighbours, and committed the care ot the country
to them; whoalfo caught the friends of Judas, and thole of
his party, and delivered them up to Bacchides, who, when he
had, in the firft place, tortured and tormented them at his pieaf-
ure, he, by that means, at length killed them. And when this
calamity of the Jews was become fo great, as they had never had
experience ot the like fince their return out of Babylon, thofe
that remained ot the companions ot ludas, feeing that the na-
tion was ready to be deftroyed aher a mifei able manner, came
to his brother Jonathan, and defired him that he would imitate
his brother, and that care which he took of his countrymen,
tor whofe liberty in general he died alfo ; and that he would
not permit the nation to be without a governor, efpecially in
thofe deitrucHve circumftances wherein it now was. And
when Jonathan faid, that he was ready to die for them, and was
indeed efteemed no way inferior to his brother, he was appoint-
ed to be the general ot the Jewifli army.
2. When Bacchides heard this, he was afraid that Jonathan
Chap. I.] ANTIQUITIES OF THE JEWS. 57
might be very troublefome to the kings and the Macedonians,
as Judas had been before him, he fought how he might flay
him by treachery : But this invention of his was not un-
known to Jonathan, nor to his brother Simon ; but when thefe
two were apprized of it, they took all their companions, and
prefently fled into that wildernefs which was neareft to the ci-
ty ; and whert they came to a lake called Afphaf t they abode
there. But when Bacchides was fenfible that they were in a
low itate, and were in that place, he halted to fall upon them
with all his forces, and pitching his camp beyond Jordan, he
recruited his army : But when Jonathan knew that Bacchides
was coming upon him, he fent his brother John, who was al-
fo called Gaddis, to the Nabatean Arabs, that he might lodge
his baggage with them until the battle with Bacchides mould
be over, tor they were the Jews friends. And the fons ot
Arnbri laid an ambulh for John, from the city Medaba, and
feized upon him, and upon thofe that were with him, and
plundered all that they had with them : They alfo flew John,
and all his companions. However, they were fufficiently
punifhed for what they now did by John's brethren, as we
lhall relate prefently.
3. But when Bacchides knew that Jonathan had pitched
his camp among the lakes of Jordan, he obferved when their
Sabbath-day came, and then affaulted him, as fuppofmg that
he would not fight becaufe ot the law [for relting on that
day :] But he exhorted his companions [to fight ;J and told
them, that their lives were at ftake, fince they were encom-
palled by the river, and by their enemies and had no way to
efcape, for that their enemies prefled upon them before, and
the river was behind them. So after he had prayed to God to
give them the viclory, he joined battle with the enemy, of
whom he overthrew many : And as he.faw Bacchides com-
ing up boldly to him, he ftretched out his right-hand to fmite
him, but the other torefeeing and avoiding the ftroke, Jona-
than with his companions leaped into the river, and fwam o-
ver it, and by that means efcaped beyond Jordan, while the
enemy did not pafs over that river ; but Bacchides returned
prefently to the citadel at Jerufalem, having lofl about two
thoufand of his army. He alfo fortified many cities ot Judea,
whofe walls had been demolifhed, Jericho, and Emmaus, and
Bethoron, and Bethel, and Timna, and Pharatho, and Tecoa,
and Gazara, and built towers in every one of thefe cities, and
encompaffed them with ftrong walls, that were very large ai-
fo, and put garrifons into them, that they might ilfue out ot
them, and do mifchief to the Jews. He alfo tortified the cita-
del at Jerufalem more than all the reft. Moreover, he took
the ions ot the principal Jews as pledges, and fhut them up in
the citadel, and in that manner guarded it.
4, About the fame time, one came to Jonathan, and to his
brother Simon, and told them, that the ions ot Ambri were
VOL. II. H
5 ANTIQUITIES OF THE JEWS. [BookXIIL
celebrating a marriage, and bringing die bride from the city
Gabatha, who was the daughter 01 one of the illuftrious men
among the Arabians, and that the damfel was to be conducted
with pomp and fplendor, and much riches : So Jonathan and
Simon thinking this appeared to be the fitted time for them to
avenge the death ot their brother, and that they had forces fut-
ficieut for receiving fatistafction trom them for his death, they
m-de hafle to Medaba, and lay in wait among the mountains
for the coming of their enemies ; and as foon as they law them
conducting the virgin, and her bridegroom, and luch a great
company of their friends with them, as was to be expetted at
this wedding, they Tallied out ot their ambulh, and ilew them
all ; and took their ornaments, and all the prey that then fol-
lowed them, and fo returned,and received this fati&taBion tor
their brother John from the fons of Ambri ; For as well thofe
fons themfelves, as their friends, and wives, and children, that
followed them, perilhed, being in number about tour hun-
dred.
5. However, Simon and Jonathan returned to the lakes of
the river, and abode there : But Bacchides, when he had fe-
cured all Judea with his garrifons, returned to the king ; and
then it was that the affairs of Judea were quiet for two years.
But when the deferters and the wicked (aw that Jonathan and
thofe that were with him lived in the country very quietly,
by reaion ot the peace, they lent to king Demetrius, and ex-
cited him to fend Bacchides to ieize upon Jonathan, which
they faid was to be done without any trouble, and in one
night's time ; and that it they fell upon them before they were
aware, they might flay them all. So the king fent Bacchides,
who, when he was come into Judea, wrote to all his
iriends, both Jews and auxiliaries, that they mould feize upon
Jonathan, and bring him to him ; and when, upon all their
endeavours, they were not able to feize upon Jonathan, for he
was fenfible ot the fnares they laid for him, and very careful-
ly guarded again ft them, Bacchides was angry at thefe defert-
ers, as having impofed upon him and upon the king, and flew
fifty of their leaders : Whereupon Jonathan, with his brother,,
and thofe that were with him, retired to Bethagla, a village
that lay in the wilderneis, out ot his fear of Bacchides. He
alfo built towers in it and encompafled it with walls, and took
care that it fhould be fately guarded. Upon the hearing of
which, Bacchides led his own army along with him, and be-
fides took his JewHh auxiliaries, and came againft Jonathan*
and made an aiiault upon his fortifications, and befieged him
many days ; but Jonathan did not abate of his courage at the
zeal Bacchides uTed in the fiege. but courageoufly oppofed
him : And while he left his brother Simon in the city, to fight
with Bacchides, he went privately out himlelt into the coun-
try, and got a great body of men together of his own party f
and ieli upon Bacchides's camp in the night time, ai;d dcitroy-
Chap. II.] ANTIQUITIES OF THE JEWS. 59
ed a great many of them. His brother Simon knew alfo of
this his tailing upon them, becaufe he perceived that the ene-
mies were {lain by him. fo he Allied out upon them, and burnt
the engines which the Macedonians u'ed, and made a great
daughter of them. And when Bacchides fawhimfelf encom-
palTed with enemies, and (ome ot them before, and fome be-
hind him, he tell into defpair and trouble of inind, as con-
founded at the unexpected ill fuccefs of this fiege. Howev-
er, he vented his difpleafure at thefe misfortunes upon thofe
deferters who tent tor him trom the king, as having deluded
him. So he had a mind to finifli this fiege after a decent n
ner, if it were poflible for him fo to do, and then to return
home.
6. When Jonathan underflood thefe his intentions, he fent
embaffadors to him, about a league of friendlhip and mutual
affiftance, and that they might reftore thofe they had taken
captive on both fides. So Bacchides thought this a pretty de-
cent way of retiring home, and made a league of triendfhip
with Jonathan, when they fware that they would not any
more make war one againlt another. Accordingly he reflor-
ed the captives, and took, his own men with him, and return-
ed to the king of Antioch ; and after this his departure, he
never came info Judea again. Then did Jonathan take the
opportunity ot this quiet itate of things, and went and lived
in the city Michsnafh ; and there governed the multitude, and
punifhed the wicked and ungodly, and by that means purged
the nation of them.
CHAP. II.
How Alexander [Bala] in his War with Demetrius, granted
Jonathan many Advantages, and appointed htm to be Ihvji-
pne/l, and perfuaded him to ajffijl him, although Demetrius
pronvfed him greater Advantages en the other Jide. Concern-
ing the Death oj Demetrius.
I. T^TOW in the hundred and fixtieth year it fell out
-L^l that Alexander, the * fon ot Antiochus Epiphanes,
came up into Syria, and took Ptolemais, the foldiers within
having betrayed it to him, for they were at enmity with De-
metrius, on account of his infolence and difficulty ot acceis;
* This Aexander Ba!a. who certainly pretended ti be the fon of Antiochus E-
piphancs, and was owned forsuch by the Jews aroRomans, and many others, and
yet is by feveral hiftorians deemed to be n counterfeit, aifd of no family at all, is,
however, by Jofephus believed to have been the real ion of th*t Antiochus, and by
him always fpokcn of accordingly. And truly fmce the ori ;inal contemporary and
authentic author of the firft book, of Maccabees, x. i calls him by his father's name
Epiphanes. and fays he was the Von of Antiochus. I fuppoie the other writers, -.vho
are all much later, are not to be followed agamft luch evidence, though perhap;
Epiphanes might have him by a woman of no family. The king
<? ANTIQUITIES OF THE JEWS. [Book XIII.
for he fiiut himfelt up in a palace of his that had four towers,
which he had built himfelf, not far from Antioch, and ad-
mitted nobody. He was withal flothtul and negligent about
the public affairs, whereby the hatred of his fubjei:ts was the
more kindled againft him, as we have elfewhere already rela-
ted. When therefore Demetrius heard that Alexander was in
Ptolemais, he took his whole army, and led it againft him :
fte alfo lent embalfadors to Jonathan, about a league of mu-
tual afljftance and triendfhip, for he relolved to be before
hand with Alexander, left the other mould treat with him firft,
and gain affiftance from him : And this he did out of the fear
he had, left Jonathan fhould remember how ill Demetrius had
formerly treated him, and ihould join with him in this war a-
gainft him. He therefore gave orders that Jonathan Ihould
be allowed to raife an army, and mould get armour made, and
fhould receive back thofe hoftages of the Jewifh nation whom
Bacchides had fhut up in the citadel of Jerufalem. When
this good fortune had befallen Jonathan, by the conceffion of
Demetrius, he came to Jerufalem, and read the king's letter,
in the audience of the people, and of thofe that kept the cita-
del. When thele were read, thefe wicked men and deferters,
\vho were in the citadel, were greatly afraid, upon the king's
permiffion to Jonathan to raife an army, and to receive back
the hoftages : So he delivered every one ot them to his own
parents. And thus did Jonathan make his abode, at Jerufa-
lem, renewing the city to a better ftate, and reforming the
buildings as he p leafed ; for he gave orders that the walls of
the city ihould be rebuilt with fquare ftones that it might be
more fecure from their enemies. And when thofe that kept
the garrifons that were in )udea law this, they all left them,
and fled to Antioch, excepting thofe that were in tke city Beth-
fura, and thofe that were in the citadel ot Jerufalem, for the
greater part of theie was of the wicked ijews and deferters, and
on that account thefe did not deliver up their garrifons.
2. When Alexander knew what promifes Demetrius had
made Jonathan, and withal knew his courage, and what great
things he had done when he fought the Macedonians, and be-
fides what hardships he had undergone by the means of De-
metrius, and of Bacchides, the general of Demetrius's army,
he told his friends, That ' he could not at prefent find any
one elfe that might afford him better affiftance than Jonathan,
who was both courageous againft his enemies, and had a par-
ticular hatred againft Demetrius, as having both fuffered ma-
ny hard things from him, and afted many hard things againft
him. It therefore they were of opinion that they ihould make
him their triend againft Demetrius, it was more for their ad-
Phiiometor, foon gave him his daughter in marriage, which he would hardly have
done, had he believed him to be a counterfeit, and ot fo very mean a birth, as the
Jater hiilorians pretend.
Chap. II.] ANTIQUITIES OF THE JEWS. 6*
vantage to invite him to affift them now than at another time."
It being therefore determined by him and his friends to fend
to Jonathan, he wrote to him this epiftle : "King Abxjinier
to his brother Jonathan, fendeth greeting : We have lor
heard of thy courage, and thy fidelity, and foi that red ion
have lent to thee, to make with thee a league of iriepdlhip
and mutual afliftance. We therefore do ordain thee tlv.-s day
the high-prieit of the Jews, and that thou beeft called my
friend. I have alfo lent thee, as prefents, a purple robe and
a golden crown, and defire, that now thou art by us honour-
ed, thou wilt in like manner refpecl us alfo."
3. When Jonathan had received this letter, he *put on the
pontifical robe at the time o' the feaft of tabernacles, tour
years after the death of his brother Judas, for at that time no
high-prieft had been made. So he raifed great forces, and had
abundance of armour got ready. This greatly grieved De-
metrius, when he heard of it, and made him blame himfe'f
for his flownefs, that he had not prevented Alexander, and
got the goodwill of Jonathan, but had given him time fo to
do. However, he alfo himself wrote a letter to Jonathan, and
to the people ; the contents whereof are thefe : " King De-
metrius to Jonathan, and to the natjon of the Jews, fendeth
greeting : Since you have preferved your iriendlhip for us ;
and when you have been tempted by our enemies, you have
not joined yourfelves to them ; 1 both commend you tor this
your fidelity, and exhort you to continue in the fame difpofi-
tion, for winch you mall be repaid, and receive rewards from
us : For I will free you from the greateft part ot the tributes
and taxes which you formerly paid to the kings my predecef-
fors, and to my felt ; and I do now fet you free from thole tri-
butes which you have ever paid ; and beudes, i forgive you
the tax upon fait and t the value of the crowns which you
ufed to offer to me : And inftead ot the third part of the fruits
[of the field], and the half of the fruits of trees, I reiinquifh
iny part of them from this day : And as to the poll-money,
which ought to be given me for every head of the inhabitants
of Judea, and of the three to parchiesthat adjoin to Judea, Sa-
maria, and Galilee, and Perea, that I relinquith to you for
this time, and for all time to come. I will alfo, that the city
* Since Jonathan plainly did not put on the pontifical robes till feven or eight
years after ihe death ot his brother Judas, or not till the feaft of tabernacles in the
i6othofthe Seleucide, i Maccab. x. 21. Petitus's emendation feems here to de-
ferve coafideration, who inftead of after four years fince the death of his brother Ju-
das, would have us read and therefore after eight years fince the death of his brother
Judas. This would tolerably well agree with the date of the Maccabees, and with
Jofephus's own exaft chronology at the end of the twentieth book of thefe Anti-
quities, which the prefent text cannot be made to do.
t Take Grotius's note here. " The Jews, fays he, were wont to prefent crowns
' to the kings [of Syria ;] afterwards that gold, which was paid inftead of thofe
" crowns, or which was expended in making them, was called the crown fold and
*' frown tax.'' Oo i Meccab. x. 29.
64 ANTIQUITIES OF THE JEWS. [Book XIIL
of Jerufalem be holy and inviolable, and free from the tythe,
and from the taxes, unto its utmoft bounds : And I fo far re-
cede from my title to the citadel, as to permit Jonathan your
high-prieft to poffefs it, that he may place fuch a garrifon in
it as he approves of for fidelity and good-will to himfelt, that
they may keep it for us. I alfo make free all thofe Jews who
have been made captives and flaves in my kingdom. I alfo
give order, that the beafts of the Jews be not preffed for our
iervice : And let their Sabbaths, and all their feftivals, and
three days before each ot them, be free from any impofition.
In the fame manner, I (et tree the Jews that are inhabitants in
my kingdom, and order that no injury be done them. I alfo
give leave to fuch of them as are willing to lift themfelves in
my army, that they may do it, and thofe as far as thirty thou-
fand ; which Jewilh foldiers, -whereioever they go, (hall have
the fame ' pay that my own army hath : And fome of them I
will place in my garrifons, and fome as guards about mine
own body, and as rulers over thofe that are in my court. I
give them leave alfo to ufe the laws of their forefathers, and
to obferve them ; and I will, that they have power over the
three toparchies that are added to Judea ; and it fhall be in the
power of the high-prieft, to take care that no one Jew fhall
have any other temple for worfhip but only that at Jerufa!em.
I bequeath alfo, out of my own revenues, yearly, tor the ex-
pences about the facrifices, one hundred and fifty thoufand
[drachmae j ; and what money is to fpare, I will that it (hall
be your own. I alfo releafe to you thcfe ten thoufand drach-
mas which the kings received from the temple, becaufe they
appertain to the pnefts that minifter in that temple. " And
whofoever (hall fly to the temple at Jerufalem, or to the places
thereto belonging, or who owe the king money, or are there
on any other account, let them be fet free, and let their goods
be in fafety. 1 alfo give you leave to repair and rebuild your
temple, and that all be done at my expences. lalfo allow you
to build the walls of your city, and to ereft high towers,
and that they be erefted at my charge. And if there be any
fortified town that would be convenient for the Jewifh country
to have very ftrong, let it be fo built at my expences."
4. This was what Demetrius promifed, and granted to the
Jews, by this letter. But king Alexander raifed a great army
oi mercenary ioldiers, and of thofe that deferted to him out of
Syria, and made an expedition againft Demetrius. And when
it was come to a battle, the left wing of Demetrius put thofe
who oppofed them to flight, and purfued them a great way,
and flew many of them, and fpoiled their camp ; but the right
wing, where Demetrius happened to be, was beaten ; and as
for all the reft, they ran away : But Demetrius fought coura-
geoufly, and flew a great many ot the enemy ; but as he was
in the purfuit ot the reft, his horfe carried him into a deep hog,
where it was hard to get out, and there it happened, that upon
Chap. III.] ANTIQUITIES OF THE JEWS. 6j
his horfe's falling down, he could not efcape being killed ; for
when his enemies law what had betallen him, they returned
back, andencompafled Demetrius round, and they all threw
their darts at him but he being now on foot, fought bravely,
but at length he received fo many wounds, that he was not able
to bear up any longer, but fell. And this is the end that De-
metrius came to, when he had reigned * eleven years, as we
have elfewhere related.
CHAP. III.
The Friendjliip that zvas between Onias and Ptolemy Pkilometor
and how Onias built a iemple in Egypt like to that at Jerufa-
lem.
i. ID UT then the Ton of Onias the high-prieft, who was
JLJ of the fame name with his father, and who fled to
king Ptolemy, who was called Philometor, lived now at Al-
exandria, as we have faid already. When this Onias faw that
Judea was oppreffed by the Macedonians and their kings,
outot a defire to purchafe to himfelf a memorial and eternal
fame, he reiojved to fend to king Ptolemy and queen Cleopa-
tra, to afk leave of them that he might build a temple in Egypt
like to that at Jerufalem, and might ordain Levites and pnelts
out of their own Hock. The chief reafon why he was defir-
ous fo to do, was, that he relied upon theprophet Ifaiah, who
lived ahove fix hundred years before, and foretold, that there
certainly was to be a temple built to Almighty God in Egypt
by a man that was a Jew. Onias wss elevated with this pre-
diclion ; and wrote the following epiftle to Ptolemy and Cle-
opatra : " Having done many and great things for you in the
affairs of the war, by the alliltance ot God, and that in Cele-
fyria and Phenicia, I came at length with the Jews to Leon-
topolis, and to other places of your nation, where 1 found
that the greateit part of your people had temples in an improp-
er manner, and that on this account they bare ill-will one a-
gainft another, which happens to theEgyptians by reafon of the
multitude of their temples, and the difference of opinions a-
bout divine worihip. Now I found a very fit place in a caf-
tle that hath its name from the country Diana; this place is
full of materials of feveral forts, and replenifhed with facrcd
animals : 1 defire therefore that you will grant me leave to
purge this holy place, which belongs to no mailer, and is fal-
len down, and to build there a temple to Almghty God, af-
ter the pattern of that in Jerufalem, and of the fame dimen-
* Since the reft of the hiftorians now extant gave this Demetrius 13 years, and
Jofephusouly 11 years, Dcau Pridcaux does uci amils iu a'.ci^ing. i him the
rueau number is.
64 ANTIQUITIES OF THE JEWS. [Book XIIl.
fions, that may be for the benefit of thyfelf, and thy wife and
children, that thofe Jews which dwell in Egypt may have a
place whither they may come and meet together in mutual
harmony one with another, and be fubiervient to thy advan-
tages ; tor the prophet Ifaiah foretold, that* there JJiould be
an altar in E.^ypt to the Lord God: And many other fuch
things did he prophecy relating to that place."
2. And this was what Onias wrote to king Ptolemy. Now
any one may obferve his piety, and that of his filter and wite
Cleopatra's, by that epiftle which they wrote in anfwer to it ;
for they laid the blame and the tranfgreffion ot the law upon
the head of Omas. And this was their reply : " King Ptole-
my and quee'n Cleopatra to Onias, fend greeting : We have
read thy petition, wherein thou defireft leave to be given thee
to purge that temple which is fallen down at Leontopolis, in
the Nomus of Heliopolis, and which is named from the coun-
try Buhaftis ; on which account we cannot but wonder that it
fhould be pleating to God to have a temple ereled in a place
fo unclean, and fo full of lacred animals : But fmce thou fay-
eft that liaiah the prophet foretold this long ago, we give thee
leave to do it, if it may be done according to your law, and jb
that we may not appear to have at all offended God herein."
* It feems tome, contrary to theopinion of Jofephus, and of the moderns, both
Jews and Chriilians, that this prophecy of Ifaiah, xix 19, c. In that day there
jha'i be an altar to the Lord in the midjl of the land of Egypt, &c. direftly foretold
the building of this temple of 'Oaias m' Egypt, and was a fufficient warrant to the
Jews for building it, and for worlhipping the true God, the God of Ilrael, therein.
See Authent. Rec. II. p. 755. That God feems to have icon better accepted of
the Sacrifices and prayers here offered him than of tbofe at Jerufalem, teethe note on
chap. x. *) 7. And truly the marks of Jewifh corruption or interpolation in this
text, in order to difcourage their people from approving of the worlhip of God
here, are very ftrong, and highly deierve our confideration and correction The
foregoing verfe in Ifaiah runs thus in our common copies, In that day Jhall five cities
in the land of Egypt f peak the language of Canaan, [the Hebrew language ; fhall be
full of Jews, whole facred books were in Hebrew] andjwear to the Lord ofhojis,
0[or the firftjy&a// be tailed the city of dejlrufiion, I la. xx 18- A ftrange name,
cit\ ifdejlrudion ! upon fo joyful an occafion, and a name never heard of in the
land of Egypt, or perhaps in any other nation. The old reading was evidently the
city of the fun, or Heliopolii ; and Onkelos in effeft, and Symmachus, with the Ara-
bick verfion, entirely confefs that to be tha true reading. The Septuagiiit alfo, tho*
they have the text ditguifed in the common copies, and call it Af<. dek, the city of
rishteoufnefs ; yet in two or three other copies the Hebrew word itfelf for the fun,
Acheres or Thares, is preserved. And fmce Onias infifts with the King and Queen,
that Ifaiah's prophecy contained many other prediftions relating to this place befides
the words by him recited, it is highly probable thatthefe weie efpecially meant by
him ;and that one main reafon why he applied this prediction to himfelf, and to
his prefefture of Heliopolis, which Dean Prideaux well proves was in that part of
Egypt, and why he chofeto build in that prefecture of Heliopolis, though other-
wife an improper place, was this, that the fame authority that ke had for building
this temple in Egypt, the very fame he had for building it in his own prefecture ot
Heliopolis alfo, which he defired to do, and which he did accordingly. Dean
Prideaux has much ado to avoid leeing this corruption of the Hebrew, but it being
in fi>pport of his own opinion about this temple he durft not lee it ; and indeed he
reaious here in the mod weak and moft injudicious manner possible. See him at
the year 149.
Chap. III.] ANTIQUITIES OF THE JEWS, &$
3. So Onia? took the place, and built a temple, and an altar
to God, like indeed to that in ferufalem, but (mailer and poor-
er. I do not think it proper tor nut now to defcribe its dimen-
fi'Kis, or its velfeU, which have .been already defcribed in my
ffvcnth book, or the wars ot the Jews. However, Onias found
'vit'icr Jews like to himfelfj together "<vith priefts and Levites,
tint there per'ormed divine ferviie. But we have faid enough
about this teirple.
4. j\ r ow it came to pafs that the Alexandrian Jews, andthofe
Samaritans who paid their woi (hip td the temple that was built
i.;ys ot Alexander at mount Gerizzun, did new make a
e :ig,i; lit ano'her, and difputed about their temples
v himlelf, the Jews faying, that, according to
the laws oi Mofes, the temple was to be built at Jerufalcm ;
and ihe Samaritans faying, that it was to be built at Gerizzim.
I'i.vy defired therefore the ting to fit withl is iiiends, and hear
the debates about thefe matters, and pumlh thofe with deatii
who were buttled. Now Sabbeus and Theodofius managed the
argument tor the Samaritans, and Andronicus, the fon ot Mef-
faiamus, tor the people ot Jerufalem ; and they took an oath by
God and the king, to make their demonftrations according to
the law ; and they defired ot Pt<-lemy, that whomfoever he
Blouid find that tranfgreflfed what they had i worn to, he won Id
put him t;; death. Accordingly the king took feveral of his
friends into the council, and fat down, in order to hear what
the pleaders 'aid. Now the jews that were at Alexandria were
in great concern lor thofe men, whole lot it was to contend for
tl.e temple at Jerufdlem ; tor they took it very ill that any
ihould takeaway the reputation ot that temple, which was fo
ancienfj and fo celebrated all over the habitable earth.. Now
when Sabbeusand Theodofius had given leave to A., dromcus
to fpeak firit, he began to demonstrate out of the law, and out
ot the fuccelTions ot the high-priefts, how they every one in
fuccellion from his father had received that dignity, and ruled
over the temple ; and how a)} the kings ot Afia had honoured
that temple with their donations, and with the mod fplendid
gifts dedicated thereto : But as tor that at Gerizzim he made
no account of it, nor regarded it as if it had never had a being.
By this fpeech, and other arguments, Andronicus perfuaded
tiu king to * determine that the temple at Jerufalem was built
according to the laws or Mofes, and to put Sabbeus and The-
odofius to death. And thefe were the events that befel the Jews
jxanuiia in the da} s oi Ptolemy Fhiloiuetor.
* A veiy ui.fair difputation this ! while ihejewifh di 'putr.nt, knowing that he
jcrly ]>:<A< out of the Pentateuch, thst the j'lace u/iic/i th; Lard their
- c ti.-t nave iherc, I'o often reti-ried to in ti.e book of Deuteron-
'ui\, i any more t!:,m Ger'7./.im, thjt bci -g noi determined till the
<ia\ N ot David, Ant ; q B. VII. ch. xiii. ^ 4. vol I pn vtscniy, h; t the SaniarU
d not I'.cr.y, th.^t tbc t :np'e ;it !e:utalcm was much nir>ix' ancient, and tnuch
i u:i,l h( n .1 red than that at Gerigzirn, wiiirh wss nothing to the
PIXM t purjj-.-'e. The who!i: evidence, bv t u c vsrv o;>thi of both parties,
VOL. II. I
ANTIQUITIES OF THE JEWS. [Book XIIL
C H A P. IV.
HOK> Alexander 1 honoured Jonathan after an exfraordmary-
manner, and how Demetrius, the Son oj Demetrius overcame
Alexander, und made a league oj Fnendjhip ztit/i Jonathan.
I. Y"* EMETR1US being thus (lain in battle, as we have
]LJ annve related, Alexander took the kir:g<iorri of Syria;
and wrote to Ptolemy Phiiometor, and defired his daughter in
marriage ; and laid, it was but ji ihould be joned in
affinity Jo one hat had now received the pr in "\ his fore-
rs, and had heen promoted to k by God's r v , and
: Demetnus and that was on other accounts not
.;(!iy of,berng related tO'hifn. Ptolem) received this pro-
poial of man age gi. :<;!}' ; arui wrote him an anhver, fainting
him (ii account of his having received the principality o ; his
forefathers ; and j.romiftrg him, that he would give him his-
daughter in marriage ; and ailured him that he was ermh'g to
him at P'< and defired that he would there meet
thai he would aeegmpany her from Egypt fo far, and
would there marry his child to him. When Ptolemy had writ-
ten thus, became hidden ly to PtoU n;a:s, and brought his co;if.r<
; along with him : And as he found Alexander
before him as he defired him to come, he gave him his child in
marriage, and for her portion gave her as much filver and gold
as I'ccame fuch a king to give.
2. When the wedding was over, Alexander wiot^ to Jona-
than the high-prieit, ^lul defired isirn to come to Ptolemais.
So when he came to thefe kings, and had made tium magnifi-
cent prefents, he w r as honoure . hcjth. Alexander
oiled him a! fo to put off his own garment, and to take
a puipie garment, and made him fit with him in his throne;
and commanded his captains that they Ihould go with him in-
to the middle of the city, and proclaim, that it was not per-
mitted to any one to fpeak again It him, or to give himanydifiurb-
ance. And when the captains had thus done, thofe that tvere
prepared to accule Jonathan, and who bore him ill-will, when
they law the honour tiiat was done lum by proclamation, and
.\1 to be confined to the I.TW of Mofes, or to the Pentateuch alone.
< r. w( duly j> icy and ititereft, and the rau!titiu!e ]:; be court
gave ici^tence. as uiuai, GJI the ftronger tide, and poor Sabbeus and Theodofius, ths
it n difputants, were martyred, and this, 1o far as appears, without any di-
rel hearing at all, which is like the ufual praftice of fuch political c<jurts ai-out
matters of rt-'i^ion. Our copies lay, thr.t the body of the Je\vs were in a great
:;itn, in the plural, who were to dilpute for their temple at Je-
ruialem, whereas it leems here they bad hut ope dilputant, Androniens byname :
Perhaps nnrc were prepared to Ipeak on the lews fide; but the firft having an-
Iwered to his name, and overcame the Samaritans, there was no necedity for any
alher defender of the Jerufalem temple.
Chap. IV.] ANTIQUITIES OF THE JEWS. 6?
that by the king's order, ran away, and were afraid leil
fume inifdiief fhould beial them. Nay king Alexander was
fovery kind to Jonathan, that lie let him down as the principal
oi P.IS iriends.
3. Butt:ien, upon the hundred and fixty-fifth year, Deme-
trius, the fon of Demetrius, came from Crete with a great
jr ot mercenary foldiers, which La'thenes the Cretiari
brought him, and tailed to Ceiicia. This thing cafl Alexan-
der nit great concern and diforder when he heard it : So he
rrui.ie halh. 1 immediately out of Phenicia and came to Antioch,
that tie might put matters in a fate poilure there before Deme-
trius !houid come. He alfo left * Apollonius Daus governor
ot Celefyria, who coming to Jamma with a great army, Cent to
g'l-puelt.and told him, That " it was not right
that lie alone mould live at reif, and with authority, and not
be fubject to the king ; mat this thing had made him a re-
proach among all men, that he had not yet made him fubjefil
to the king. Do not thou therefore deceive thy felt, and fit
. nongihe mountains, and pretend to have forces with
. but if thou hail any dependence on thy itrength, come
do \ n into the plain, and let our armies be compared tog-
2nd the event ot the battle will demonstrate which of us is the
moit courteous. However, take notice, that the moil va-
liant men ot every city are in my army, and that thefe are the
Very men who have always beaten thy progenitors ; but let us
tne battle in inch a place ot the country where we may
iigiir '-vita vvtv.pons, and not with itones, and where there may
be no place whither thoie that are beaten may fly."
4, \Vitn t.iis Jonathan was irritated ; and choofing himfelr'
out ten thoufand oi his foldiers, he went out of Jerufalem in
. ivi l i ms brother Simon, and came to Joppa, and pitch-
p < >n the cutfide oi the city, becaufe the people ot
Jopp their gates ag , for they had a garrifovi
city pu* mere by Apollonius ; but when Jonathan was
preparing to beiiege them, they were afraid he would take
. and io they opened the gates to him. But Ap;?!-
kuiius, when l ie heard that joppa was taken by Jonathan, took
t'iree tiioa. ; HI horfemen, and eight thoufand footmen, and
carne to Aihdod, and removing thence, he made his journey
filently and llowly, and going up to Joppa, he made as if he
was retiring from the place, and fo drew Jonathan into the
plain, as valuing himielt highly upon his horfemen, and hav-
ing his hopes ot victory principally in them. However,
Jonathan fallied out, and purfued Apollonius to APndod ; but
* Of the feveral Apollonii about thefc ages, fee Dean Prideaux at the year 148.
T'ais Apollonius Daus was, by his aci. na.t, the ton of that Apollonius who kid
been made governor of Celefym and Phenicia by Seleucus Pholopaor, and was
himfeif a confident ot his fon Demetrius the father, and reftored to his farher's go-
vernment by him, but afterwards revolted from him to A'uxaudef, but not to De-
aartrius the fon, as he fur
$$ ANTIQUITIES OF THE JEWS. [Book XIII.
as foon as Apollonius perceived that his enemy was in tie
plain, he came back and gave him battle ; but Apoii
bad laid a thoufand horfemen inambufh in a vaiiev. tl a; they
rnight be feen by their enemies as behind th.-rn : Yv~
Jonathan perceived, he wo? under no confirmation, but or-
iacring his army to ifand in a Iquare battle array, iieg-iv
a charge to fall on the enemy on both luies, and let them to
face thofe that attacked them both before and behind :
while the fight lalt d till the evening, he gave part ot his ior-
ces to his brother Simon, arid ordered him to attack the ene-
mies, but for himfelf, he charged thpfe that were with him :o
cover thernlelves \vith then armour, and receive the darts of
the horfemen, who. did as they \vere commanded ; fo that the
enemies horfemen, while they threw their da-Ms till they had
no more left, did them no harm, for the darts that w
did not enter into their bodies being thrown upon t.
that were united and conjoined togethej the d.^enefs o! which
eafily overcame the force of the darts, and they flew about
without any effett. But when the enemy grew remifs in
throwing their darts from morning till hue at night, >
perceived their wearineis, and fell upon the body o
lore him ; and became hr (oidiers Ihewed great alacrity, he
put the enemy to flight : And when the horle;. .',,t the
Jootmen ran away, neither did they Ji
being very weaiy,by the duration QJ the fight *
and their hope from the footmen being quite gone, t
ran away, and in great coirufion a!fo, till they were fep
one from another, and (catterod over all the plain. ,
which Jonathan puriued them as far as A r hdod, and;'
great many of them, and compelled the reit in deipair of ef-
S, to fly to the temple oi Dagon, which \
but Jonathan took the cuy on the rirll oinfet, and burnt it,
the villages about it ; nor did he abUain from the temple of
Dagon itielf, but burnt it alfo. and de{tro\ ed thofe that had
iled to it. ^ Now the entire multitude of the enemies that tell
in the battle, and were confumed in the temple, were .
thoufand When Jonathan therefore had overcome fo great
an arm/, he removed from Afhdod, and came to Afkelon :
And when -he had pitched his camp without the city, the
pie of Afkelon carae out and met him, [ringing him hofpita-
ble pvefents, and honouring him ; fo he accepted of their
Kind intentions, and returned thence to Jerufalem with a
great, deal of prey, which he brought thence when he conquer-
ed his enemies ; but when Alexander heard, that Apollonins
the general ot his army was beaten, he pretended to beglad of
Jt, becaufe he had fought with Jonathan his friend and ally
agamfthisdireaions. Accordingly he fen t to Jonathan, and
$ave tefhmcny to his worth ; and gave him honourary re.
Chap. IV.] ANTIQUITIES OF THE JEWS. 6f
wards, as a * golden button, which it is the cuflnm to give the
king's kinlmen ; and allowed him Ekron, and its toparchy,
i'or his own inheritance.
5. About this time it was that king Ptolemy, who was cal-
led Philomerer, led an army, part by the fea, and part by land,
and came to Syria, to the afljltance ot Alexander, who was
his fon-in-law ; and accordingly all the cities received him
Willingly, as Alexander had commanded them to do, and
conducted him as far as Aihdod ; where they all made loud
complaints about the temple ot Dagon, which was burnt, and
arcuicd Jonathan ot having laid it watle, and deflroyed the
country ddjoirung with fire, and ilam a preat number ot them.
Ptolemy heard thcie accufations, but {aid nothing. Jonathan
alfo went to meet Ptoltmy as tar as Joppa and obtained from
him hoip.tcible piefents, and tho't- gk.rious in their kinds.
wi'li all the marks ot honour. And when he had conduced
him as tar <;s she river called ILleutherus, lie returned again to
Jeruialem.
6 But as Ptolemy was at Ptolemais he was very near to a
molt unexpected dellruction ; for a treacherous defi-gn was
|aid for his life by Alexander, by the means of Ammonius,
win; was his friend : Ant! as the treachery was very plain,
Ptolemy wrote to Alexander, and required of him that he
iliould bring Ammonius to condign punifhment informing
him what i d for him by Ammonias, andde-
. thai he n,ight be acc< punifhed for it. Fut
when Alexander did not comply v. rh hi.' .demands, he per-
ceived that it was he hunlelf who laid the delign, and was ve-
ry angry at him. Alexander had a! u> formerly l-een in very
ill terms with the people of Antioch, ior they had fuffered
very much by his means ; yet did Ammonius a', length under-
go the punishment his iniolent crime ;>rrved, tor he
was killed in an opprobrious manner, 1 ke a woman, while
he endeavoured to conceal him tel fin a feminine habit, a& we
have el lew here related.
7. Hereupon Ptolemy blamed him fell tor having givert his
daughter in marriage to Alexander, and for the league he had
rnade with him to affift him againit Demetrius ; fohe diffolved
his relation to him, and took his daughter away from him, and
immediately lent to Demetrius, and offered to make a league
ot mutual affiftance and friendlhip with him, and agreed with
him to give him his daughter in marriage, and to reftore him
to the principality o> his fathers. Demetrius was well pleafed
with this ambaflage, and accepted of his affiftance, and of the
marriage ot his daughter. But Ptolemy had Hill one more
hard tafk to do, and that was to perfuade the people of Anti-
* Dr. Hud fon here obfcrves, that the Phenicians and Romans ufed to reward
had defervcd well of them, by prelenting to them a ^Wi/e" button. See.ch.
V (, 4.
. ITIE3 OF THE JEWS. [Book XII r ,
och to receive Demetrius, becaufe they were greatly di f;>
.at him on account of the injuries his father Dernetriuj
done them ; yet did he bring this about. ' people of
Antioch hated Alexander o Amrnonius's account, as we have
fhewed already, they were eafijy prevailed with to rail him cut
of Antioch; who thus expelled out or A:^>>ch, came into
Cilicia. Ptolemy carne then to Antioch. and w<;s made king
by its inhabitants, and by tiie a:. forced to
put on two diadems, the one of Alia, the other of Egypt : But
being naturally a good and a rig 1 M. and nut defirous
of what belonged to others, and befui lifpo lit ions, be-
ing alf'o a wife man in reafoning about futurities, he determin-
ed to avoid the envy of the Romans, fo he called the people
of Antioch together to a iv, and p, i,ein to re-
ceive Demetrius ; and allured them, 1 mild not be
mindful of what they did to his father in cafe he ihould f:-en-w
obliged by them ; and he undertook that he would himfelt be
a good monitor and governor to him ; and pro mi fed that he
would not permit him to attempt any bad actions; bur that for
Jiis own part, he was contented -with the kingdom ot i^ypt."
By which difcourfe he perfuaded the people of Antioch to
receive Derneirius.
8. But now Alexancle lialte with a numerous and
great army, and came out oi' Cilicia into Syria and burnt the
country belonging to Antioch and pillaged it; whereupon
Ptolemy, and his fon-in-law Demetrius, i heir army
again (I him, (for he had already given him his daughter in mnr-
riagej and Oeat Alexander, and put him to flight ; and accord-
ingly he fled into Arabia. Nuv v - it happened in the time of
battle, that Ptolemy's horfe, upon hearing the noife of an
elephant, call him off his back, and threw him on the ground ;
upon the fight ot wincn ar.eident, his enemies fell upon him]
and gave him many wounds upon his head, and brought him
into danger ot death for wii-n his guards caught him up, he
was fo very ill, that for four days time he was not able either
to underiland or to fpeak. However, Zabdiel, a prince among
the Arabians, cut off Alexander's head and lent it to Ptolemy,
who recovering of his wounds, and returning to his under-
ftandmg, on the fifth day, heard at once a moft agreeable hearing
and faw a saoft agreeabe fight, which were the death and the
head ot Alexander ; yet a little alter this his ioy tor the death
of Alexander, wuh which he was fo greatly fatisfied, he alio
departed this lite. Now Alexander, who was called Balas,
reigned over Afia five years ; as we have el few here related.
9. But when Demetrius, who was Ityled * A'ica/or, had tak-
en the kingdom, he was fo wicked as to treat Ptolemy's lol-
* This name Demetrius Xicntor, or Demetrius the conqueror, is fo written on hit
coins fhll extant, as Hudfoh and Spanheim informs us; the Liter f whom givs
here the entire infcript; ^trius the Gtd Philadelphia Mentor.
Chap. IV.] ANTIQUITIES 0? THE JEWS, 7$
tliers very harcl'y, neither remembering the league of mutual
iiice that was between them, nor that he was his fon-in-
li.v and kinfman. by Cleopatra's marriage to him, fo the fol-
d;ers fled rrom his wu keel treatment to Alexandria, but De-
meti uis kept his elephants. But Jonathan the high prieft, lev-
i arn.y out of all Juciea, and attacked the citadel at Jeru-
, and befifged if ; it \\-as held by a gariifon ot Macedo-
.ofe wicked men who had deferted the
cuiioms of their forefathers. Thefe :nen at firft defpifed the
pts ot Jonathan for taking the place as depending on its
an ; but feme ol thofe wirkcd men went out by night,
and came to Demetrius, and informed him, that the citadel was
.; d ; who \vas irritated with what he heard, and took his
army, and came from Antioch, againft Jonathan. And when
is at Antioch, he wrote to him, and commanded him to
conic to him quickly to Ptolemais : Upon which Jonathan did
nut intermit the fiege of the citadel, but took with him the ei-
ders ot the people, and the priofts, and carried' with him gold,
and filver, and garments, and a great number of preients of
fnendfhip, and came to Demetrius, and prefented him with;
. thereby pacified the king's a.-^er. So he was hon-
:nm. and received from him the confirmation of his
hign pfiefthood, as he had poifelled it by the grants of the kings
his predeceflors. And when the Jewiih dcfertersaccufedhim,
Demetrius was Jo far from giving credit to them, that when he
petitioned him that he wouid demand no more than three hun-
dred talents for the mbute of all Judca, and the three topar-
chies of Samaria and Perea, and Galilee, he complied with
jpofal, ami gave him a letter confirming all thofe grants ;
v:hoie contents were as follows : " King Demetrius to Jona-
than his brother, and to the nation of the Jews, fendeth greet-
ing : We have lent you a copy of that epiftle which we have
v.'jr en to Lafthenes our kiniman, that you may know its con-
teiKS. King Demetrius to Lafthenes our fa her, fendeth greet-
ing : I have determined to return thanks, and to (hew favour
: nation of the Jews, which hath obfcrved the rules of
jultice in our concerns. Accordingly I remit it to them the
three pre'ertures, Apherima.and Lydda and Ramatha, which
bave been added to Juclea out of Samaria, with their appurte-
nances : As alfu what the kings my predecelibrs received from
thole that offered facriflces in Jerusalem - r and what are due
from the truits of the earth, and of the trees, and what elfe
belongs to us ; with the fait pits, and the crowns that ufed to-
be prefented to us I Nor (hall they be compelled to pay any
ot thefe taxes from this time to all futurity. Fake care there-
fore that a copy of this epiflle be taken, and given to Jona-
than, and be fet up in an eminent place oi their holy temple."
And 'he)e were the con'ents of this writing. And now when
Demetrius faw that there was peace every where, and that there
i no danger, nor fear t war, he dilbaaded the greateft part
f 12 AMTIOUITIES OF THE JEWS. [Book
of his army, and diminifhed their pay, and even retained in
pay no others than f'uch s as came up with him from
Crete, and frofntheptfe . However, this procured
:l-will arid h,:tred from the fui.iicis ; G;I wl .{{ .w-
e.i nothing horn this tini._, while the kn^ before him ufed to
pay them in time ot peace, as they did before, that they might
h,iveiheirg >.;d- .. ill, and that they might he very rea-iy to un-
dergo the ciiifcculaes ui war, ii any o<; .... .!: _>n Ihoald require it,
C H A ?. V.
Bow Trypko, after he had beaten Dfnidrius, delivered the
Kingdom to Amiochus, the Son c until Jon-
athan j or kis ftjfillant : And concerning the Actions and Am-
bajfics oj Jonathan.
\ l- JVTOW there was a certain commander of Alexander's
JLM forces, an Apanemian by birth, whofe name was
Diodotou, a;u! was alfo called Trypfo, took notice of the ill-
wiil i lie ioldicrs bare to Demetrius, and went to Malchus the
Arabian, who brou^iit up Antiochus, the fon of Alexander,
and told him what ill- will the ar;:;y bare Demetrius, and per-
(uad^d him to give him Aatiochus, becaufe he would make
him king ; and recover to him the kingdom of his father.
Malchus t t'.i'j ii, il oppofed him in this attempt, becaufe he
could njt Iciicve him, but when Trypho lay hard at him for a
long time, he over-perfuaded him, to comply with Trypho's
intentions and entreaties. And this was the Hate Trypho was
now in.
2. But Jonathan the high prieft, being defirous to get clear
of tho'e taat were in the citadel of Jerufalem, and ot the
Jewifh deicrters, and wicked men, as well as ot thofe in all the
garrifons in ihc country, lent prelents and ambaffadon to De-
raetriu*, and entrea;ed him to take away his f<>ldiers out of the
ftroog holds or Judea. Demetrius made anfwer. Thar alter
the war, winch nc was now deeply engaged in, was over, lie
would not only gram him that, but greater things than that
a!fo ; and he defined he would fend him fome afnitance j
and informed hiiii that his army had d^ ferted him. So Jona-
than chofe out three thoufand of his foMiexs, and fent them to
Demetrius.
3. No-viac people of Antioch hated Demetrius, both n
accountor whatmifchief he had himfelt done them, and be-
caulethey were his enemies alfo on accountor his father Deme-
trius, who had greatly abued them, fo they watched fome op-
portunity which they might lay hold on. to fall upon him.
And when they were informed of the aiTiilance that was com-
ing to Demetrius horn Jonathan, and confidered at the fame'
time ;hat he would raiiea numerous army, unkfs they prevent-
Chap. V.J ANTIQUITIES OF THE JEWS, ^
eJ him, and felled upon him, they took their weapons imme-
diately, and encompaffed his palace in the way ot a fiege, anil
feizing upon ail the ways of getting out, they fought to fub-
due their king. And when he faw that the people of Anti-
och were become !m hitter enemies, and that they were thus
in arms, he too'-; the mercenary foldiers which he had with
him, and thofe Jews who were fent by Jonathan, andaflault*
ed the Antiochians ; hut he was overpowered by them, lor
they were many ten thoufands, and was beaten. But when
the .Jews faw that the Antiochians were fuperior, they went
up to the top ot the palace, and (hot at them from thence ;
and becaufe they were lo i emote from them by their height,
that they fullered nothing on (heir fide, but did great execu-
tion on the others, t* fighting from fuch an elevation, they
drove them out of the adjoining houfes, and immediately ftt
them on fire, whereupon the Hamc fpread it felt over the whole
city, and burnt it all down. This happened by reafon of the
clofenefs ot the houfes, and becaufe they were geneially built
ot wood : So the Antiochians, when they were m.t able to
help themfelves, nor to Hop the fire, were put to flight. And
as the Jews leaped from the top ot one houle to the top ot a-
nother, and purfncd them after that manner, it thence happen-
ed that the purfuit was fo very furprifing. But when the king
faw that the Antiochians were very buiy in faving their chil-
dren and their wives, and fo did not fight any longer, he fell
upon them in the narrow paffagcs, and fought them, and flew
a great many of them, till at laft they were forced to throw
down their arms, and to deliver themfelves up to Demetrius.
So he forgave them this their infolent behaviour, and put an
end to the (edition : And when he had given rewarus to the
Jews out of the rich fpoils he had gotten, and had returned
i hanks, as the caufe ot his victory, he fcnt them away
to Jerufalem, to Jonathan, with an ample teftimony ot tin.*
aflillance they had afforded him. Yet did he prove an ill man.
to Jonathan afterward, and broke the promifes he had made :
And he threatened that he would make war upon him, unleft
he would pay all that tribute which the Jewiih nation owed
to the firft kings [of Syriaj. And this he had done, it Try-
pho had not hindered him and diverted his preparations a-
g.iinft Jonathan, to a concern for his own prefervation : For
he now returned out of Arabia into Syria, with the child An-
tiochus, for he was yet in age but a youth, and put the dia-
dem on his head : And as the whole forces that had left De-
metrius, becaufe they had no pay, came to his affillance, he
made war upon Demetrius, and joining battle with kirn, over-
came him in the fight, and took from him both his elephants
and the city Antioch.
4. Demetrius, upon this defeat, retired into Cilicia : But
the child Antiochus lent ambafTadors, and an epiltle to Jona-
than, and made him his triend and confederate, an,d cenihra-
Vou II. K
74 ANTIQUITIES OF THE JEWS. [BookXIIT.
ed to him the high priefthood, and yielded up fo him the four
prefeHures which had been added to Judea. Moreover, he
fent him veffelsand cups of gold, and a purple g'inrent. and
gave him leave to ufe them. He alfo preiented him with a
golden button, and !!y led him one ot his principal friends;
arid appointed his brother Simon to be trie gc-iii-sal over the
forces, from the ladder of Tyre unto Esypt. So Jonathan
was fo pleafed ' grams made him by Antiochus, that
he fent ambaflado i 'iiypho, and profefled
him.felf to be their friend a-id confederate, and laid he would
join with him in a war againft Demetrius, informing him that
he had made no props-; re? urns for the kindnefTes he had done
him , for that w!yn he had received many marks of kindnefs
from him, when he IK od in great need of them, he for fuch
good turns, bar! iYq'iit' j d h-rn with farther injuries.
. So A'ftiochus gave [:.athan leave to raife himfelf a nu-
merous army out o' Syria vmd Phemcia, and to mike war a-
gainft Demetnus's Ttnei.ils ; whereupon he went in hafte to
the feveral cities, which received him fplendidly indeed, but
put no force? into 1 is hands. And when he was come from
thence toAfkelon,the inhabitants of Afkclon came and brought
him prefents. and met him in a fplendid manner. Heexhort-
ed them, and every one o* the cities of Celefyria. to forfakc
Demetrius, and to join with Antiochus ; and in aflifling him,
to endeavour to pun ifh De^-etrius tor what offences he had
been guilty of againft them r elves ; and told them th
many reafons For that their procedure, if they had a mind fo
to do. And when he had perfuaded thofe cities to promife
their afliftance to Antiochus, he came to Ga^a, in order to
induce them alfo to be friends to Antiochus ; but he found
the inhabitants of Gaza much more alienated from him than
he expeSed. for they had (hut their gates againft him, and altho'
they had deferted Demetrius, they had notreiolved to join them-
felves to Antiochus. This provoked Jonathan to befiege them,
and to harrafs their country ; for as he ret a part ot his army round
Gaza itfelf, fo with the reft he over ran their land, and
fpoiled it, and burnt what was in it. When the inhabitants
of Gaza faw themfelves in this ftate of affliclion, and that no
aiLftance came to them from Demetrius, that what diflreffed
them was at hand, but what Ihould profit them was ftill at a
great chftance, and it was uncertain whether it would come at
ail or not, they thought it would be prudent conduct to leave
off any longer continuance with him, and to cultivate friend-
fiiip with the other, fo they fent to Jonathan, and profefled
they would be his friends, and afford him afliflance ; tor fuch
is the temper ot men, that before they have had the trial of
great afflictions, they do not underftand what is for their ad-
vantage, but when they find themfelves under fuch afflictions,
they then change their minds, and what it had been better for
them to have dgne before they had been at all damaged, they
Chap. V.] ANTIQUITIES OF THE JEWS. 75
choofe to do, but not till after they have fuffered fuch dama-
ges. However, he made a league of triendihip with them,
and took from them hoifages tor their performance of it, and
fent thefe hoftages to Jeru alem, while he went himielt over
all the country, as far as D.iiuaicus.
6. But when he neard tiiat the generals of Demetrius's for-
ces were come to the city, Cadelh with a numerous army (the
place lies between the land ot the Tynans and Galilee), for
they fuppoied they iixmid hereby dtaw him out of Syria, in
order to prekrve Galilee, and that he would not overlook the
Galileans, who were his own people, when war was madeup-
on them, he went to meet them, having ieit Sirnon in Judea,
who railed as great an army as he w=is able out ot the country,
and then fat down before Bethfura, and nefk'ged it, that be-
ing the iirongeil place in all Judea ; ari<i a g union ot Deme-
trius's kept it, as we have aheady iciated. But as Simon was
railing banks, and bringing his engines ut xvar againft Beth-
iura, and was very earn eft about tue liege o; it, the garnfon.
was afraid left the place Should be taken ot Simon by force,
and they put to the iword, io they leiu to Simon, and defired
the fecunty ot his oath, that uid c< me to no harm
from him, and that they would leave the place, and go away
to Demetrius. Accordingly he gave them h ; s oath, and e-
jefcied. them out ot the city, and ho pui taereiu a garriton of
his own.
7. But Jonathan removed out o' Galilee, and from the wa-
teis which are called Gcnne ar tor uiere ne was before en-
camped, and came into the plain tnat is called A for, without
knowing that the enemy was there. Wnrn therefore Deme-
trms's men knew a day before hand, that Jonathan was com-
ing agamit them, they laid an ambulh in the mountain, who
were LO af fault him on the iud';en, while they themfelves met
him vith an army in the plain : Which army when Jonathan
faw ready to engage him, he alfo got ready his own loldiers
for the battle as vvell as he was able ; but thofe that were laid
in ambufh by Demetrius's general being behind them, the Jews
were afraid Ieit they fhould be caught in the midit between two
bodies, and perifh, fo they ran away in hafle, and indeed all
the reft left Jonathan, but a tew there were, in number about
fifty, who itaid with him, and with them Mattathias, the fon
ot Abfalom, and Judas, the fon ot Cnapfeus, who were com-
manders ot the whole army. Thefe inarched boldly, and like
men delperate, againft the enemy, and fo pufhed them, that
by their courage they daunted them, and with their weapons
in their hands, they put them to flight. And when thofe fol-
diers ot Jonathan, that had retired, law the enemy giving way,
they got together after their flight, and purfued them with
great violence ; and this did they as far as Cadefh, where the
camp ot the enemy lay.
8. Jonathan having thus gotten a glorious victory, and flain
*?6 ANTIQUITIES OF THE JEWS. [Book XIII.
two thoufand of the enemy, returned to Jerufalem. So when
he fawthat all his affairs profpered, according to his mind, by
the providence of God, lie fent amballadors to the Romans,
being defirous of renewing that 1'riendlhip which their nation
had with them formerly. He enjoined the fame ambalTadors.
that, as they came back they ihould go to the Sparuns, and
put them in mind of their hiendihip and kindred. So when
the ambaffadors came to Rome, they went into their fenate,
and laid what they were corrmanded by Jonathan the high-
prieit to fay, how he had lent them to confirm their friend-
ihip. The fenate then confirmed what had been formerly de-
creed concerning their tneivl'.hip with the lews ; and gave
them letters to cany to all the kings of Afia and Europe, and
to the governors ot the ciues. tlut they might fafely conduct
them to their own country. Accordingly as they returned,
they came to Sparta, and delivered the ep;ille which they liad
received of Jonathan to them ; a copy of which here follows :
*' Jonathan the high-pried: ot the Jewilh nation, and the fen-
ate, and body of the people of the Jews, to the fp/ioriznd fen-
ate, anci people ot the Lacedemonians, lend greeting : If } ou
be well, and both your public and private affairs be agreeable
to your mind, it is according to our wilhes. We are well al-
to. When in former times an epiltle was brought to Onias,
who was then our high-prieft, from Areus, who at that time
was your king, by Demoteles, concerning the kindred that
was between us and you, a copy of which is here fubjoineci,
we both joy fully received the epiftle, and were well pleafed
with Demotele* and Areus. although we did not need fuch a
demonllration, becaufe * we were iatisfied about it from the
facred writings, yet did not we think fit nril to begin the claim
of this relation to you, left we mould fccrn too early in taking
to ourfelves the glory which is now given us by you. Jt is a
long time fince this relation of ours to you hath been renew-
ed ; and when we upon holy and ieftival days, offer facrifices
to God, we pray to him ior your prefervation and victory.
As to ourl ives, although we have had many wars that have
compaffed us around, by reafon of the covetoulnefs of our
neighbours, yet did not we determine to be troublefome either
to you, or to others that were related to us ; but fince we have
now overcome our enemies, and have occafion to fend Nutne-
nius, the fon of Amiochus, and Antipater, the fon ot Jafon,
who are both honourable men belonging to our fenate, to the
Romans, we gave them this epillle tojyou alfo, that they might
renew that fnencilhip which is between us. You will there -
* This claafc is otherwife rendered in the firft book, of Maccabees, xii. g. Far
that ztit have the holy becks of fcriptine in our hands to comfort us. The He! rew o-
rigiiial being loft, we cannot certainly judge which was the trueft verfion, only the
coherence favours Jotephus : But if this were the Jews me;.:i;ng, that they were
fatisfied out of their Bible that the Jews and .Lacedemonians were of kin. that paft
of their Bible is ncnv loft, ior we find no iuch affertioa in our p re lent copi;,i
Chap. V.] ANTIQUITIES OF THE JEWS. 77
fore do well yourfelves to write to us, and fend us an account
of what you Itand in need of from us, fince we are in all thing*
difpofed to art according to your defires." So the Lacede-
monians received the ambaifadors kindly, and made a decree
ior friendihip and mutual afliftance, and lent it to them.
9. At this time there were three fetts among the Jews, who
had different opinions concerning human actions ; the one was
called the feel of the Pliarife.es, another the feel of the Saddu-
cees, and the other the fed ot the EJJens. Now for the * Phar-
ifees, they fav that fome actions, but not all, are the work ot
fate and fome ot therh are in our own power, and that they
are liable to fate, but are not caufed by late. But the feel of
the Eifens affirm, that fate governs all things, and that nothing
befals men but what is according to its determination. And
ior the Sadducees, they take away tate, and fay there is no
iuch thing, and that the events ot human affairs are not at its
diipofal. but they fuppole that all our aclions are in our own
power, fo that we are purfelves the cauies of what is good,
and receive what is evi! from our own folly. However, I
have given a more exaft account ot theie opinions in the fe-
conii book of the Jewiih War.
10. But now the generals oi Demetrius being willing to re-
cover the defeat they had had, gathered a greater army togeth-
er than they had before, and came againit Jonathan ; hut as
jfoon as he v. ? as informed ol their coming, he went iuddenly
to meet them, to the country ot Hamoih, tor he refolved to
give them no opportunity ot coming into Judea, lo he pitch-
ed his caiDp at fiity iurlongs diitance Irom the enemy, and
fent out fpies to take a view ot their camp, and after what
manner they were encamped. When his ipics had given him
full information, and had icized upon fome ot them by night,
who told him the enemy would foon attack him, he, thus ap-
priled betore-hand, provided for his iecurity, and placed
* Thofe that (uppnfe Jofephus to contradift. himfelf in his three leveral account*
of the i!')tioiis of the Phariices. this here, ai.d that earlier one, which is the largeft,
Oi the War, B II. ch. viii ^ 14 vol. II arid that later, Antiq. B. XV.JII. ch. i.
^ 3, vol. II. as if he ioniecimes laid they istroduced an abiolute fatality, and deni-
ed all freedom of human aftions, is ahnoft wholly groundlets ; lie ever, as the very
learned Cafaubon here truly obierves, afferting, that the Pharilres were between the
EilVns and Sadducees, and did fo far afcribe all to fate or divine providence as was
confiilent with the freedom of human aftions. However, their perplexed way of
talking about late or providence as over-ruling all things, made it commonly tho't
th? y were willing to excuie their ftus by afcribuig them to fate, as inthe Apoftolic-
al Conltitution, B Vi ch vi. Perhapi under the tame general name fome differ-
ence of opinions in this point might be propagated, as is very common i;i ail par-
ties, efpecially in points ot metaphyucal fubtility : However, our JokphuJ, who
in his heart was a great admirer oi the piety of the EiTens, was yet in praftice a
Pharifee, as he hi mielf informs us, ia his own Life, ^ 2. vol. II. And his ac-
count of this doftiine ot the Pharii^es, is ior certain agreeable to his own opinion,
who ever both fuily allowed the freedom of human aftions, and yet flrongly be-
Jieved the powerful interpofition of divine providence. See concerning this mat*
ttra remarkable clank, .Antiq. B. XVI: ch. xi. ^ 7. vol. I.
<? ANTIQUITIES OF THE JEWS. [Book XIII.
watchmen beyond his camp, and kept all his forces armed all
night ; and he gave them a chaig" ; > be .>' good ourage, and
to have their minds prepared to light in the night time it they
J fhould be obliged fo to do, left their enemies defigns Ihould
feem concealed from them. But when Demetnus's command-
ers were informed, that Jonathan knew what they intended,
their counfels were disordered, and it alarmed them to find,
that the enemy had discovered thofe their intentions ; nor did
they expeft to overcome them any other way, now they had
failed in the fnares they had Jani tor them, for fhould they
hazard an open battle, they did not think they mould be a
match tor Jonathan's army, fo they refolved to fly : And hav-
ing lighted many fires, that when the enemy faw them they
might luppote they were there Hill, they retired. But when
Jonathan came to give them battle in the morning in their
camp, and found it deierted, and understood they were tied,
he purfued them, yet he could not overtake them, lor they
had already pafled over the river Elutherus, ?nd were out of
danger. So when Jonathan was returned thence, he went in-
to Arabia, and fought againft the Nabateans, arid drove away
a great deal of their prey, and took | many j captives, and came
to Damaicus, and there iold oit that he had taken. About the
fame time it was, that Simon his brother, went over all Judea
and PaleiMne, as far as Afkelon, and fortified the lliong holds :
And when he had made them veiy ftrong, both in the edifices
erefled, and in the garrifons placed in them, he came to j p-
pa and when he had taken it. he brought a great garrifon in-
to it, for he heard that the people of joppa, were dilpofed to
deliver up the city to Demetnus's gerierais.
ll. When Simon and J jni-tiian had finidied thefe affairs,
they returned to Jerufalem, where Jonathan gathered all the
people together, and took counfel to re/lore the walls ot Jeru-
falem, and to rebuild the wall that encompaifed the temple,
which had been thrown down, and to make the places adjoin-
ing llronger by very high towers ; and befides that, to build
another wall in the midit ot the city, in order to exclude the
market-place from the garrifon which was in the citadel, and
by that means to hinder them from any plenty ot provifions ;
and moreover, to make the fortrefles that were in the country
much ftronger, and more defenfibie, than they were before.
And when thefe things were approved of by the multitude, as
rightly propofed, Jonathan himielf took care of the building
that belonged to the city, and fent Simon away to make the
iortreffes in the country more fecure than formerly. But De-
metrius paffed over [Euphrates,] and came into Mefopotamia,
as defirous to retain that country {till, as well as Babylon ;
and when he Ihould have obtained the dominion ot the upper
provinces, to lay a foundation for recovering his entire king-
dom ; tor thofe Greeks and Macedonians who dwelt there fre-
quently fent ambaffadors to him, and proraifed, that if he
Chap. VI.] ANTIQUITIES OF THE JEWS. 79
would come to them they would deliver them felves up to him,
and aflift him in fighting againft * Arfaces, the king of the.
Parthians. So he was elevated with thefe hopes, and came
haftily to them, as having refolved that, if he had once over-
thrown the Parthians, and gotten an army of his own he would
make war againft Trypho, and ejefi him out o' Syria ; and the
people of that country, received him with great alacrity. So
he raifed forces, with which he fought agiinft Arfaces, and
loft all his army, and was himleli taken alive, as we have elfa-
where related.
CHAP. VI.
How Jonathan was Jlain by treachery ; and how thereupon the
Jews made. Simon their General and High -pnejl : What cour-
ageous actions aljo he per jormed, efpeaally agamjl Trypho.
\ I. "JVfOW when Trypho knew what had befallen Deme-
i.^1 trius, he w<is no longer firm <o Antiochus, but con-
trived by fubtilty to kiii him, and then take poffeffion of his
kingdom ; but the fear that he was in o( Jonathan was an ob-
ftacle to this his defign, for Jonathan was a Iriend to Antioch-
us, for which caufe he refolved firft to take Jonathan out c<
the way, and then to fet about his defign relating to Antioch-
us ; but he judging it beft to take him off by deceit and treach-
ery, came from Antioch to Bethlhan, which by the Greeks
is called Scythopohs, at which place Jonathan met him with
forty thoufand chofen men, for he thought that he came to
fight him ; but when he perceived that Jonathan was ready to
fight, he attempted to gain him by preients, and kind treat-
ment, and gave order to his captains to obey him, and by thefe
means was defirous to give aflurance of his good-will, and to
take away all fufpicions out of his mind, that fo he might
make him carelefs and inconfiderate, and might take him when
he was unguarded. He alfo advifed him to difmifs his army,
becaufe there was no occafion for bringing it with him when
there was no war, bat all was in peace. However, he defired
him to retain a few about him, and go with him to Ptolemais,
for that he would deliver the city up to him, and would bring
all the fortreffes that were in the country under his dominion ;
and he told him, that he came with thofe very defigns.
2. Yet did not Jonathan fufpect any thing at all by this his
management, but believed that Trypho gave him th.vs advice
* This king, who was of the famous race of Arfaces, is both here, and i. Mac.
xiv. 2. called by the family name Arfaces, but Appian lays, his proper name was
.thraales. lie is here alfo called by Jofephus t: ihe Parthians, as the
Greeks ufed to call them, but by the elder author of the firft Maccabees, the
tl;{ Per /urn ; un.i ' A'r.!es, according ta the language ef the wucru uafeww. Se At}^-
>bot. Rcc. pan. II. p. nS.
&> ANTIt/iTIE3 O fr Til 2 J I- V/S. [Book Xilt.
out of kindnefs and with a fin cere defign. Accordingly hd
difrnifled his army, and retained no mure tlum ':nee thuu and
of thfetti With him, and left two thousand in Galiioe, and lie
himtelf, wit;; one thoii; in'ri, caine with T;ypho to Prole::, lis :
But when the people oF Ptoleuuis had ilm; th.v. g-i ; vs, as it
had been commanded ;;y Trypho to do, he took Jon .than a-
live, and lie > ail rn.:t weie with him. He .:!;.> lc;n old.er.; a-
gainft thole two thoufandthat were le't in Gahk-e, in onier to
deftfoy them : But tiu.c men having heard tne repvit ot what
had happened to Jonathan, they prevented the execution, and 1
before thofe that were .'ent by T . y pho C..M.; t ;>cy covered them-
feives with their armour, and went away out of tiie country.
Now when thofe that were fent ag, in it them law that tu'.:y were
ready to fight for their lives, they gave them no diiturbance,
but returned back to Tiy
3. But when the people oi Jerufalcm heard that Jonathan
was taken, and that the ioldiefs who were with him weie def-
troyed, they deplored his fad fate, and there was earned inqui-
ry made about him by every body, and a great and juit fear
fell upon them, and made them fad, left now they were depriv-
ed of the courage and conduct of Jonathan, the nations about
them (hould bear them ill will ; and as they were before quiet
on account of Jonathan, they Ihouldnow nfe up agairilt them,
and by making war with them Ihould force them into the ut-
moft dangers. And indeed what they fufpefted really befell
them ; for when thofe nations heard of the death ot Jonathan,
they began to make war with the Jews, as now deftitute of n
governor ; and Trypho himfelf got an army together, and had
an intention to go up to Judea, and make war againlt its in-
habitants. But when Simon faw that the people of Jerufalem
were terrified at the circumftances they were in, he defired to
make a fpeech to them, and thereby to render (hem more relo-
lute in oppofing Trypho when he fhould come againil them.
He then called the people together into the temple, and thence
began thus to encourage them : " O my countrymen, you are
not ignorant that our father, myfelf and my brethren, have
ventured to hazard our lives and that willingly for the recov-
ery of your liberty ; fince I have therefore luch plenty of, ex-
amples before n;e, and we of our family have determined with
ourfelves to die for our laws, and our divine worihip, there
(hail no terror be fo great as to banifh this refolution from our
fouls, nor to introduce in its place a love of life, and a contempt
of glory. Do you therefore follow me with alacrity whither-
foever I (hall lead you, as not deftitute of fuch a captain as is
willing to fuffer, and to do the greateft things for you ; for nei-
ther am 1 better than my brethren that I fhould be Iparii'g of
my own life, nor fo far v/orfe than they as to avoid andretufe
whatthf y thought the molt honourable of all things. I mean, to
undergo death tor your laws, and tor that worihip of God which
is peculiar to you ; 1 will therefore give fuch proper demon-
Chap. VI,] ANTIQUITIES OF THE JEWS. $1
^rations as will fhewthat I am their own brother ; and I am
fo bold 3 to expert that I (hall avenge their blood upon our
enemies, and deliver you all with your wives and children,
from the injuries they intend again ft you, and, with God's
ice, to preferve your temple from deflruclion by them,
iW I :ee th.t theie nations have you in contempt, as being
WHuout a governor, and that they thence are encouraged to
war againft you."
4. By ihis ipeech of Simon's, he infpiredthe multitude with
courage, and as they had been before difpirited through fear,
vere now railed to a good hope of better things, info-
, that the whole multitude of the people cried out all at
o A.-.C, that Simon ihould be their leader ; arid that inilead of
J-idas and Jonathan his brethren, he fhould have the govern-
nu'tu over them ; and they promifed that they would readily
0; ey him in whatfoever he fhould command him. So he goi
together immediately all his ov. r n foldiefs that were fit for war,
ami made hafte in rebuilding the walls' of the city, and ttrength-
fcning t lie ni by very high and Itrong towers ; and lent a friend
of his, une Jonathan the fon of Abfalom to Joppa, and gave
him order to eject the inhabitants out of the city, for he was
airaid left they ihould deliver up the city to Trypho, but he
himfelf Itayed to fecure Jerufaiem.
5. But Trypho removed from Ptolemais with a great army,
and came into judea, and Drought Jonathan with him in bonds.
Simon alio met him with his army at ihe city Adida, which is
upon an hill, and beneath it lie the plains ot Judea. And
when Trypho knew that Simon was by the Jews made their
governor, he fent to him, and would have impofed upon
him by deceit and treachery, and defired, if he would have his
brother Jonathan releafed, that he would lend him an hundred
talents ot iiiver and two of Jonathan's fonS as hoitages, that
when he (hall be relealed he may riot make Judea revolt froiu
the king, tor that at prefent he was kept in bonds on account
of the money he had borrowed ot the king, and now owed it
to him. But Simon was aware of the craft of Trypho, and
although he knew that if he gave him the money he fhould
lofe it, and that Trypho would not fet his brother free, and
withal, ihould deliver the ions ot Jonathan to the enemy, yet
beoaufe he was afraid that he ihould have a' calumny railed
againil him among the multitude as the caufe of his brother's
deatn, it he neither gave the money, nor fent Jonathan's fons,
he gathered his army together, and told them what offers Try,
pho had made, and added this, that the offers were etifnaring
and treacherous, and yet that it was more eligible to fend the
money and Jonathan's ions than to be liable to the imputation
ot not complying with Trypho's offers, and thereby refuting^
to lave his brother. Accordingly Simon fent the fons of
Jonathan and the money ; but when Trypho had received
mem, he did not keep his promife, nor fet Jonathan free, but
VOL. II: L
&2 ANTIQUITIES OF THE JEWS. [Book XIII
took his army, and went about all the country, and refolved to
go afterward to Jerufolern by the way of Idumea, while Si-
mon went over again!! him with his army, and all along pitch-
ed his own camp over againft his.
6. But when thofe that were in the citadel had fent to Try-
pho, and befought him to make hafte and come to them, and
to fend them provifions, he prepared his cavalry as though he
would be at Jerufalem that very night, but fo great a quantity
of fnow fell in the night that it covered the reads, and made
them fodeep, that there was no pafling, especially for the cav-
alry. This hindered him from coming to Jerufalem ; where-
upon Trypho removed thence, and came into Celeiyria, and
falling vehemently upon the land of Gilead, he Hew Jonathan
there, and when he had given order tor his burial, he returned
himfeii to Antipch. However, Simon fent fome to the city
Balca to bring away his brother's bones, and buried them in
their own city Modin ; and all the people made great lamen-
tation over him. Simon alfo erdfted a very large monument
for his father and his brethren, of white and poiilhed Hone,
and raifed it a great height, and fo as to be fecn a long way
off, and made cloifters about it, and fet up pillars, which were
of one llonea-piece ; a work it was wonderful to fee. More-
over, he buiit feven pyramids alfo tor his parents and his breth-
ren, one for each of them, which were made very furpnfing,
both for their largenefs and beauty, and which have been pie-
ftTved to this day ; and we know that it was Simon who be-
{lowed fo much zeal about the burial of Jonathan, and tne
building of thefe monuments for his relations. Now Jona-
than died when he had been high prieft * tour years and had
been alfo the governor of his nation. And thefe were the
cijcumftances that concerned his death.
6. But Simon, who was made high prieft by the multitude,
on the very firlt year ot his high prieflhood fet his people free
from their flavcry under the Macedonians, and permitted
them to pay tribute to them no longer ; which liberty and
freedom from tribute they obtained after an i hundred and
* There is Tome error in the copies here, when no more than four years are af-
cribed to the high pricithoud of Jonathan. We know by Jo'ephus's laft jewifh
Aiitiq. 8. XA'. ch. x. vol. II. that there was an interval of feven years
the death of Alcimus or Jaciaius, the laft high prieft, and the re.
prieflhood of Jonathan, to whom yet thofe feven years fetm lure to !>e akribert,
as a part of tiKm were to Judas before, Antiq. B. A'll. ch. x. o. vol. II. Now
fince, bedcies thele levcn Years interregnum in the pontificate, we are told, Antiq.
li. XX. ch x. that Jonathan's real high priefthood tailed ieven years more ; thele
tv,-o feven years will mak<; up fourteen years, which I (uppoie w^s Joiephus's o\vn
number in this place, inftead of the: four in our preterit copies.
t Thefe i 70 years of th,- AlFyrians mean no more, as jofephus explains himfelf
here, thsu trom the xre ot Scleucus, which, as it is knov.'n to have btgaii on the
31 2th year before the Chriftian acre, from its fpring in tie fir ft book of M.icca-
bet-s, aud from its at tumu in the iccond book of Maccabees, fo did it not begin at
Babylon till the next Ipring, on the 31 ith year. Sec Prid. at the year^i 2. And it
Chap. VII.] ANTIQUITIES OF THE JEWS. 83
feventy years of the kingdom of the ATyrians, which was af-
ter Seleucus, who was called Nicator, got the dominion over
Syria. Now the affeflion of the multitude towards Simon
was fo great, that ia their contracts one with another, and in
their public records, they wrote, " In the firftyear of Simon,
the berietattor and ethnarch ot the Jews ;" tor under him
they were very happy, and overcame the enemies that were
round about them, 'or Simon overthrew the city Gazara, and
Joppa, and Jarnina. He allo took the citadel of Jerufalem
by fiege, and cafl it down to the ground, that it might not he
any more a place ot refuge to their enemies when they took
it, to do them a mifchiet, as it had been till now. And when
he had done this, he thought it their beft way, and moft for
their advantage, to level the very mountain itfell upon which
the citadei happened to itand, that fo the temple might be
higher than it. And indeed, when he had called the multi-
tude to an affembly, he perluaded them to have it fo demoU
iihed, and this by putting them in mind what miferies they
had fuffered by its garnfon, and the Jewiih deferters, and
what miferies they might hereafter hitter in cafe any foreigner
Ihould obtain the Kingdom, and put a garrifon into that cita-
del. This fpeech induced the multitude to a compliance, be-
caufehe exhorted them todo nothing but wh.it was tor their own
good : So they all fet themfelves to the work, and levelled the
mountain, and in that work ipent both day and night without
any intermiffion, which coil them three whole years before it
was removed, and brought to an entire level with the plain of
the reil of the city. After which the temple was the higheftot
all the buildings, now the citadel, as well as the mountain
whereon it ftood, were demolUhed. And thefe atiions were
thus performed under Simon.
CHAP. VII.
How Simon confederated himfctf with Antiockus Pius, and
made War againjl irypho ; and a little afterward againjl
Cendebeus, the General of Antiockus' s Army : Asalfo how 6z-
mon was Murdered by his jo;i-Mi-law Ptolemy, and that by
treachery.
S I. * TVT OW a little while after Demetrius had been car-
1>! ried into captivity, Try pho his governor, deftroy-
is tmly oblervcd by Dr. Hudion on this place, that the Syrians and Aflyrians are
fometimes confounded in ancient authors, according to the words ot Juit ia the epi-
totnizer of Trogas Po:npeius, who bys. That " the AfTyriaus were afterward
called Syrians." B I. ch. xi. See Of the War, B. V. ch. ix, 4. vol. HI. wh.-re
the Philillines themfeives, at the very fouth limit of Syria, in hs utmofl extent, are
called Adrians by jolcphas, as Spanheim oblervcs.
* It muft here be diligently noted, that jo lephus's copy of the firft book of Ma-
cabeus, \yhich he had fo carefully followed, sud'faHhfuDy abrid ged as far as the $oth
8^ ANTIQUITIES OF THE JEWS. [Book XIII.
ed Antiochus, * the fon of Alexander, who was alfo called
i the God, and this when he had reigned fotu years, though
he gave it cut that he died under the hands ot the iui[;
lie then fent his friends, and thofe that were molt intimate \\ ;th
him to the foldiers ; and prom i fed that he v\ould give them a
great deal of money if they would m:i!;e him king. I-
mated to them that Demetrius was made a captive by the Par-
ihians ; and that Demetnus's hrother Anticchu.s, if he
to be king, would do them a great deal ot mifchief, in \
revenge for their revolting from his brother. So tl
in expectation ofthewealtn they mould get by bellow;.
kingdom on Trypho, made him their ruler, ppwf
Trypho had gained the management ot affairs, he de:
his difpofitiori to be wicked ; for while he was a pnv,
he cultivated a familiarity with the multitude, and
to great model ation, and lo drsw them on artiuiiy to wtw
er he pleafed, but when he had once taken tii
laid aude any farther diHimu!ation sricl w.is tnu-
behaviour made his enemies luperior to him, tor the ioldiery
hated him, and revolted from him to Cleopatia, ij
Demetrius, who was then ihut up in Seleucia witii h<-i
dren. But as Antiochus, the brother ot Demetrius, who was
verfe of the twelfth chapter, feems thereto have ended. What few thi::
are attcrwgrd common to both, rm^ht probably be learr.ed by aiir; i; - om !
more i:r-p;?rfeel records. However we muff exaflly oblerve here.
rnaining pm of that book of the Maccabees informs us ot, aiid what j
would never have omitted, h;;d his Copy contained lo r-uch.
Great, the Maccabee, made a league with Antiochus Sotcr, the f-.n of P
and brother of the other Denutriu.s who was now a captive in Pai'
his coming to the crcnvn, about the J4Oth ye;;r befoic the Chriftian xvr*. ;
ed gnat privileges to the Jewifh nation, and to .Simon their high j
narch, wHi.h privileges Simon ieems to have taken of !
years beiore. In particular, lie gave him leave to cm.
with his own ftamp; and as cone, rning jerulalem, and the tanduary, t':.
Ihould be free, or as the vulgar Latin ha$h it, holy and Jrtt. : :
which I take to be the truer reading, as being the very words of his
ccffi on offered to Jonathan feveral yrs before, ch. x. 31. and Antiq. K. .XIII. ch.
li. ^ 3. vol. II. Now v. hat makes this date, and thefe grants, great:'
is the ftaU of the remaining genuine fhekels of the Jews with
ters, which ieem to have been (mod of them at ieaft) coined in the four ii.
of this S'liron the Alamonean. and having upon them thete words on
riifalem the holy, and on the reverie, In the yeat nfjrecdcim, i . or 2. or 3 or 4
fhekels therefore are original monuments of thele times, and undeniable m;
the truth of the hiftory in thefe chapters, though it be in great me.ifuie omiu-.-d ;/y
Jofephus. SeeEffayon the Old Teit. p ir.-j. 158 The r a!(,n why I rail
poiethat his copy of the Maccpbees wanted tlicii chrpter?, than th.it !i> own rop-
irs are here imperfeft, is this, that all their contents are not here oiniited, :
nv.ich the grcareft part be.
* How Trypho killed this Antiochus, the epitome of Livy informs vs, chap.
55. viz. that he corn) pcd his phyfirians or furgeons, who lafely pr. :
people that he was perifhing v/ith the ftone, as they cut him tor it, killed him, which
exaftlv agrees with Jofephus.
+ That this Antiochus, the fon of Alexander Babs, was called t!;e Gcd. is evident
from his coins, which Spanheirn affurcs us bear this inlcription, kir>^
#4, Ipithanes t!>: Vittsricus,
Chap. VII'] ANTIQUITIES OF THE JEWS. 8|
called Soter, was not admitted by any of the cities on account
pf Trypho, C;eopatra fent to him, and invited him to marry
her and to take the kingdom. The reafons why fhemade thijf
invitation were thefe : That her friends perfuaded her to it,
and that ihe was afraid for herfelt, in cafe iome of the people
pf Scleucia Ihouid deliver up the city to Trypho.
2. As Antiochus was now come to Seleucia, and his forces
increaied every day, he marched to fight Trypho ; and having
beaten him in the battle, he ejected him out ot the upper Syria
into Phenicia, and purfued him thither, and befieged him in
Dora, which was a tortre's hard to he taken, whether he had
fled. He alfo fent ambaiiadors to Simon the iewifh high-prieft,
about a Jeague o! friendlhipand mutual afiiilance : Who readily
accepted of the invitation, and fent to Antiochus great lums ot
money, and provi lions, tor thqfe that befieged Dora, and there-t
by fupplied them very plentiiully. fo that for a little while he
was looked upon as one of his moft intimate friends ; but flill
Try pho iled trotn Dora to. Apamia, where he was taken during
the inpxf and put to death, when he had reigned three years.
3. li. . AC". Antiochus torgot the kind affiltance that Simon
had Afforded him in his neceffity ; by rcafon of his covetous and
.1 dilpofition, and committed an army oi i'oldiers to his
friend Ceniiebeu.s. ana fent him at once to ravage Judea, and
to fei/.e Siriion. When Simon heard of Antiochus's breaking
his league .. ith him, although he were now in years, yet, pro-
yoked with the unjuft treatment he had met with from Antio-
chu$, and taking a reiclution brifker than his age could well
bc,;r. he w-.-nt like a young man to at as general of his army.
He ah'o ient uis fons before among the moft hardy of his icl-
(hers and he hirnfclf marched on with his army another way,
and laid m t .ny oi his men in ambufhes inthenarrovy vallies be-
tween the mountains ; nor did he fail of fuccels in any one ot
jus attempts, but was too hard for his enemies in every one ot
them. So he led the reft ot his life in peace, and aid alfo hiui r
felt make a league with the Romans.
4. Now he was the ruler ot the Jews in all eight years ; but
at a feaft came to his end. it was caufed by the treachery of
his fon-in-law Ptolemy ; who caught alfo his wife, and put
two of his ions, and kept them in bonds. He alfo fent fome
to kill John the third fon. whole name was Hyrcanus ; but the
young man perceiving them coming, he * avoided the danger
he was in !rom them, and made hafte into the city [JerufalemJ
as relying on the good will of the multitude, becauie of the
* Here Jofephus begins to follow, and to abridge the next facred Hebrew book,
ftyled in the end of the full book, of Maccabeus, The Chronicle of John [Hyrcanm's]
./theoJ, but in iome of the Greek copies, t\K fourth bfflk of Macca&evs. A
Greek verfion of this chronicle was extant not very long ago in the days ot Santts
Pagnimis, and Sixtus Scnenfis, at Lyons, though it {eems to have been there burnt
and to be utterly loft. See Sixtus Scnenfis's account of it, of its many Hebraifrr.s,
and its great agreement with Jofephus's abridgement, in the Authent. Rec. part. I.
P. 206, 207, 208,
S6 ANTIQUITIES OF THE JEWS. [Book XIII.
benefits they had received from his father, and becaufe of the
hatred the lame multitude bear to Ptolemy, fo that when Ptol-
emy was endeavouring to enter the city by another gute, they
drove him away, as having already admitted of Hyrcanus.
CHAP. VIII.
Hyrcanus receives the High Pneflkood, and ejefls Ptolemy out
of the Country. Antiochus makes War againji Hyrcanus t .
and afterward makes a League with him.
I. CO Ptolemy retired to one of the fortrefles that was a-
O bove Jericho, which was called Dagon : But Hyr-
canus having taken the priellhood that had been his tatiier's
before, and in the firit place propitiated God by facnfices, he
then made an expedition againft Ptolemy ; and when he made
his attacks upon the place, in other points he was too hai
him, but was rendered weaker than he, by the commiierat'ion
he had for his mother and brethren, and by that only
Ptolemy brought them upon the wall, and tormented them in
the fight 'of all, and threatened that he would throw them down
headlong, unlefs Hyrcanus would leave off the ficge. And as
he thought thatfo Jar he relaxed as to the fiege and taking of
the place, fo much favour did he Shew to thole that were dear-
eft to him by preventing their mifery, his zeal about it was
cooled. However, his mother fpread out her hands and beg-
ged of him that he would not grow remifs on her account, but
indulge his indignation fo much the more, and that he would
do his utmoft to take the phce quickly, in order to get their
enemy under his power, and then to avenge upon him what
he had done to thofe that were deareft to himfelt ; for that
death would be to her fweet, though with torment, it that ene-
my of theirs might but be brought to punHhment for his
wicked deafings to them. Now when his mother laid to, he
refolved to take the fortrefs immediately ; but when he faw
her beaten, and torn to pieces, his courage Jailed him, and he
could not but fympalhize with what his mother fuffered, and
\vas thereby overcome. And as the fiege was drawn out in'o
length by this means, that year on which the jews ufe to re 11
came on, for the Jews oblerve this reft every feventh year, as
they do every feventh day ; fo that Ptolemy being * lor tnis
* Hence we learn, that in the days of this excellent high pried John Hy
the observation ot t: ir, as joiephns fuppofed, required a rell tn.m
zi'flr, as did that of the weekly Sabbath from wot k : I mean this, unlels in the cale
of necessity, when the jews were att irked by their enemies, in which cafe indeed,
and in which alone, they then allowed defenfive fighting to be lawful even on th
abbath-day, as we fee in i'everal places of jofephus, Antiq. B. xll. ch. vi. \ 2.
B. XIII. ch. i. t) 3, vol. II. Of the War, B. I, ch vii. 3. vol. III. But then
k rauft be noted, that this reft from war no way appears in the firft booA of Mac*
Chap. VI II.] ANTIQUITIES OF THE JEWS. 87
caufe releafed from the war, he flew the brethren of Hyrcanus,
and his mother : And when he had fo done, he fled to Zeno,
who was called Cotylas, who was then the tyrant of the city
Philadelphia.
2. But Antiochus being very uneafy at the miferies that
Simon had brought upon him, he invaded Judea in the fourth
year of his reign, and the fir {I year ot the principality of Hyr-
canus, in the * hundred and fixty fecond olympiad. And
when he had burnt the country, he fhut up Hyrcanus in the
city, which he encompafled round with feven encampments,
but did ju(t nothing at the firft, becaule ot the ftrength ot the
walls, and becaufe ot the valour of thebefieged, although they
were once in want of water, which yet they were delivered
from by a large (hower of rain, which fell at the t fetting of
the Pleiades. However, about the north partot the wall, where
it happened, the city was upon a level withthe outward ground.
the King raifed a hundred towers of three ftories high and
placed bodie* of foldiers upon them, and as he made his attacks
every day, he cut a double ditch, deep and broad, and confin-
ed the inhabitant* within it as within a wall ; but the befieged
contrived to make frequent fallies out, and if the enemy were
not any where upon their guard, they fell upon them, and did
them a great deal of mifchief, and if they perceived they
then retired into the city with eafe. But becaufe Hyrcanus
difcerned the inconvenience ot fo great a number of men in
the city, while the provifions were the fooner fpent by them,
and yet, as natural to fuppofe, thofe great numbers did noth-
ing, he feparated the ufelefs part, and excluded them out of
the city, and retained that part only which were in the flower
of their age, and fit tor war. However, Antiochus would not
Jet thofe that were excluded go away, who theretore wander-
ing about between the walls, and confurning away by famine,
died miferably ; but when the feaftof tabernacles was at hand a
thofe that were within commiferated their condition, and re-
ceived them in again. And when Hyrcanus fent to Antio-
and defired there might be a truce for feven days, be-
abees, ch. xvi .but the a irel contrary ; though indeed the jews, in the days o
Antiochus Epiphanes, did iv.t venture upon fighting on the Sabbath days, even iri
the defence at" their own lives, till the Afamoneans or Maccabees decreed fo to do t
i Mac. ii. 3241. Antiq. B. .YII ch. vii. ^ 2.
* Jofephus's copies, both Gree* and Latin, have htre a grofs miftake, when
they fa y, that this firft year of John Hyrcanus. which we have jufl now feen to
Viave been a ^abbnilc yw~, was in the i&2d olympaid, whereas it was for certain the
fecond year of the 16 ill. See the Me before, .",. A'll. ch. vii. ^6.
t This heliacal feeing of the Pie aciei, or leven liars, was, in the days of Hvrca-
nus and Jolephus, early in the ipvirg, akout February, the time of i!':e latter rain
in judeo : and this, fo far as I rci!iem'~er, is the o:ily adronomical character of
time, be fides or.e eclipfs of the moon in the rei_;n of Herad, that we meet with in
all fofephus, the Jews being little accuftomed to ailnmoinical oblervations, any
farther than tor the ufcs of their /bllendar, and utterly ior'jiudea diofc a&cologiot
uis whick the heathens commonly made of tlietn.
IS ANTIQUITIES OF THE JEWS. [Book XlH e
caufe of the feflival, he gave way to this piety towards God,
and made that truce accordingly : And befides that, he fent in
a mdgnificent (acrifice, bidis with their * horns gilded, with
all forts of fweet fpices, and with cups ol gold and lilver. Sd
thofe that were at the gates received the iacrifices trom thofe
that brought them, arid led them to the temple, Ahfiochus the
mean while ieafting his army ; which was a quite different
conduct from Antiochns Epiphanes, who, when he had taken
the city, he offered fwine upon the altar, and fprinkled the
temple With the broth of their flelh, in order to violate the
laws of the Jews, and the religion they derived from their
forefathers ; For which reafon our nation made war with him,
and would never be reconciled to him : But for this Antiochui,
all men called him Antio chits the. Pious, lor the greatzeal he
had about religion.
3. Accordingly Hyrcanus took this moderation of his kind-
ly ; and when he underwood how religious he was towards
the Deity, he fent an arnbaffage to him, and defired that he
would reitore the fettlements they received from their forefa-
thers. So he rejected the counlel of thofe that t would have
him utterly deftroy the nation by reafon of their way of liv-
ing, which was to others unfociable, and did not regard what
they faid. But being perfuaded that all they did was out of a
religious mind, he anfwered the ambafladors, That ifthebe-
fieged would deliver up their arms, and pay tribute for Joppa,
and the other cities which bordered upon Judea, and admit a
garrifon of his, on thefe terms, he would make war againfl
them no longer. But the lews, although they were content
with the other conditions, did not agree to admit the gairifon,
becaufe they could not affociate with other people, nor con-
verfe with them ; yet were they willing, inftead of the admif-
fion of the garrifon, to give him' hoftages, and five hundred
talents ot filver ; of which they paid down three hundred, and
fent the hoftages immediately, which king Antiochus accept-
ed. One of thofe hoftages was Hyrcanus's brother : But ftill
he broke down the fortifications that encompaffed the city :
And upon thefe conditions Antiochus broke up the fiege, and
departed.
4. But Hyrcanus opened the fepulchre of David, who ex-
celled all other kings in riches, and took out of it three thou-
fand talents. He was alfo the firft of the Jews that, relying
on this wealth, maintained foreign troops. There was alfo a'
league of triendfhip and mutual affi fiance made between them :
Upon which Hyrcanus admitted him into the city, and fur-
nilhed him with whatfoever his army wanted hi great plenty,/
* Dr Hudfcm tells us here, that this cuftom of gilding the horns of thofe oxen
tliat were to be Sacrificed, is a known thing bath in the poets and orators.
+ This account in Jofephu^, that the prct nt Antiochus, was ;>er(uaded, though
in vain, not to make peace with thii jews, but to cut them off utterly, is fully con-
Armed by Diodorus iicuius; uv Paotius'i extra&i out of his 3^1!: Book.
Chap. VIII.] ANTIQUITIES OF THE JE\VS. 89
and with great generofity, and marched along with him when
he made an expedition againft the Parthians ; ot which Ni-
colausof Damafcus is a witnefs for us ; who in his hiftory
writes thus : " When Antiochus had erefted a trophy at the
river Lycus, upon his conqueft ot nidates, the general ot the
Parthians, he iiayed there two- driys. It was at the defire of
Hyrcanus the Jew, hecaufe it was fuch a feftival derived to
th.:m from their forefathers, whereon the iaw of the lws did
not allow them to travel." And truly he did not fpeaic falfey
in laying fo ; for that teftival, which we call Pentecoft, did
then tall out to be the next day to the Sabbath : Nor is it *
lawful for us to journey, either on the Sabbath day, or on a
feftival day. But when Antiochus joined battle with Arfaces,
the king of Parthia, he loft a great part ot his army, and was
himfelt (lain ; and his brother Demetrius fucceeded in the
kingdom ot Syria, by the permifiion of Arfaces, who freed
him from his captivity, at the fame time that Antiochus at-
tacked Parthia, as we have formerly related ellewhere.
CHAP. IX.
How, after the Death of Antiochus, Hyrcanus made an Expedi-
tion againft Syria, and made a league with the Romans. Con~
ce.rn.ing the. Death oj King Demetrius and Alexander.
^ I. TJ UT when Hyrcanus heard of the death of Antiochus,
X3 he prefently made an expedition againft the cities of
Syria, hoping to find them deftitute of fighting men, and of
fuch as were able to defend them. However, it was not till
the fixth month that he took Medaba, and that not without the
great diftrefs of his army. After this he took Samega, and
the neighbouring places ; and befides thefe, Shechem and
Gerizzim, and the nation of the Cutheans who dwelt at the
temple which Alexander permitted Sanballat, the general of
his army, to build for the fake of Manalfeh, who was fon-in-
law to jaddua the high-prieft, as we have formerly related ;
which temple was now deferted two hundred years aiter it
">\-as built. Hyrcanus took alfo Dora and Manila, cities of
Idumea, and fubdued all the Idumeans ; and permitted them
to ftay in that country, it they would circumcife their geni-
tals, and make ufe ot the laws of the Jews ; and they were fo
defirous of living in the country ot their forefathers, that they t
iubmitted to the ule ot circumcifion, and ot the reft ot the
* The- Jews -were not to march, or journey on the Sabbath, or on fuch a great
- equivalent to the Sabbath, any farther than a Sabbath-day's journey,
*>r 2COO cubits, Ire the note on Antiq B. X\. c,h. viii. fee. 6. Vol. III.
ictount of the Idumeans admitting ; circumcifion, and the entire Jewish
rn this time, or from the days of Hyrcanus, is confirmed bv their entire hit-
rward. Sse Antiq. B. xiv ch. viii. fee. i. B, xv. ch vii. lc. 9. vol. II.
VOL. II. M
9 ANTIQUITIES OF THE JEWS. [Book Xtlti
Jewifh ways ot living, at which time therefore this befel them,
that they were hereafter no other than Jews.
2. But Hyrcanus the high-prieft was defirous to renew that
league of triendihip they had with the Romans : Accordingly
he fent an ambaffage to them : And when the fcnate had re-
ceived their epiltle, they made a league of friendfhip with
them, after the rranner following : " Fanius, the fon ot Mar-
cus the pretor, gathered the fenate together on the eighth day
before^ the ides of February, in the fenate-houfe when Lu-
cius Manlius, the fon of Lucius, of the Mentine tribe, and
Caius Sempronius, the fon of Caius, of the Falernian tribe,
were prefent. The occafion was, that the ambadadois fent by
the * people of the Jews. Simon the fon of Dofitheus, and
ApoUonius, the fon of Alexander, and Diodorus, the fon of
Jafon, who were good and virtuous men, had fomewhat to
propofe about that league ot friendfhip and mutual affiftance
which fubfifted between them and the Romans, and about o-
ther public affairs, who Hefiredthat Joppa, and the havens, and
Gazara, and the fprings [of Jordan,] and the feveral other ci-
ties and countries of theirs, which Antiochus had taken from
them in the war, contrary to the decree of the fenate, might be
reftored to them ; and that it might not be lawful tor the king's
troops to pafs through their country, and the countries ot"
thofethat are fubjefct to them : And that what attempts Anti-
cchus had made during that war, without the decree of the
fenate might be made void : And that they would fend am-
bafladors. who ihould take care that reftitution be made them
of what Antiochus had taken from them, and that they fhould
make an eftirnate of the country that had been laid wafte in the
Of the war, B. II. ch. iii. ^ . B. IV. ch. iv. 5. vol. III. This, in the opinion
of Joiephus, made them profelytes of juftice, or entire Jews, as here and elfewhere,
Antiq. B. .YIV. ch. viii. ^ i. However, Antigonus, the enemy of Herod, though
IJ.-rod were derived from fuch a profelyte of juftice for ftveral generations, will
allow him to be no more than an half Jew, B. XV. ch. xv. $ z. But ftill take out;
of Dean Pvideaux, at the year 129 the words 0f Ammoni us a grammarian, which
fully confirm this account ot the Idumeans in Jofephns : " The Jews, fays he, are
Inch by nature, and from the begin: ii--;r, whi'ft the Idumeans were not Jews from.
the beginning hut Phenicians and Syrians ; but being afterward iubdued by rh<:
Jews, and compelled to be circumciied, and to unite into one nation, ar.d be fub-
ject to the laaie laws, they \vcre called Jews" Dio alfo fays, as the Dean there
quotes him, from hook XXXV L p. 37. " That country is called Judea,an& the peo-
ple Jfzvs ; and this name is given alfo to as many others as embrace their religion, tho'
ofo ther nations." But then upon what foundation fo good a governor as Hyrcau-
us took upon him to compel thefe Idun eans either to become Jews, or to Itcve the
country, dderves great confederation. I fuppofe it was becault they had long ago
been driven out of the land of Edom, and had fei,red on and ppfllfTed the tribe off
Simeon, and nil the fouthern parts of the tribe of Jndea, which was the peculiar in-
heritance of the worfhippers of the true God without idolatry, as the reader may-
learn from Reland, Paleftine, part I. p. 154, 305. and from Prideaux, at the years
140 and 165.
* In this decree of the Roman Senate, it feems, that thefe ambaffadors were fent
from the pt'.fk nj ihr Jews, as well as from their prince tr higk-priejl John
*r.
Chap. X,] ANTIQUITIES QF THE JEWS. 91
war ; and that they would grant them letters of protection to
the kings, and free people, in order to their quiet return
home. It was therefore decreed, as to thefe points, to renew
their league of friendfhip and mutual affiftance with thefe
good men, and who were fent by a good and a friendly peo-
ple." But that as to the letters defired, their anfwer was, that
the fenate would confult about that matter, when their own af-
fairs would give them leave and that they would endeavour
for the time to come, that no like injury mould be done them :
And that their pretor Fanius, ihould give them money out of
the public treafury to bear their expenses home. And thus
did Fanius difmifs the Jewifh ambafladors, and gave them
money out of the public treafury ; and gave the decree ot the
fenate to thofe that were to conduft them, and to take care
that they fhould return home in fafety.
3. And thus flood the affairs of Hyrcanus the high prieft.
But as tor king Demetrius, who had a mind to make war a-
gainft Hyrcanus, there was no opportunity nor room for it,
while both the Syrians and the foldiers bare ill-will to him,
becaufe he was an ill man. But when they had fent ambaffar
dors to Ptolemy, who was called Phyicon, that he wouid lend
them one of the family ot Seleucus, in order to take the king-
dom, and he had lent them Alexander, who was called Zebi-
na, with an army, and there had been a battle between them,
Demetrius was beaten in the fight, and fled to Cleopatra his
wife to Ptolemais, but his wife would not receive him. He
went thence to Tyre, and was there caught, and when he had
fullered much from his enemies before his death, he was flain
by them. So Alexander took the kingdom, and made a league
with Hyrcanus, who yet, when he afterward fought with An-
tiochus the fon of Demetrius, who was called Grypus, was al-
fo beaten in the fight, and flain.
CHAP. X.
How upon the quarrel between Antiochus Grypus and Antioc.hu s
Cvzicenus, about the Kingdom, Hyrcanus look Samaria, and
utterly demolijlied it; and how Hyrcanus joined himjdj to-
the (eft of the Sadduce.es, and lejt that oj the Pharifees.
$ i. "\^7HEN Antiochus ha.d taken the kingdom, he was
V V afraid to make war againft Judea, becaufe he
heard that his brother by the fame mother, who was alfo called
Antiochus, was raifmg an army againfl him out of Cyzicurn,
fo he ftaidin his own land, and relblved to prepare himfelt for
the attack he expected from his brother, who was called Cy-
zicenus, becaufe he had been brought up in that city. He
was the fon of Antiochus that was called Soter, who died in
PartUia. He was the brother of Demetrius, the father of
92 ANTIQUITIES OF THE JEWS. [Book XIII.
Grypus, for it had (o happened, iliat one and the fame Cleo-
patra was married to two, who were brethren, as we have re-
lated elfewhere. But Amiochus Cyzicenus coming into
Syria, continued many years at war with his brother. Now
Hyrcanus lived all this while in peace ; i'or after the death of
Antiochus, he * revoked trom the Macedonians, nor did he
any longer pay them the leaft regard, either as their tubjecl or
their friend, but his affairs are in a very improving and flour-
ifhing condition in the times ot Alexander Zebina, and efpe-
cially under thefe brethren, tor the war which they had with
one another gave Hyrcanus the opportunity of enjoying him-
felf in Judea quietly, irrYomuch that he got an immenfe quan-
tity of money. However, when Antiochus Cyzicenus dif-
treffed his land, he then openly (hewed w: ant. And
when he faw that Antiochus was deihtute ot Egyptian auxil-
iaries, and that both he and his brother were in an ill c
tion in the ilruggles they had one with another, he defpifed
them both.
2. So he made an expedition againft Samaria, which was a
very ftrong city ; of whole prelent name Sebafte, and its re-
building by Herod, we (hail fpeak at a proper tune : But he
made his attack againit it, and befieged it with a great deal ot
pains ; for he was greatly ditpleafed with the Samaritans tor
the injuries they had done to the people of Merifla, a colony
of the Jews, and confederate with them, and this in compli-
ance to the kings ot Syria. When he had therefore clr
ditch, anei built a double wall round the city, which were
fourfcore furlongs long, he fet his fons Antigonus and Arif-
tobulus over the fiege, which brought the Samaritans to that
great diftrefs by famine that they were forced to. eat what ufed
not to be eaien, and to call for Antiochus Cyzicenus to help
them, who came readily to their ailHbnce, but was beaten by
Ariftobulus, and when he was purfued as far as Scythopolis
by the two brethren, he got away : So they returned to Sama-
ria, and (hut them again within the wall, till they were forced
to fend lor the fame Ami 'chus a fecond time to help them,
who procured about fix thoufand men from Ptolemy Lathy-
rns, which were fent them without his mother's conient, who
had then in a manner turned him out ot his government.
With thefe Egyptians Antiochus did at firii over-run and rav-
age the country ot Hyrcanus after the manner oi a robber, tor
he durft not meet him in the tace to fight with him, as not
having an army fufficient tor that purpofe, but only trom this
fuppofal that by thus harraffing his land he mould torce Hyr-
canus to raife the fiege of Samaria ; but becaufe he tell into
fnares, and loil many ot his foldiers therein, he went away to
* Dean Prideaux takes notice at the year 130, that Juftin, in agreement wi:h
Jofephus, fays, " The power of the Jews was now grown fo great, that after iliis
" Antiochus they would not bear any Macedonian king over them, and that they
Jet up a government of their own, and infefted Syria with great wars."
Chap. X.] ANTIQUITIES OJF THE JEWS. 93
Tripoli, and committed the profecution of the war againil the
Jews to Callimander and Epicrates.
3. But as to Callimander, he attacked the enemy too ra
and was put to flight, and deftroyed immediately ; ami
Epicrates, he was fuch a lover of money, that he c
frayed Scythopolis, and other places near L, to the Jews, t
was not able to make them raife the fiege ot Samaria,
when Hyrcanus had taken that city, which was not done till
after a year's fiege, he was not contented with doing that only,
but he demolished it entirely, and brought rivulets to it to
i it, for he dug fuch hollows as might let the water run
it ; nay, he took away the very mark* that there had
ever been fuch a city there. Now a very Curprifing thing is
related of this high priefl Hyrcanus, how God o>"ie to dif-
courfe with him : for they fay, that on the very lame day on
which his fons tought with Antiochus Cyzicenus, he was a-
lone in the temple, as high prieft incenfe, and heard
a voice, that '' hrs fons had juil then overcome Antiochus."
And this he openly declared before all the multitude upon
his coming out of the temple ; and it accordingly proved
true : And in this pofture were the affairs ot Hyrcanus.
4. Now it happened at this time, that not only thole Jews
who were at Jerufalem aad in Judea were in profpenty, but
lofe oi them that were at Alexandria, and in Egypt and
.is, for Cleopatra the queen was at variance with her fon
Ptoiemy, who was called Lathyrus, and appointed tor her
generals Chelcias, and Ananias, the fons ot that Onias who
i)!ii!t the temple in the prefecture ot Heliopolis, like to that at
iiein, as we have elfewhere related. Cleopatra intruft-
cd thefe men with her army ; and did nothing without their
e, as Strabo ot Cappadocia attefts, when he faith thus,
" Now the greater part, both thofe that came to Cyprus with
iis, and tboiethat were fent afterward thither, revolted to Ptol-
:nmediately ; only thofe that were called Onias's party,
hf ing Jews, continued taithtul, becaufe their countrymen
Chelcias and Ananias were in chief tavour with the queen."
Thcfc are the words of Strabo.
5. However, this profperous ftate of affairs moved the Jews
to envy Hyrcanus; but they that were the word difpofed to
mm were the * Pharifees, who are one of the fefts ot the Jews,
j have intormed you already. Thefe have fo great a
* The original of the Sadducees, as a confiderable party among the Jews, heing
: "d the two following feftions, take Dean Prideaux's note upon
r firil public apo.-arance, which I fuppot'e to be true : " Hyrcanus,
;iartyofthe Sadducees, that is, by embracing their doc-
iinflihe traditions of the eiders, added to the written law, and made ot e-
qual authority with it, but not their do&rine againil the refurre&ion and a future
ftate, for this cannot be fuppofed of fo good and righteous a man as John Hyrcanus
:o be. It is moft probable, that at this time the Sadducees had gon no far-
;lie doctrines of that f;6l than to deny all their unwritten traditions, which
rlfees were fo fond of ; for Joiephus mentions qo other difference at this
94 ANTIQUITIES OF THE JEWS. [Book XIII.
power over the multitude, that when they fay any thing againft
the king, or againft the highprieft, they are prefently believed.
Now Hyrcanus was a dilcipie of theirs, and greatly beloved
by them. And when he once invited them to a teaft, and en-
tertained them very kindly, when he faw them in a good hu-
mour, he began to fay to them, that " they knew he was de-
firous to be a righteous man, and to do all things whereby he
might pleafe God which was the profeffton of the Pharifees
aifo. However, he defired, that if they ob'erved him offend-
ing in any point, and going out of the right way, they would
call him back and correct him." On which occafion they at-
tefted to his being entirely virtuous ; with which commenda-
tion he was well pleafed. But ftill there vras one of his guefts
there, whofe name was * Eleazar, a man of an ill temper, and
delighting in feditious praHices. This man faid, fmce thoti
defireft to know the truth it thou wilt be righteous in earneft,
lay down the high prieft-hood, and content thy felt with the
civil government ot the people." And when he defired to
know tor what caufe he ought to lay down the high prieft-
hood ? the other replied, " We have heard it from old men,
that thy mother had been a captive under the reign ot Antio-
chus Epiphanes." This {lory was falfe, and Hyrcanus was
provoked againft him ; and all the Pharifees had a very great
indignation againft him,
6. Now there was one Jonathan, a very great friend ot Hyr-
canus's. but of the feel of the Sadducees, whofe notions are quite
contrary to thofe of the Pharifees, He told Hyrcanus, that
" Eleazar had caft fuch a reproach upon him according to the
common fentiments of all the PharHces, and that this would
be made manifeft if he would but afk them the queftion, what
punilhment they thought this man deferved? for that he might
depend upon it, that the reproach was not laid on him with
their approbation, it they were for punifhing him as his crime
deferved." So the Pharifees made anfwer, that" he deferved
ilripes and bonds, but that it did not leem right to punilh re-
proaches with death." And indeed the Pharifees, even upon
other occafions, are not apt to be fevere in punifhments. At
this gentle fentence, Hyrcanus was very angry, and thought
that this man reproached him by their approbation. It was
this Jonathan who chiefly irritated him, and influenced him
fo far, that he made him leave the party of the Pharifees, and
abolifh the decrees they had impofed on the people, and to
punifh thofe that obferved them. From this fource arofe that
time between them : Neither doth he fav that Hyrcanus vent over to the Sadducees
in any other particular than in the a, olishing of all the traditionary confutations of
the Pharifees. which our Saviour condemned as well as they." [At the year 108.]
* This {lander, thataroie from a Phari'e , has been preferved by their fucceffors
the Rabbins to thefe later ages, for Dr. Hudfon allures us, that David Gantz, in
his chronology S. Pr p. 77. in Vorftius's verfion, relates that Hyrcanus's mother
was taken captive in mount Modiith. See chap xiii. feel. 5.
Chap. X.] ANTIQUITIES 6? THE JEWS. g<*
hatred which he and his fons met with from the multitude ;
but of thefe matters we fhall fpeak hereafter. What I would
now explain is this, that the Pharifees have delivered to the
people a great many observances by fucceffion from their
fathers, which are not written in the laws of Mofes ; and for
that reafon it is that the Sadducees rejecl them, and fay, that
we are to efleem tho{e obfervances to be obligatory which are
in the written word, but are not to obferve what are derived
from the tradition of our forefathers. And concerning thefe
things it is that great difputes and differences have arilen a-
mong them, while the Sadducees are able to perfuacle none
but the rich, and have not the populace obfequious to them,
but the Pharifees have the multitude of their fide. But about
thefe two feh, and that of the Ellens, I have treated accurate-
ly in the fecond book of Jewifh affairs.
7. But when Hyrcanus had put an end to this fedition, he
after that lived happily, and adminiftered the government in
the beil manner tor thirty-one years, and then *died ; leaving
behind him five fons. He was efleemed by God worthy ot
the three greater!: privileges, the government of his nation, the
dignity ot the high-priefthood, and prophecy ; for God was
with him, and enabled him to know futurities ; and to foretel
this in particular, that as to his two eldeft fons. he foretold
that they would not long continue in the government of pub-
lic affairs ; whofe unhappy cataftrophe will be worth our def-
cription, that we may thence learn how very much they were
interior to their father's happinefs.
* Here ends the high priefthood, and the life of this excellent perfon John Hyr-
canus ; and together with him the holy theocracy, or divine government o f the Jew-
ish nation, and its concomitant oracle by Urim. Now follows the profane and ty-
rannical Jewish monanky, firft of the Affamoneans or Maccabees, and then of Herod
the Great, the Idumean, till the coming of the Messiah. Ste the note on Antiq.
B. III. ch. viii. 9 Hear Strabo's teftimony on this occafion, B. XVI. page
761, 762. " Thofe, fays he, that fucceeded Mofes continued for feme time in
earneft, both in righteous aftions, and in piety ; but after a while, there were oth-
ers that took upon them the high priefthood ; at firft luperftitious and afterward
tyrannical perfons. Such a prophet was Mofes, and thofe that fucceeded him, be-
ginning in a way not to be blamed, but changing for the worfe. And when it o-
penly appeared that the government was become tyrannical. Alexander was the lirft
that frt up himfelf tor a king inftead of a prieft ; and his fons were Hyrcanus and.
Ariftobulus." All in agreement with Joiephus, excepting this, that Strabo omits
the firft king Ariftobulus, who reigned but a fingle year, leems hardly to have come
to his knowledge. Nor indeed does Ariftobulus, the ion of Alexander, pretend
that the name of king was taken before his father Alexander took it hitnfelt, Antiq.
B. XIV. ch iii. ^ 2. Seealfo chap. xii. fee. i. which favour Strabo alfo. And in-
deed, if we may judge from the very different characters of the Egyptian Jews ui -
der high priefts, and of the Palrftine fews under kings, in the two next centuries
we may well fuppofe, that the divine Shechinah was removed into Egypt, and that>
ihe worihippcn at the temple ef Onias wers lett-r men than thofc at the temple
jerufalem.
95 ANTIQUITIES OF THE JEWS. [Book A
CHAP. XI.
How Ariflobvl;' \t had taken the Government, frjt oj all
put. a diadem on h;s kcad, and teas mo ft barbaroiijly cntel to
/?..> mother and his brethren ; u,nd how, ajter hehadjlain An-
tigonus, he kirrifelf died.
^ l ' "NT^^ when their father Hyrcanus was dead, the eldeft
IN fon Ariffobulus, intending to change the govern-
ment into a kingdom, for fo he refolved to do, firft of ail put a
diadem on his head, four hundred eighty and one years and
three months after the people had been delivered from the
BabylonHh flaverv, and were returned to their own coun-
try again. This Ariftobulus loved his next brother Antigon-
us, and treated him as his equal, but the others he held in
bonds. He alfo caft his mother into prifon, becaufe ilie dif-
puted the government with him, for Hyrcanns had left her to
be miftrels of all. He alfo proceeded to that degree o( barbar-
ity, as to kill her in prifon with hunger ; nay, he was alienat-
ed from his brother Antigonns by calumnies, and added him
to the reft whom he flew, yet hefeemed to have and affeclion
for him, and made him above the reft a partner with him in
the kingdom. Thofe calumnies he at firft did not give credit
to, partly bocaufe he loved him, and fo did not give heed to
what was fa id againft him, and partly becaufe he thought the
reproaches were derived from the envy of the relaters. But
when Antigonus was once returned from the army, and that
feaft was then at hand when they make tabernacles to [the
honour of j God, it happened that Ariftobulus was fallen Tick,
and that Antigonus went up moft fplendidly adorned, and
with his foldiers about him in their armour, to the temple, to
celebrate the feaft, and to put up many prayers for the recov-
ery of his brother, when fome wicked perlons, who had a
great mind to raife a difference between the brethren, made
ufe ot this opportunity of the pompous appearance of Antigo-
nus, and of the great actions which he had done, and went to
the king, and Ipitefully aggravated the pompous fliew of his
at the feaft, and pretended that all thefe circumftances were
not like thole of a private perfon ; that thefe alions were in-
dications of an affetticn of royal authority ; and that his com-
ing with a ftrong body of men muft be with an intention to
kill him ; and that his way of reafoning was this, that it was a
filly thing in him ; while it was in his power to reign him (elf,
to look upon it as a great favour that he was honoured with a
lower dignity by his brother.
2. Ariftobulus yielded to thefe imputations, but took care
both that his brother fhould not fufpefthim, and that he him-
felt might not run the hazard of his own lafety ; fohe ordered
.p. XL] ANTIQUITIES OF THE JEWS. 97
his guards to lie in a certain place that was under ground,
and dark (he himfe-lf then lying fick in the tower which was
Called Antoni a), and he commanded them, that in cale Anti-
genus came in to him unarmed, they ihould not touch any
body, but if armed, they (houid kill him ; yet did he fend to
Antigonus, and defired that he would come unarmed : But
the queen, and tliofe that joined with her in the plotagainft Anti-
gonus, penuaded the meffenger to tell him the direct: contrary ;
,;is brother had hear i that he had made himfelf a fine fuit
of armour lor war, and delired him to come to him in that ar-
jnour, that he might fee how fine it was. So Arftigonus fuf-
perting no treachery, but depending on the good-will of his
brother) came to Aiiflobulus armed, as he ufed to be, with
his entire armour, in order to (hew it to him ; but when he
was come at a place which was called Strato's Tower, where
the paifage happened, to be exceeding dark, the guards fle\y
him ; which death of his demonlirates that nothing is ftrong-
er than envy and calumny, and that nothing does more cer-
tainly divide the good-will and natural affe6Hons ot men than
thofe paflions. But here one may take occafion to wonder at
one Judas, who was ot the leek ot the Eflens, and who never
miffed the truth in his predictions ; for this man, when he faw
Antigonus palling by the temple, cried out to his companions
and triends, who abode with him as his * fchollars, in order
to learn the art of foretelling things to come, '' That it was
good for him to die now, Once he had fpokert falfely about
Antigonus, who is ftill alive, and I fee him paffing by, al-
though he had foretold he Ihonld die at the place called Stra-
to's Tower, that very day, "vhile yet the place is fix hundred
furlongs off, where he had Foretold he mould be flain ; and
flill this day is a great p trt of it already pad, fo that he was ia
danger ot proving a talfe prophet." As he was laying this,
and that in a melancholy mood, the news came that Antigo-
nus was flain in a place under ground, which itfelf was call-
ed alfo Strato's Tower, or of the fame name with that Cefarea
which is feated at the fea. This event put the prophet into a
great diforder.
3. But Ariftobulus repeated immediately of this (laughter
ol his brother ; on which account his difeafe increafed upon
him, and he was difturhed in his mind, upon the guilt of iuch
wickednefs, infomuch that his entrails Were corrupted by his
intolerable pain, and he vomited blood : At which time one
of the fervants that attended upon him, and was carrying his
blood away, did, by divine providence, as I cannot but fup-
* Hence we learn, that tlie Efcs pretended to have rules whereby nrn might
foretel things to come, and that this Judas the Ii!!>.n, flight thofe rules to hii fchol-
lars : but whether their pretences were of an aflrolbgicjl or magical nature, which
yet in iuch reli^i:>'is Jews, who we re utterly forbidden fuch arts, is no way proba-
ble, or to any Bath Go!, fpokeuof by the latter Rabbins, or otherwise, 1 cannot
tell. See of the War, B, Il.ch viii. ; , u. vol III.
VOL. II. N
98 ANTIQUITIES OF THE JEWS. [Book XIII.
pofe, flip down, and fhed part of his blood at the very place
where there were fpots ot Antig onus's blood there flam, ftill
remaining ; and when there was a cry made by the fpeclators,
as if the fervant had on purpofe (hed the blood on that place,
Arillobulus heard it, and enquired what the matter was ? And
as they did not anfwer him he was the more earnefl to know
what it was, it being natural to men to fufpefi that what is
thus concealed, is very bad : So upon his threatening, and
iorcing them by terrors to (peak, they at length told him the
truth ; whereupon he fiied many tears, in that diforder ot mind
which arofe from his confcioufnefs ot what he had done, and
guve a deep groan, and faid, " I am not therefore, I perceive,
to be concealed Irom God, in the impious and horrid crimes
I have been guilty of, but a fudden puniihment is coming
upon me for the Ihedding the blood of my relations. And
now, O thou mod impudent body ot mine, how long wht
tlum retain a foul that ought to die, in order to appeafe the
ghotls of my brother and my mother ? Why doll thou not
give it all up at once ? And why do I deliver up my blood
drop by drop to thofe whom 1 have fo wickedly murdered ?"
In faying which laft words, he died, having reigned a year.
He was called a lover ot the Grecians ; and had conferred
many benefits on his own country, and made war againft Itu-
rea, ana added a great part of it to Judea, and compelled the
inhabitants, it they would continue in that country, to be cir-
cumcifed, and to live according to the Jewilh laws. He was
naturally a man ot candour, and ot great modeity, as Strabo
bears witnefs, in the name ot Timagenes ; who fays thus :
" This man was a perfon ot candour, and very ferviceable to
the Jews, for he added a country, to them, and obtained a part
of the nation of the Itureans for them, and bound them to them
by the bond ot the circumcifion of their genitals."
CHAP. XII.
How Alexander, when he had taken the Government, made an
Expedition a^auijt Ptolemars, and then raifed the Siege out of
fear of Ptolemy Lathyrus ; and how Ptolemy made War a-
gainjl Inm, bt-caufe he. hadfent to Cleopatra to pcrfuade her to
make War againjl Ptolemy, and yet pretended to bein Fnend-
Jhip with him, when he beat the Jews in the Battle.
$ I. XX 7 HEN Ariftobulus was dead, his wife Salome, who,
V V by the Greeks, was called Alexandra, let his bre-
thren out ot prifon (Tor Ariftobulus had kept them in bonds, as
vve have faid already,] and made Alexander Janneus king, who
was the iuperior in age, and in moderation. This child hap-
pened to be hated by his father as foon as he was born, and
could never be permitted to come into his father's fight till he
Chap. XII.] ANTIQUITIES OF THE JEWS. $9
died. The occafion of which hatred is thus reported ; When
Hyrcanus chiefly loved the two eldeft of his fons, Antigonus
and Aritto'.mius, God appeared to him in his deep, ot whom he
enquired, which ot his fons (hould he his luccellor ? Upon
God's reprefenting to him the countenance of Alexander, he
was grieved that he was to be the heir of all his goods, and fur-
f'ered him to be brought up in * Galilee. However, God did
not decieve Hyrcanus, for after the death of Ariftobulus, he
certainly took 'the kingdom ; and one ot his brethren, whoaf-
iecled the kingdom, he How, and the other, who chofe to live
a private and quiet li ! e, he had in efteem.
2. When Alexander Janneus had fettled the government in
the manner that he judged heft, he made an expedition againft
Ptolemais ; and having overcame the men in battle, he fhut
t vip in the city, and fat round about it, and befieged it ;
1 the maritime cities there remained only Ptolemais and
< to be conquered.befides Strato's Tower, and Dora, which
>.eld by the tyrant Zoilus. Now while Antiochus Philo-
metor and Antiochus, who was called Cyzicenus, were making
war one agnnll another, and deitroyiug one another's armies,
the people of Ptolemais could have no affi Ranee from them ; but
wnen they were dirlreifed with this (iege, Zoilus, who poffelled
Strato's lower and Dora, and maintained a legion of foldiers,
and on occation ot the conteft between the kings, affected tyr-
anny him felt", came and brought fome fmall affi fiance to the
people of Ptolemais; nor indeed had the kings fuch atriendlhip
for them, as that they Ihould hope for any advantage trom them.
Both thofe kings were in the cafe of wreftlers, who finding
themfelves deficient in Ihength, and yet being aiharned to yield,
put offthe fight by lazinefs, and by lying Itill as long as they
can. The only hope they had remaining was from the kings
of Egypt, and from Ptolemy Lathyrus, who now held Cyprus,
and who came to Cyprus when he was driven trom the govern-
merit of Egypt by Cleopatra his mother : So tiie people ot Ptol-
emais fent to this Ptolemy Lathyrus, and defired him to come
as a confederate, to deliver them, now they were in inch dan-
ger, out of the hands of Alexander. And as the ambafladors
gave him hopes, that it he would pafs over into Syria, he would
have the people of Gaza on the due ot thofe of Ptolemais ; as
alio they faid, that Zoilus, and betides theie the Sidonians, and
many others, would a In ft them, io he was elevated at this, and
got his fleet ready as foon as pofhble.
3 But in this interval Demenetus, one that was of abilities
to perfuade men to do as he would have them, and a leader of
* The realbn why Hyrcanus differed not this Ion of his whom he did not love
to come into Judea, but ordered him to be brought up in Galilee, is iuggefted by
Dr. Hudton, that Galilee was not elteemed fo happy and well cultivated a country
as Judea, Matt xxvi. 73. Joh. vii. 52 Aft. ii. 7. although another obvious reaton
occurs alio, that h was farther out ot his light ia Galilee than he would have bees
. in Judea.
I0 ANTIQUITIES OF THE JEWS. [Book XH't.
the populace, made thofe of Ptolemais change their opinions ;
and laid to them, That " it was better to run the hazard of be-
ing fubjetl to the Jews, than to ad;nit of evident flavery by
delivering themferves up to a matter ; and belides that to
liave not only a war at prefent, but to ex peel a much greater
war from Egypt, tor that Cleopatra would i; t overlook an
army railed by Ptolemy for himiell'out of the neighbourhood,
but would come againii them with a great army of her own,
and this becauie Ihe was labouring to ejecl her fon out of Cy-
prus alfo ; that as for Ptolemy, if he fail of his hopes, he can
itill retire to Cyprus, but that they will be left in the greateft'
Hanger pofiible." Now Ptolemy, although he had heard of
the change that was made in the people o' Piolcnuis yet did he
flill go on with his voyage, and came to the country called Sy.
camme, and there fet his army on ihore. This army of his in
the whole, horfeand foot together, were about thirty thonf ..nd.
with which he marched near to Ptolemais, and there pitcher?
his camp : But when the people o! Ptolemais neuher received
his ambafladors, nor would hear what they had to fay, ru: VMS
under a very great concern.
4. But when Zoiltis and the people of Gaza came fo
and defired hisaffiftance, becauie their count' y was laid w^iie
by the Jews, and by Alexander, Alexander raifed the liege (or
icar of Ptolemy : And when he had drawn off his army into his
own country, he ufed a ftratagem afterwaicts, by privately in-
viting Cleopatra to come ag-urul. Ptolemy, but publicly pie-
tending to defire a league of friendftiip and mutual afU'lUice
with him ; and prorniiing to give him four hundred mien's of
filver, he defired that, by way of requital, he would take off
Zoilus the tyrant, and give his country to the Jews. And then
indeed Ptolemywith pTeafure^made iuch a league of friendship
with Alexander, and lubdued Zotius : But when he at'tri ware?
heard^that he had privily tent to Cleopatra his mother, he broke
the league with him, which yet he had confirmed with an oath,
and fell upon him, and befk-ged Ptolemais, becaufe it would
not receive him. However, leaving his generals wit.h ;on:e
part of his forces, to go on with the fiege, he went himfel! im-
mediately with the reit to lay Judea wade; and when Alcx-,n-
cler underload this to be Ptolemy's intention, lie alfo gt;t to:
gether about fifty thoufand fnldiers out of his own countrv ;
nay, * as fome writers have faid, eighty thoufand. He then
took his army, and went to meet Ptolemy ; but Ptolemy feli
upon Afochis, a city of Galilee, and took it by force on the
* From thefe, and other occafional expressions, dropped by Jofrphns. ye may
Jearn, that where the (acred books of the Jews were deficient, he "had i'evera! other
hiflories then extant, hut now moft of them lott, which he faithfully followed in
his own hiflory : Nor indeed h.ive we any other records of thofe times, relating to
Judea, thst can be compared to thefe accounts of Jolephus, though when we do
neet with authentic fragments of iuch oiiglnal records, they almoft always confirr*
feis hiftory.
hap. XII.] ANTIQUITIES OF THE JEWS. I8kl
Sabbath-day, and there he took about ten thoufand flaves, and
a great deal of other prey.
5. He then tried to take Sepphoris, which was a city not
far from that which was deltroyed, but loft many of his men ;
yet did he then go to fight with Alexander, which Alexander
met him at the river Jordan, near a certain place called Sap-
hoth, [not far from the river Jordan ,J and pitched his camp
near to the enemy. He had however eight thoufand in the
firlt rank which he ftiled Hecatantomachi, having fhields of
brais. Thofe in the fir ft rank of Ptolemy's foldiers, alfo had
fhidds covered with brais : But Ptolemy's foldiers, in other
refpetU were inferior to thofe of Alexander, and therefore
were more leartul of running hazards ; but Philoftephanus,
the camp-mafter, put great courage into them, and ordered
them to pafs the river, which was between their camps : Nor
did Alexander think fit to hinder their paflage over it for he
thought, that if the enemy had once gotten the river on their
hack, that he Ihould the eafier take them prifoners, when they
could not flee out of the battle : In the beginning of which,
the acts on both fides with their hand*, and with their alacri-
ty, were alike, and a great (laughter was made by both the ar-
mies, but Alexander wasiuperior, till Philoftephanus oppor-
tunely brought up the auxiliaries to help thofe that were giv-
ing way ; but as there were no auxiliaries to afford help tothat
part ot the Jews that gave way, it tell out that they fled, and
thofe near them did not affifl them, but fled along with them.
However, Ptolemy's foldiers af.ted quite otherwife ; lor they
iollowed the Jews, and killed them, till at length thofe that
ikw them piufued after them, when they had made them all
run away, and flew them fo long, that their weapons ot iron
were blunted, and their hands quite tired with the (laughter ;
for the report was, that thirty thoufand men were then (lain. Ti-
magenes fays they were fifty thoufand. As for the reft, they
were part ot them taken captives, and the other part ran away
to their own country.
6. After this vifctory, Ptolerny over-ran all the country ;
and when night came on he abode in certain villages of Judea,
which when he found full of women and children, he com-
manded his fuldiers to ftrangle them, and to cut them in pie-
ces, and then to caft them into boiling caldrons, and then to.
devour their limbs as facrifices. This commandment was
given, that fuch as fled from the battle, and came to them,
might luppote their enemies were cannibals, and eat men's
ileih, and might on that account be ftill more terrified at them
upon fuch a fight. And both Strabo and Nicholaus [of Da~
mafcusj affirm, that they uied thefe people after this manner,
as I have already related. Ptolemy alfo took Ptolemais by
.ftrce, as we have declared elfewhere.
ANTIQUITIES OF THE JEWS. [Book XIII.
CHAP. XIII.
How Alexander ; up on the league of mutual defence which Cleo-
patra had agreed with fn?n, made an Expedition again/I Cele-
fyria, and utterly overthrew the City of Gaza ; and how he
Jlew many ten thoujatids of Jews that rebelled againjl him :
Alfo concerning Antiochus Grypus, Sdeucus, Antiochus Cyzi-
cenus, and Antiochus Pius, and others.
I. TTTHEN Cleopatra faw that her fon was grown great,
VV and laid Judea wafte, without diflurbance, and
had gotten the city ot Gaza under his power, Ihe refolved no
longer to overlook what he did, when he was almoft at her
gates ; and (he concluded, that now he was fo much flronger
than before, he would be very defirous of the dominion over
the Egyptians, but i'he immediately marched againft him with
a fleet at fea, and an army of foot on land, and made Chelcias
and Ananias the Jews, generals ot her whole army while (he
fent the greateilpart of her riches, her grand-children, and her
teftament, to the people of * Cos, Cleopatra al'o ordered her
fon Alexander to fail with a great fleet to Phenicia ; and when
that country had revolted, fhe came to Ptolemais ; arid bccaiife
the people of Ptolemaii did not receive her, Hie befieged the
city ; but Ptolemy went out of Syria, ar.d made hafte unto
Egypt* fuppofing that he fhould find it cieftitute of an army,
and foon take it, though he tailed of his hopes. At this time
Chelcias, one ot Cleopatra's generals, happened to die in Ce-
lefyria. as he was in purfuit of Ptolemy.
2. When Cleopatia heard ot her fon's attempt, and that his
Egyptian expedition did not fucceed according to his expett-
ations, (he lent thither part of her army, and drove him out of
that country ; fo when he was returned out of Egypt again,
he abode during the winter at Gaza, in which tune Cleopatra
took the garrifon that was in Ptolemais by fiege, as well as the
city : And when Alexander came to her, he gave her prelents,
and fuch marks of refpeft as were but proper, fince under the
miferies he endured by Ptolemy, he had no other refuge but
her. Now there were fome o! her triends who perfuaded her
to feize Alexander, and to overrun and take pofleflion ot the
country, and not to fit ftill and fee fuch a multitude of brave
Jews fubjecl to one man. But Ananias's counfel was contra-
ry to theirs who faid, that " fhe would do an unjuft a&ion if
flie deprived a man that was her ally ot that autnority which
* This city or ifland Cos, is not that remote ifland in the Egean fea, famous for
the birth of the great Hypoocraies, but a city or ifland of the lame name adjoining
to Egypt, mentioned both by Stephanusand Ptolemy, as Dr. Hudion informs us.
Of which Cos, and the treasures there laid up by Cleopatra and the Jews, fee
Antq. B. XIV. ch. vii. 2.
Chap. XllL] ANTIQUITIES OF THE JEWS. 10$
belonged to him, and this a man who is related to us ; for,
faid he, I would not have thee ignorant ot this, that what in-
juftu e thou dnft to him will make all us that are Jews to be thy
enemies." This defire of Ananias's Cleopatra complied with,
and did no injury to Alexander, but made a league of mutual
aiTittance with him at Scy tbopolis, a city of Celefyria.
3. So when Alexander was delivered from the fear he was
in ot Ptolemy, he pre'ently made an expedition againft Cele-
fyria. He alfo took Gadara after a fiege of ten months. He
took alfo Amaihus, a very ftrong fortrefs belonging to the in-
habitants above Jordan, where Theodorus the fon of Zeno,
hid his chief treafure, and what he efteemed moft precious.
This Zeno fell unexpectedly upon the Jews, and flew ten
thoufand of them, and feized upon Alexander's baggage : Yet
did not this misfortune terrify Alexander, but he made an ex-
pedition upon the maritime parts of the country, Raphia and
Anthedon, (the name of which king Herod afterwards chang-
ed to AgrippiasJ and took even that by force ; but when
Alexander faw that Ptolemy was retired fromGazato Cyprus,
and his mother Cleopatra was returned to Egypt, he grew an-
gry at the people of Gaza, becaufe they had invited Ptolemy
to affift them, and befieged their city, and ravaged their coun-
try. But as Apollodotus, the general ot the army of Gaza,
fell upon the camp of the Jews by night, with two thoufand
foreign, and ten thoufand of his own forces, while the night
lafted, thofe of Gaza prevailed, becauie the enemy was made
to believe that it was Ptolemy who attacked them ; but when
day was come on, and that miftake was correcled, and the Jews
knew the truth of the matter, they came back again and fell
upon thofe of Gaza, and flew of them about a thoufand : But
as thofe of Gaza ftoutly refilled them, and would not yield
for either their want of any thing, nor for the great multitude
that were flain, for they would rather fufFer any hardfhip what-
ever, than come under the power of their enemies, Aretas,
king of the Arabians, a perfan then very illuftrious, encour-
aged them to go on with alacrity, and promifed them that he
would come to their affiftance ; but it happened, that before he
came, Apollodotus was flain, for his brother Lyfimachus en-
vying him for the great reputation he had gained among the
citizens, (lew him, and got the army together, and delivered
up the city to Alexander, who, when he came in at firft, lay
quiet, but afterward let his army upon the inhabitants of Gaza,
and gave them leave to punifh them ; io fome went one way,
and lome went another, and flew the inhabitants of Gaza ; yet
were not they of cowardly hearts ; but oppofed thofethatcame
to flay them, and flew as many of the Jews ; and fome of them,
when they faw themfelves deferted, burnt their own houfes,
that the enemy might get none of their fpoils ; nay fome of
them with their own hands flew their children and their
wives, having no other way but this ot avoiding flavery lor
1C4 ANTIQUITIES OF THE JEWS. [Book
them ; but the fenators, who were in all five hundred, fled td
Apollo's temple (for this attack happened to be made as they
\vere fitting J whom Alexander flew ; and when he had utter-
ly overthrown tiieir city, he returned to Jerufalem, having
1'pent a year in that fiege.
4. About this very time * Antiochus, who was called Gry-
pus died. His death Was caufed by Heracleon's treachery,
when he had lived forty. rive years, and had reigned t twenty-
nine. His fon Seleucus (acceded him in the kingdom ; and
made War with Antiochus, his father's brother, who was cal-
led Antiochus Cyzicenus, and beat him and took him prif-
oner, and (lew him. But after a while | Antiochus, the fon
ot Cyzicenus, who was called Piiis, came to.Aradus, and put
the diadem on his own head ; and made war with Seleucus,
and beat him and drove him out of all Syria. But when he
fled out ot Syria, he came to Mopfueftia again, and levied
money upon them ; but the poeple of Mopfueftia had indig-
nation at what he did, and burnt down his palace, and flew
him, together with his friends.; But when Antiochus the fon
of Cyzicenus, was king of Syria, jj Antiochus the brother o
Seleucus, made war upon him and was overcome, and deftroy-
ed, he. and his army. After him, his brother Philip put ou
the diadem, and reigned over fome part of Syria ; but Ptole-
my Lathyrus fent for his fourth brother Demetrius, who was
called Eucerus, from Cnidus, and made him king ot Damaf-
cus. Both thefe brothers did Antiochus vehemently oppofe,>
but prefently died ; for when he was come as an auxiliary to
Laodice 5 queen of the Gileadites when fhe was making war
againfl the Parthians, and he was fighting courageoufly he fell,
while Demetrius and Philip governed Syria, as hath been
elfewhere related.
5. As to Alexander, his own people were feditious againft
him; for at a feilival which was then celebrated, when he
flood upon the altar, and was going to facrifice, the nation
* This arcrunt of the death of Antiochus Grypus ts confirmed by App:an, Syr-.
iac. p. 13-. here cited by Spanheim.
f Porphyry lay*, that this Aniiochus Grypus reigned but 26 wars, as Dr. Hud-
fon obferves.
J The copies of Jofephus, both Greek, and Latin, have here fo grofs'y falle it
rejding, AntioJi.^ ami .h:t .minus, or Antoniits Pius, for Aniiochus Pia>, that the ed-
itors are forced to correct the text from the other hiflorians, who all a^iee that this
King's name '.vas nothing mure than An'ui/itis Pius.
: crs, Auti.-ichus and Philippus, are called twins by Porphyry ;
the fourtk brother was Kinj of Damascus: Both which arc the obfcrvatiom u:
Sp^nheim.
5 This Lacclirea was a city of GUead beyond Jordan. However, Porphyry
fay:., that this Antiochus Pius did not die in this battl.% but running away was
drowned in the river Orontes. Appian fays, that he was deprived of the kingdom
of Syria by Tigraaes ; but Porphyry makes this Laodice Queen of the Calainans :
All which is r.o-.ed by Spanheim. In fuch confnho.i of the later hiftorians, we
have no rcafoa to prefer any of them before joiephus, who bad original ones b(^
iV/.-e him.
Chap. XII] ANTIQUITIES OF THE JEWS. 105
rofe upon him, and pelted him with citrons, [which they then
had in their Ivmds, becaufe, the law of the Jews required, that
at the feaft of tabernacles every one (hould have branches ot
the palm-tree and citron-tree ; which thing we have elfewhere
related. They a!fo reviled him, as * derived from a captive,
and fo unworthy of his dignity, and of faciificing. At this he
was in a rage, and Hew of them about fix thoafand. He alfo
built a partition wall of wood round the altar, and the temple,
as far as that partition within which it was only lawful for the
priefts to enter, and by this means he obftrufcied the multitude
from coining at him. He alfo maintained foreigners ot Pifi-
dise and Cilicia, for as to the Syrians, he was at war with
them, and fo made no ufe of them. He alfo overcame the A-
rabians, fuch as the Moabites, and Gilead and made them
bring tribute. Moreover, he demolished Amathus, while t
Theodorus diirft not fight with him ; but as he had joined bat-
tle with Obedas, king of the Arabians, and fell into anambufh
in the places that were rugged and difficult to be travelled o-
ver, he was thrown down into a deep valley, by the multitude
df the camels at Gadara, a village of Gilead, and hardly efcap-
ed with his life. From thence he fled to Jerufalem, where,
befides his other ill fuccefs, the nation infulted him, and he
fought againft them for fix years, and flew no fewer than filty
thoufaiid of them. And when he defired that they would de-
fill from their ill will to him, they hated him fo much the
more, on account of what had already happened ; and when
he had afked them what he ought to do ? they all cried out,
that " he ought to kill himfelt." They alfo lent to Demetrius
Eucerus, and defired him to make a league of mutual defence
with them.
CHAP. XIV.
How Demetrius Eucerus overcame Alexander., and vet in a lit-
tle time retired out of the Country Jor jear oj the Jeuos : At
alfo how Alexander Jlew many oj the jews, and thereby got
dear of his troubles. Concerning the Death oj Demetrius.
<} i. OO Demetrius came with an army, and took thofe that
O invited him, and pitched his camp near the city She-
cbem ; upon which Alexander, with his fix thoufand two hun-
dred mercenaries, and about twenty thoufand Jews, who were
of his party, went againft Demetrius who had three thoufand
horfemen, and forty thoufand footmen. Now there were great
* This reproach upon Alexander, that he was fprung from a captive, feems only
the repetition of the old Phariiaical calumny upon his father, chap. x. 5.
+ This Theodoras wss the fon of Zeno, and was in pofiessioa oTAmathus, as
we learn from \ i. foregoing.
VOL, II.' O
106 ANTIQUITIES O? THE JEWS, [Book XIIL
endeavours ufecl on both fides, Demetrius trying to bring off
the mercenaries that were with Alexander, becaufe they were
Greeks, and Alexander trying to bring off the Jews that were
with Demetrius. Hoxvever, when neither of them could per-
fiiade them fo to do, they came to a battle, and Demetrius was
the conqueror in which all Alexander's mercenaries were kill-
ed, when they had given demonstration ot their fidelity and
courage. A great number of Demetrius's foldiers were (lain
alfo.
2. Now as Alexander fled to the mountains fix thoufand of
the Jews hereupon came together, [from Demetrius] to him,
out of pity at the change of his fortune : Upon which Dem-
etrius was afraid, and retired out of the country ; aher which
the Jews fought againft Alexander and being beaten, were
(lain in great numbers in the feveral battles which they had :
And when he had (hut up the moft powerful of them in the
city Bethome, he befieged them therein ; and when he had
taken the city, and gotten the men into his power, he brought
them to Jerufalem, and did one of the moft barbarous alions
in the world to them ; for as he was feafhi;g with his concu-
bines, in the fight of all the city, he ordered about eight hun-
dred of them to b crucified, and while they were living, he
ordered the throats of their children and wives to be cut before
their eyes. This was indeed by way of revenge for the inju-
ries they had done him ; which punifhment yet was of an in-
human nature, though we fuppofe that he had been never fo
much diftreffed, as indeed he had been, by his wars with them,
for he had by their meatis come to the laft degree of hazard,
both of his life and of his kingdom, while they were not fatis-
Jjed by themfelyes only to fight againft him, but introduced
foreigners alfo for the fame purpofe ; nay, at length they re-
duced him to that degree of neceflity, that he was forced to
deliver back to the king of Arabia the land of Moab and Gil.
ead, which he had fubdued, and the places that were in them,
that they might not join with them in ihe war againft him as
they had done ten thoufand other things that tended to affront
and reproach him. However, this barbarity feems to have
been without any neceflity, on which account he bare the name
of a * Thracian among the Jews ; whereupon the foldiers that
had fought againft him being about eight thoufand in number,
ran away by night, and continued fugitives all the time that
Alexander lived ; who being now freed from any further dif-
turbance from them, reigned the reft of his time in the utmofi
tranquility.
3. But when Demetrius was departed out of Judea, he went
to Berea, and befieged his brother Philip, having with him ten
* This name Thradda, which the Jews gave Alexander, muft, by the coherence,
denote as barbarous as a Thracian, or lomewhat like it ; but what it properly fig-
aiSes is not knewm.
Chap. XIII.] ANTIQUITIES OF THE JEWS. io?
thoufand footmen, and a thoufand horfemen. However, Stra-
to the tyrant of Berea, the confederate of Philip, called in Zi-
2on, the ruler of the Arabian tribes, and Mithridates Sinax,
the ruler oi the Parthians, who coming with a great number
of forces, and befieging Demetrius in his encampment, into
which they had driven him with their arrows, they compelled
thofe that were with him by thirft to deliver up them! elves.
So they took a great many fpoils out of that country, and De-
metrius himfelt, whom they fent to Mithridates, who was then
king of Parthia, but as to thofe whom they took captives of
the people of Antioch, they reftored them to the Antiochians
without any reward. Now Mithridates, the king of Parthia,
had Demetrius in great honour, till Demetrius ended his life
by (icknefs. So Philip, preferitly after the fight was over,
came to Antioch, and took it, and reigned over Syria,
CHAP. XV.
How Antiochus, who was called Dionyfus, and after him Are-
tas, made Expeditions into Judea; as alfo how Alexander took.
many cities, and then returned to Jerufalem, and after afick-
nefs oj three years died ; and what counfel he gave to Alex-
andra.
{j, i. A FTER this, Antiochus, who was called * Dionyfus,
L\. and was Philip's brother, afpired to the dominion,
and came to Damafcus, and got the power into his hands, and
there he reigned : But as he was making war againll the Ara-
bians, his brother Philip heard of it, and came to Damafcus.
where Milefius, who had been left governor of the citadel, and
the Damafcens themfelves, delivered up the city to him ; yet
becaufe Philip was become ungrateful to him, and had be-
ftowed upon him nothing of that in hopes whereof he had re-
ceived him into the city, but had a mind to have it believed
that it was rather delivered up out of fear than by the kind-
nefs of Milefius, and becaufe he had not rewarded him as he,
ought to have done, he became fufpecled by him, and fo he
was obliged to leave Damafcus again ; for Milefius caught
him marching out into the Hippodrome, and Ihut him up in
it, and kept Damafcus for Antiochus [Eucerus,] who hearing
how Philip's affairs ilood, came back out of Arabia. He alfo
came immediately, and made an expedition againft Judea,
with eight thoufand armed iootmen, and eight hundred horfe-
men. So Alexander, out of fear of his coming, dug a deep
ditch, beginning at Chabarzaba, which is now called Antipa-
* Spanheim takes notice, that this Antiochus Dionyfus [the brother of Philip,
and of Dem. trius Eucertis, and of two othersj was the fifth fon of Antiochus Gry-
pus ; and that he is ftykd on the coins. Antiotku; Epii-lian^s Dipnyfu
IOS ANTIQUITIES OF THE JEWS. [Book XIII.
tris, to the fea ot Jcppa, on which part only his army could
be brought againlt him. He al'o railed a wall, and erected
wooden towers, and intermediate redoubts, tor one hundred
and fifty furlongs in length, and there expected the coming of
Antiochus, but he foon burnt them all, and made his army pafs
by that way into Arabia. The Arabian king [Aretas] at firft
retreated, but afterward appeared on the fudden with ten thuu-
jand horfeinen. Antiochus gave them the xieeting, and fought
dcfperately ; and indeed wheniie had gotten the victory, and was
bringing fome auxiliaries to that part ot his army that was in
diftrefs, he was flam. When Antiochus was fallen, his army
fled to the village Cana, where the greateil part ot them per-
ifhed by tamine.
2. Atrer him * Aretas reigned over Celefyrja, being called
to the government by thofe that held Damascus, by reafon of
the hatred they bare to Ptolemy Menneus. He alfo made
thence an expedition dgainft Jndea, and beat Alexander in
battle, near a place called Adida. yet did he, upon certain
conditions agreed on between them, retire out of Judea.
3. But Alexander marched again to the city Dios. and took.
it ; and then made an expedition againft Efla, where was the
bell part of Zcno's trcafures, and there he encompaffed the
place with three walls ; and when he had taken the city by
fighting, he marched to Golan and Seleucia : And when he
had taken thele cities, he, befides them, took that valley which
is called the valley ot Antiochus. as ally the tortrels ot Gama-
la. He alfo acculed Demetrius, who was governor ot thole-
places, of many crimes, and turned him out : And after he
had fpent three years in this war he returned to his own coun-
try, when the Jews joyiully received him upon :his his
iuccefs.
4. Now at this time the Jews were in podeflion of the fol-
lowing cities that had belonged to the Syrians, and Iduir
and Phenicians : At the lea fide, Strato's tower, Apolionia,
Joppa, Jarnnia, Afbdod, Gaza, Anthedon, Raphia, and Rlu-
nocolura ; in the middle of the country, near to friumea, A-
dora, and ManfTa ; near the country ot Samaria, mount Gar-
mel, and mount Taber, Scythopolis, and Gadara ; ot the
country of Gaulonites, Seleucia, and Gabala ; in the coun-
try ot Moab, Hefhbon arid Medaba, Leinba, and Oronas,
Gelithon, Zara, the valley of the Cilices, and Pclla ; which
laft they utterly detlroyed, becaufe its t inhabitants would
not bear to change their reb'gious rites (or thofe pt-culiar tq
* This Aretas was the full kin^ of the Arabians who took Dainafcus. and
ed there : Which name became afterwards common to luch Arabian kings, bo;h
at Petra and at Damalcus. as we lenr:i irom [oteplius in many places, and from St.
Paul, 2 Cor. xi 32. See the note on Antiq. B. AVI ch. ix. '', 4.
i \\ r e may here, and eilewhere, take notice, t'n.it whatever countries or cities trK
Aiamoncans conquered fronj any of the neighbouring nation 1 ;, or whatever co .
01 titles they gained from them, that had not belonged to them before, thcv.
.Chap. XI!.] ANTIQUITIES OF THE JEWS, IO<)
the Jews. The Jews alfo poflefled others of the principal
cities of Syria, which had been deftroyed.
5. After this, king Alexander, although he fell into a dif-
temper by hard drinking, and had a quartan ague, which held
him three years, yet would not leave offgoing out with his ar-
my, till he was quite (pent with the labours he had undergone,
and died in the bounds of Ragaba, a fortrefs beyond Jordan,
$ut when his Queen faw that he was ready to die, and had no
longer any hopes of furviving {he came to him weeping, and
lamenting, and bewailing herfelr, and her Tons, on the defo-
Ute condition they fhould be left in : And laid to him, " To
whom doft thou thus leave me, and my children, who are
deilitute of" all other fupports, and this when thou knowefthow
much ill-will thy nation bears thee ?" But he gave her the fol-
lowing advice, " That me need but follow what he would fug-
geft to her, in order to retain the kingdom fecurely, with her
children, that Ihe (hould conceal his death from the foldiers
till (he mould have taken that place ; after this, (he mould go
in triumph, 25 upon a victory, to Jerufalem, and put fome
of her authority into the hands of the Pharilees, for that they
would commend her for the honour (he had done them, and
would reconcile the nation to her; for he told her, they had
authority among the Jews, both to do hurt to fuel} as they ha-
ted, and to bring advantages to thofe to whom they were friend-
ly diTpofed, for that they are then believed belt of all by the
multitude when they fpeak. any fevere thing againfl others,
though it be only out of envy at them. And he faid, that it
Was by their means that he had incurred the difpleafure of the
nation, whom indeed he had injured. Do thou, therelore,
faid he, when thou art come to Jerufalem, fend for the leading
men among them, and (hew them my body, and with great ap-
pearance of fincerity, give them leave to ufe it as they them-
ielves pleafe, whether they will difhonour the dead body by
refilling it burial, as having feverely fufferedby my means, or
whether in their anger they will offer any other injury to that
body. Promife them alfo, that thou wilt do nothing without
them in the affairs of the kingdom. If thou doft but fay this
to them, I mall have the honour of a more glorious funeral
from them than thou couldft have made for me : And when it
is in their power to abufe my dead body, they will do it no in-
jury at all, and thou wilt rule in fafety *." So when he had
the days of Hyrcanus, compelled the inhabitants to leave their idolatry, and intirely
to receive the law of Mofes, as proielytes of juflice, or elfe banifhed them into o-
ther lands. Th?t excellent prince, John Hyrcanus, did it to the Idumeans, as I
Jiave noted on ch. ix. ^ i already, who lived then in the promifed land, and this I
fuppole jufUy ; but by what right tl)e reft did it, even to the countries or cities that
were no part of that land, I do not at all know. This looks too like unjuft perfe-
cution for religion.
* It ieerns by thh dying advice of Alexander Janneus to his wife, that he had
II ANTIQUITIES OF THE JEWS. [Book XIII.
given his xvife this advice, he died, after he had reigned twen-
ty -feven years, and lived filty years within one.
G H A P. XVI.
How Alexandra., by gaining the good-will of the P/iarifecs, re-
tained the Kingdom nine years, and then having done many
Glorious adions died.
$ I. QO Alexandra, when fhe had taken the fortrefs, acled as
C5 her hufhand had fuggefted to her, and (pake to the
Pharifees, and put all things into their power, both as to the
dead body, and as to the affairs of the kingdom, and thereby
pacified their anger againft Alexander, and made them bear
good-will and friendfliip to him who then came among the
multitude, and marie fpeeches to them, and laid before them
the aHon.s of Alexander, and told them, that they had loft a
yighteous king ; and by the commendation they gave him,
they brought them to grieve, and to be in heavinefs for him,
fo that he had a funeral more (plendid than had any of the
kings before him. Alexander lett behind him two fons, Hyr-
canus, and AriftobuSus, but committed the kingdom to Alex-
andra. Now, as to thefe two fons, Hyrcanqs was indeed una-
ble to manage public affairs, and delighted rather in a quiet
life ; but the younger, Ariltobulus, was an aftive and a bold
man ; and for this woman herfelf, Alexandra, fhe was loved
bythe multitude, becaufe (he feemed difpleafed at the offen-
ces her hufbandhad been guilty of.
2. So (he made Hy rcanus highprieft, becaufe he was the elder,
but much more becaufe he cared not to meddle with politics,
himfelf purfued the meafuers of his father Hyrcanus, and taken part with the Sad-
ducees, who kept clofe to the written law, againft the Pharifees, who had intro-
duced their own traditions, ch. xvi. f> %. and that he now faw a political necessity
of fubmitting to the Pharifees, and their traditions hereafter, if his widow and fam-
ily minded to retain their monarchical government or tyranny over the Jewifh na-
tion : Which feft yet, thus iupported, were at laft in great meafure the ruin of the
religion, government, and nation of the Jews, and brought them into fo wicked a
ftate, that the vengeance of God c.imeupon them to their utter excifion. Juft thus
did Caiaphas politically advilV tb Jewifh fanhedrim, John xi. 50 That it was
expedient for them, that one manjkauld die for the people, and that the whole nation per*
i/h not ; and this in con'equ-ence of their own political luppolal, ver 48. that If they
let jfefus alone, with his miracles, all men wontd believe on him, and the Romans would
come and take away both their place and nation. Which political crucifixion of Je-
fus of Nazareth brought down the vengeance of God upon them, and occafioned
thofe very Romans, of whom they leemed fo much afraid, that to prevent it they
put him to de^th. actually to come and take awa\ both their place and natien, within
38 years afterwards. I heartily wifh the politicians of Chriftendom would con-
fider thefe and the like examples, and no longer lacrifice all virtue ad religion to
their pernicious fchemes of government, to the bringing down the judgments ot
God upon thernfelves, and the ieveral nations intruded t their care. But
this is a digression : I wifh it w> n- an unfeatonable one alfo. Jofephus
himfelf feveral times ma'<es luch digressions, znd I here venture to follow him-
See one of them at the conclufiou of the very next chapter.
Chap, XL] ANTIQUITIES OF THE JEWS, Hi
and permitted the Pharifees to do every thing ; to whom alfa
{he ordered the multitude to be obedient. She alfo reftored
again thofe practices which the Phanfees had introduced, ac-
cording to the traditions of their forefathers, and which her fa.
ther-in-law, Hyrcanus, had abrogated. So flie had indeed the
name of the Regent, but the Phanfees had the authority ; tor
it was they who reftored fuch as had been banifhed, and fet
fuch as were prifoners at liberty, and, to fay all at once,
they differed in nothing from lords. However, the queen
alfo took care of the affairs ot the kingdom, and got to-
gether a great body of mercenary ioldiers, and increaf-
ed her own army to fuch a degree, that fhe became ter-
rible to the neighbouring tyrants, and took hoftagesot them:
And the country was entirely at peace, excepting the Phari-
fees ; for they diflurbed the queen, and dedred that fhe would
kill thofe who perfuaded Alexander to flay the eight hundred
men ; atter which they cut the throat of one of them, Dio-
genes : And after him they did the fame to feveral, one after
another, till the men that were the moil potent came into the
palace, and Ariitobulus with them, for he fecmed to be dif-
pleafed at what was done, and it appeared openly, that if he
had an opportunity, he would not peimit his mother to go on
fo. '" Thefe put the queen in mind what great dangers they
had gone through, and great things they had done, whereby
they had demonftrated the firmnefs of their fidelity to their
mailer, infomuch that they had received the greateil marks of
favour from him : And they begged of her, that fhe would
not utterly blaft their hopes, as it now happened, that when
they had efcaped the hazards that arofe from their [open] ene-
mies, they were to be cut off at home by their [privatejene-
mies, like brute beafts, without any help whatfoever. They
faid alfo, that it their adverfaries would be fatisfied with thofe
that had been (lain already, they would take what had been
done patiently, on account of their natural love to their gov-
ernors ; but if they muff, expecl the fame for the future allo,
they implored of her a difmiffion from her fervice ; lor they
could not bear to think of attempting any method for their
deliverance without her, but would rather die willingly be-
fore the palace-gate, in cafe fhe would not forgive them. And
that it was agreat fhame both for themfelves, and tor the queen,
that when they were negleled by her, they (hould come under
the lafh of her hufband's enemies ; for that Aretas, the Arabian
king, and the monarchs, would give any reward, if they could
get fuch men as foreign auxiliaries, to whom their very names,
before their voices be heard, may perhaps be terrible : But
if they could not obtain this their fecond requeft, and if Ihe
had determined to prefer the Pharifees before them, they flill
infifted that me would place them every one in her fortreffes ;
lor it forre fatal demon hath a conftant fpite againft Alexan-
der's houfe, they would be willing to bear their part, and t
live in a private ftation there."
*12 ANTIQUITIES OF THE JEWS.
3. As thefe men faid thus, and called upon Alexander'?
ghoft for commiferation of thofe already (lain, and thofe irt
danger of it, 'ail the byftanders brake out into tears : But Ar-
iftobulus chiefly made manifeft what were his ;entimerus, ami
ufed many repraochful expreffions to his mother flaying],
' Nay indeed, the cafe is this, that they have been themfelves
the authors ottheir own calamities, who have permitted a wo-
man who, againft reafon, was mad with ambition, to reign o-
ver them, when there werefons in the flower ot their age fitter
forit." So Alexandra, not knowing what to do with any de-
cency, committed the fortrefles to them all but Hyrcania and
Alexaridrium, and Macherus, where her principal treafures
were. After a little while alfo, (he fent her fon Ariflobulus
with an army to Damafcus againft Ptolemy who was call d
Menneus, who was fuch a had neighbour to the city ; but he
did nothing confiderable theie, and fo returned home.
4. About this time news was brought that Tigranes, the
king of Armenia, had made an irruption into Syria with* five
hundred thoufand foldiers, and was coming againit judea.
This news, as may wellbe (uppofed, terrified the queen and the
nation. Accordingly they lent him many and very valuable
prefents, as alfo ambalTadors, and that as he was befieging
Ptolemais ; for Selene the queen, the fame that was alfo cal-
led Cleopatra, ruled then over Syria, who had perfuaded the
inhabitants to exclude Tigranes. So the Jewiih ambalfadors
interceded with him, and entreated him that he would deter-
mine nothing that was fevere about their queen or nation. He
c -mmended them for the refpefcls they paid him at fo great a
diflance : And gave them good hopes ot his favour. But as
foon as Ptolemais was taken, news came to Tigranes, that
Lucullus, in his purfuit ot Mithridates, could not light upon
him, who was fled into Iberia, but was laying wafle Armenia,
and befieging its cities. Now, when Tigranes knew this, he
returned home.
c After this, when the queen was fallen into a dangerous
diflemper, Ariflobulus refolved to attempt the feizing of the
government ; fo he dole away fecretly by night, with only
one of his lervants, and went to the fortreffes, wherein his
friends, that were fuch from the days ot his father, were fet-
tled : For as he had been a great while difp leafed at his moth-
er's conducl, fo he was now much more afraid, left, upon her
death, their whole family fhould be under the power of the
Pharifees, for he faw the inability of his brother, who was to
fucceedin the government: Nor was any one confcious of
what he was doing but only his wife, whom he left at Jerufa-
* The number of 500,000 or even 300,000, as one Greek copy, with the Latin
copies, have it, for Tigrai es'sanv : pot of Armenia iii 1 Judes,
feerns much too large. We have had already feveral U'ch extrav,. :;,!.". numbers in
Jofephus's prcfent copies, which arc not to beat a'l a'cribe-.l '-.> him. According.
fy I incline to Dr. ILidfon's emendation here, which fi:; j . -t 40,000.
Chap. XVI.] ANTIQUITIES OF THE JEWS. 1IJ
Jem with their children. He firftof all came to Agaba, where
was Galeftes, one of the potent men before mentioned, and
was received by him. When it was day the queen perceived
th.it Ariftobulus was fled ; and for fome time fhefuppofedthat
his departure was not in order to make any innovation, but
when meffengers came one after another, with the news that
he had fecured the firft place, the fecond place, and all the
places, for as foon as one had begun, they all fubmitted to
hia difpofal, then it was that the queen and the nation were in
the greateft diforder, tor they were aware that it would not be
long ere Ariftobulus would be able to fettle himfelf firmly in
the government. What they were principally afraid of waa
this, that he would inflicl punifhmeat upon them for the mad
treatment his houfe had had from them : So they refolvcd to
take his wife and children into cullody, and keep them in the
* tortreis that was over the temple. Now there was a mighty
conflux ot people that came to Ariftobulus from all parts, in-
fomuch that he had a kind of royal attendants about him ; for
in a little more than fifteen days, he got twenty-two ftrong
places, which gave him the opportunity of raifing an army
from Libanus and Trachonitis, and the monarchs ; {or men
areeafily led by the greater number, and eafily fubmit to them.
And befidesthis, that by affording him their affiftance, when
he could not expect it, they, as well as he, fhould have the
advantages that would come by his being king, becaufe they
had been the occafion of his gaining the kingdom. Now the
elders of the Jews, and Hyrcanus with them, went in unto
the queen, and defired, '' That fhe would give them her fen-
timents about the prefent pofture of affairs, for that Ariftobu-
lus was ineffecl lord of almoft all the kingdom, by poffeffing
ot fo many ftrong holds, and that it was ablurd for them to
ttake any counfel by themfelves, how ill foever the were, while
{he was alive, and that the danger would be upon them in no
' long time." But (he " bid them do what they thought prop-
er to be done : That they had many circumftances in their
favour ftill remaining, a nation in good heart, an army, and
money in their feveral treafuries, tor that fhe had fmall con-
cern about public affairs now, when the ftrength ot her body
already tailed her."
6. Now a little while after file had faid this to them, fhe died,
when fhe had reigned nine years, and had in all lived feventy-
three. A woman fhe was who fhewed no figns of the weak-
nefs ot her fex, for fhe was fagacious to the greateft degree in
her ambition of governing ; and demonftrated by her doings
at once, that her mind was fit for aBion, and that fornetimes
men themfelves fliew the little underftanding they have by the
* This fortrefs, cafUe, citadel, or tower, whither the wife and children of Arif
tobulus were now lent, and which overlooked the temple, could be no other than
what Hyrcanus I. built, Antiq. B. XVIII. ch. iv. (j 3.. voi. II. and Herod the
Great rebuilt, and called the Twer nf Antoni* t Autiq. U. XV , cb. si, 5.
VOL. II. P
114 ANTIQUITIES OF THB JEWS. [Book XIlI,
frequent miflakes they make in point of government ; for fhe
always preferred the prefent to futurity, and preferred the
power of an imperious dominion above all things, and in com-
panion of that had no regard to what was good, or what was
right. However, (he brought the affairs of her houfe to luch
an unfortunate condition, that (he was the occafion of the
taking away that authority from it, and that in no long time
afterward, which (he had obtained by a vaft number of hazards
and misfortunes, and this out of a defire of what does not be-
long to a woman, and all by a compliance in her fentiments
with thole that bare ill-will to their family, and by leaving the
adminiflration deftitute of a proper fupport of great men ;
and indeed, her management during her adminiftration, while
ilie was alive, was Juch, as filled the palace after her death
with calamities and difturbance. However, although this
had been her way of governing, fhe preierved the nation in
peace. And this is the conclufion of the affairs of Alexandra,
Chap. I.] ANTIQUITIES OP THE JEWS. Ilf
BOOK XIV.
Containing the interval of thirty-two years.
[_From the Death of Queen ALEXANDRA to the Death of AN-
T1GON US.]
CHAP. I.
The War between Ariflobulus and Hyrcanus about the Kingdom $
and how they made an agreement, that Anjlobulus Jhould be
King, and Hyrcanus live a private life ; as alfo how Hyrcanus
a littie afterward, was perfaaded by Antipatertojly to Aretas.
1. T^7"E have related the affairs ot queen Alexandra, and
VV her death in the foregoing book, and will now
fpeak of what folKnved, and was connected with thofe h;f lo-
ries ; declaring before we proceed, that we have nothing (o
much at heart as this, that we may * omit no facls either
through ignorance or lazinefs, for we are upon the hiilory and
explicationof fuch things as the greateft part are unacquaint-
ed withal, becaufe of their diftance from our times ; and we
aim to do it with a proper beauty of ftile, lo far as that is de-
rived from proper words harmonically difpofed and from fuch
ornaments of fpeech alfo as may contribute to the pleafure of
our readers, that they may entertain the knowledge ot what we
write with feme agreeable fatisfartion and pleafure. But the
principal icope that authors ought to aim at above ail the reft,
is to fpeak accurately, and to fpeak truly, for the fatistaclion
of thofe that are otherwife unacquainted with fuch tranfactions,
and obliged to believe what thefe writers inform them of.
2. Hyrcanus then began his high priefthood on the third
year of the hundred feventy-feventh olympiad, when Quin-
tus Hortenfms and Quintus Metellus, who was called Metel-
lus ot Crete, were confuls at Rome ; when prefently Arifto-
bulus began to make war againft him, and as it came to a bat-
tle with Hyrcanus at Jericho, many ot his foldiers deferted
him, and went over to his brother : Upon which Hyrcanus fled
into the citadel, where Aridobulus's wife and children were
imprifoned by their mother, as we. have faid already, aiid at-
tacked and overcame thofe his adverfaries that had fled thither,
* Relarul tak.es notice here, very juftly, how Jofephus's declaration, that it was
his great concern not only to write an agreeable, an accurate, and a true hiftory, hut
ajfo dillincUy not to omit any thing [of confequencej. either through ignorance, or
lazintf,, implies, that h co ild not, confiltcntly with that refolatson, omit th^ men-
t^on of fo famous a perfon asj Jffus Chri/i.
H6 ANTIQUITIES OF THE JEWS. [Book XIV.
and lay within the walls of the temple. So when he had fent
a mettage to his brother about agreeing the matters between
them, he laid afide his enmity to him on thefe conditions, that
Ariflobulus fhould be king ; that he fhould live without in-
termeddling with public affairs, and quietly enjoy the eftate
he had acquired. When they had agreed upon thefe terms in
the te.mple, and had confirmed the agreement with oaths, and
the giving one another their right hands and embracing one
another in the fight of the whole multitude, they departed,
the one, Ariflobulus, to the palace, and Hyrcanus as a private
man to the former houfe of Anltobulus.
3. But there was a certain friend of Hyrcanus's, an Idume-
an, called Antipater, who was very rich, and in his nature an
aclive and a feditious man ; who was at enmity with Ariflo-
bulus, and had differences with him on account of his good-
will to Hyrcanus. It is true that Nicolaus of Damaicus fays,
that Antipater wa* of the flock of the principal Jews who
came out of Babylon into Judea , but that aflertion of his war,
to gratify Herod who was his fon, and who, by certain revo-
lutions of fortune, came afterward to be king of the jews,
whofc hiftory we {hall give you in its proper place hereafter.
However, this Antipater was at firft called* Antipas, and that
was his father'? namealfo ; of whom they relate this, that king
Alexanderand his wife made him general of all Idumea, and
that he made a league of friend (hip with thofe Arabian:
Gazites, and Afcalonites, that were of his own party, and hnd,
by many and large prefeatu, made them his faft friends. Bui
now, this younger Antipater was fufpicious of ihe power ot
Arillobulus, and was afraid of fome mifc.hief hemight do him,
becaufe of his hatred to him, fp.he flirred up the moll power-
ful of the Jews and talked againfl him to them privately ; and
{"aid, that " it wasunjufl to overlook the conduct ot Ariltobu-
lus, who had gotten the government unrighteoufly, and ejedted
his brother out of it, who was the elder, and ought to retain
what belonged to him by prerogative of his birth." And tire
fame fpeeches he perpetually made to Hyrcanus; and told
him, that his own life would be in danger, unlefs he guarded
himfelf, and got (hut of Ariflobulus; for he faid, that the.
iriends of Ariflobulus omitted no opportunity of advifing him
to kill him, as being then, and not before, lure to retain his
principality. Hyrcanus gave no credit to thefe words of his,
as being of a gentle difpofition, and one that did not eafily ad-
mit ot calumnies againil other men. This temper of his not
difpofing him to meddle with public affairs, and want of fpir-
it occafioned him to appear to fpelators to be degenerotis and
* That the famous Antipater's or Anti pas's father was alfo Antipater or Antipas,
(which twe may juftly be efteemed one and the lame name, the former with a'
Greek or Gentile, the latter with an Hebrew or Jewish termination,) Jolcpkus hire
affures us, though Eufebius indeed fays it was Herod.
Chap. II.] ANTIQUITIES OF THE JEWS. Il<7
unrmnly ; while Ariftobulus was of a contrary temper, an
aiive man, and one of a great and generous foul.
4. Since therefore Antipater Jaw that Hyrcanus did not
attend to what he faid, he never ceafed, day by day, to charge
feigned crimes upon Ariftobulus, and to calumniate him be-
fore him, as if he had a mind to kill him ;' and fo, by urging
him perpetually he advifed him, and perfuaded him to fly to
Aretas, the king of Arabia ; and promifed, that it he would
comply with his advice, he would alfohimfelf a{Iifthim,ifand
go with him]. When Hyrcanus heard this, he faid, that it
was for his advantage to fly away to Aretas. Now Arabia is a
country that herders upon Judea, However, Hyrcanus lent
Antipater firft to the king ot Arabia, in order to receive af-
furances from him, that when he fhould come in the manner
ot a f applicant to him, he will not deliver him up to his ene-
mies. So Antipater having received fuch aifurances, return-
ed to Hyrcanus to Jerufalem. A -while afterward he took
Hyrcanus, and Jlole out of the city by night, and wentagreat
journey, and came and brought him to the city called Petra,
where the palace ot Aretas was ; and as he was a very familiar
friend ot that king's, he perfuaded him to bring back Hyrca-
nus, into Judea, and this perfuafion he continued every day
without any remiflion. He alfo propofed to make him pre-
fents on that account. At length he prevailed with Aretas in
his fuit. Moreover Hyrcanus promifed him that when he had
been brought thither, and had received his kingdom, he would
reftore that country, and thofe twelve cities which his father
Alexander had taken from the Arabians, which were thefe t
Medaba, Naballo, Libias Tharabafa Agala, Athene, Zoar,
Orone, Mariffa, Iludda, Lulfa, and Oruba.
CHAP. II.
How Aretas and Hyrcanus made an Expedition etgainjl Ariflo-
bulus, and believed Jerufa/em ; and how Scaurus, the Roman
General, raijed thejiege. Concerning the Death of Omas.
i. A FTER thefe promifes had been given to Aretas, he
<t~X made an expedition againft Ariftobulus, with an ar-
my of fitty thoufand horfe and toot, and beat him in the battle.
And when after that viftory many went over to Hyrcanus as
deferters, Ariftobulus was lett defolate, and fled to Jerufalem ;
upon which the, king of Arabia took all his army and made an
ailault upon the temple, and befieged Ariftobulus therein, the
people ftill fupporting Hyrcanus, and aflifting him in the fiege,
while none but the priefts continued with Ariilobulus. So A-
retas united the forces of the Arabians and of the Jews togeth-
er, and prefled on the fiege vigoroufly. As this happened at
the time when the feail of unleavened bread was celebrated,
IlH ANTIQUITIES OF THE JEWS. [Book XIV,
which we call the paffover, the principal men among the Jews
left the country, and fled into Egypt. Now there was one,
whofe name was Onias, a righteous man he was, and beloved
of God, who, in a certain drought, had prayed to God to put
an end to the intenle heat, and whofe prayers God had heard,
and had fent them rain. This man had hid himfelf. becaufe
he faw that this feditun would laft a great while. However,
they brought him to the Jewifh camp, and defired, that as by
his prayers he had once put an end to the drought, io he would
in like manner make imprecations on Ariftobulus and thole of
his faction. And when, upon his refuial, and the excuJes that
he made, he was ftill by the multitude compelled to fpeak, he
flood up in the nudit of them, and faid, " O God, the kingo!
the whole world ! fince thole that ftand now with me are thy
people, and thofe that are befieged are alfa thy priefts, I be-
ieech thee that thou wilt neither hearken to the prayers of thofe
agamft thefe, nor bring to effect what thefepray againft thofe."
Whereupon fuch wicked Jews as flood about him, as foon as
he had made this prayer, itoned him to death.
2. But God puniihed them immediately for this their bar-
barity, and took vengeance of them for the murder of Onias, in
the manner following : While the piiefts and Ariflohulus were
befieged, it happened that the feaft call the Paffover was come,
at which it is our cuftom to offer a great number ot jacrifices
to God ; but thofe that were with Anilobulus wanted lacnfices,
and defired that their countrymen without would furnilh them
with fuch facrificcs, and aflured them they fhould have as. much
money for them as they fhould defire ; and when they required
them to pay a thoufand drachmae lor each head of cattle, Ani-
tobulus and the pricfts willingly undertook to pay tor them ac-f
cordingly and thole within let down the money over the walls,
and gave it them. But when the others had received it, they
did not deliver the facrifices, but arrived at that height of wick-
ednefs as to break the aO'urances they had given, and to be guil-
ty oi impiety towards God, by not furniihing thofe that wanted
them with facrifices. And when theprieits tound they had
been cheated, and that ihe agreements they had made were vi-
olated, they prayed to God, that he would avenge them on their
countrymen. iSlor did he delay that their punilhment, but lent
a ftrong and vehement ftorm of wind that destroyed the fruits
of the whole country, till a modious of wheat was then bought
for eleven drachmae.
3. In the mean timePompey fent Scaurus into Syria, while
he was himfelf in Armenia, and making war with Tigranes :
But when Scaurus was come to Damafcus, and found that Lol-
lius and Metellus had newly taken the city, he came himfelf
y> ?ftilv into Judea. And when he was come thither, ambafTa-
dors came to him, both from Ariftobulus and Hyrcanus, and
both defired he would aflift them. And when both ot them
pfomiied to give him money, Anltobulus four hundred talents,
Chap. III.] ANTIQUITIES OF THE JEWS, tig
and Hyrcanus no lefs, he accepted of Ariftobulus'spromife, for
he was rich and had a great foul, and defired to obtain nothing
but what was moderate ; whereas the other was poor, and te-
nacious, and made incredible promifes in hopes of greater ad-
vantages ; for it was not the fame thing to take a city, that was
exceeding flrong and powerful, as it was to ejeft out ot the
country Tome fugitives, with a greater number of Nabateans,
who were no very warlike people. He therefore made an a-
greement with Ariftobulus, for the reafons before mentioned,
and took his money, and raifed the fiege, and ordered Aretas
to depart, or elfe he mould be declared an enemy to the Ro-
mans. So Scanrus returned to Damafcus again ; and Arifto-
bulus, with a great army, made war with Aretas and Hyrca-
nus, and fought them at a place called Papyron, and beat them
in thebatle. and flew about fix thoufand of the enemy ; with
whom fell Phal ion alfo, the brother of. A-ntipater
C H A P. III.
How Ariflobulus and Hyrcanus came to Pompey, in order to
argue who ought to have the Kingdom ; and how, upon the
jlight ofAnjiobulus to the Fortrefs Alexandrium, Pompey led
his Army a^ainjl him, and ordered him to deliver up the For-
trejjes where&J he was pojjejjed.
I. A LITTLE afterward Pompey came to Damafcus, and
A\ marched overy Cetefyria ; at which time there came
simbaiTadors to him from all Syria, and Egypt, and out of Ju-
dea alfo, for Ariftobulus had fent him a great prefent, which
Was a * golden vine, of the value of five hundred talents. Now
Strabo of Cappadocia mentions this prefent in thefe words :
" There came alfo an embaffage out of Egypt, and a crown of
the value ot four thoufand pieces of gold; and out of Judea
there came another* whether you call it a vine or a garden :
They called the thing TtRF u LE, The delight. However, we
ourfelves faw that prefent repofhed at Rome, in the temple
of Jupiter Capitolinus, with this infcription, The gift of Alex-
ander the king of the Jews. It was valued at five hundred
* This golden vine or garden, feen by Strabo at Rome, has its infcription here, a
if it were the gift of Alexander, the father of Ariftobulus, and not of Ariftobulus
himlelf, to whom yet }ofepuus afcribes it ; and in order to prove the truth of that
part of his hiftory. introduces this teftimony of Strabo's ; fo that the ordinary co-
pLs feem to be here either erroneous or defective, and the original reading feems to
have been either Anjlobulus, inftrad of Alexander, with one Greek copy, or elfe
Ariftcbului the fun of Alexander, with the Latincopies ; which laft fcems to me the moft
probable: For as to archbishop Usher's conjectures, that Alexander made it. and
dedicated it to God in the temple, and that thence Ariftobulus took it, and (ent it
to Pompey, they are both very improbable, and no way agreeable to Joiephus,
who would hardly have avoided the recording both thefe uncommon points of
hiftory, had he known anything of them; nor would either the Jewish nation,
or evea Pc;r.pey bimfclf, then have relished fuch a flagrant iuftance of faciilege.
120 ANNUITIES Of THE JEWS. [Boojt XlV.
talents ; and the report is, that Ariftobulus, the governor o.t the
Jews, lent it."
2. In a !ur.le time afterward came ambafladors again to him*
Antipater iruin Hyrcanus, and Nicodemus from Ariftobulus ;
which laft alibaceufed fuch as had tak.cn bribes, firft Gabinius,
and then Sca.urus, the one three hundred talents, and the other
four hundred ; bv which procedure he made thefe two his ene-
mies, betides thofe he had before. And when Pompey had or-
dered thole that had controverfies one with another to come to
him in the beginning ot the fpring, he brought his army out
of their winter quarters, and marched into the country of Da.
inafcus; and as he went along he demolilbed the citadel that
was at Apamia, which Antioc.hus Cyzicenus had built, and
took cognifance of the country of Ptolemy Menneus, a wicked
man, and not lefs fo than Dionifius of Tripoli, who had been
beheaded who was alfo his relation by marriage ; yet did he
buy offthe punifhment of his crimes for a thoufand talents, with
which money Pompey paid the foldiers their wages. He alfo
conquered the place called Lyjias, of which Silas a Jew, was
tyrant. And when he had palled over the cities ot Heliopolis
and Chajcis, and got over the mountain which is on the limit
of Celefyria., he came from Pella to Damafcus ; and there it
wa,s that he heard the caufes of the Jews, and of their govern-
ors Hyrcanus and Ariftobulus, who were at difference one
with another, as alfo of the nation againft them both, which
did not defire to be under kingly government, becauie the
form ot government they received from their forefathers w,as
that ot fubjeftion to the priefts of that god whom they wor-
fhipped, and [they complained,] that though thefe two were
the pofterity of priefts, yet did they feek to change the gov-
ernment of their nation to another form, in order to entlave
them. Hyrcanus complained, that although he were the elder
brother, he was deprived of the prerogative of hi$ birth by A-
riftobulus, and that he hath but a fmall part of the country un-
der him, Ariftobulus having taken away the reft, from him by
force, He al'oaccufed him, that the incurfions which had been
made into their neighbour's countries, and the piracies that had
been at fea, were owing to him; and thatthe nation would not have
revolted, unlefs Ariftobulus had been a man given to violence
and diforder : And there were no fewer than a thoufand Jews,
of the bell efteem among them who confirmed this accufation ;
which confirmation was procured by Antipater. But Arifto-
bulus alleged againft him, that it was Hyrcanus's own temper,
which was inactive, and on that account contemptible, which
caufed him to be deprived of the government ; and that \ot
himfelf he was neceflitated to take it upon him, for fear left it
fhould be transferred to others. And that as to his title [of
king,! it was no other than what his father had taken [before
him.J He alfo called for witneiFes ot what he faid, fome per-
fons who were both young and infolent : Whofe purple gar-
Chap. III.] ANJIQUItlES OF THE JEWS. !2I
ments, fine heads of hair and other ornaments, were detefted
by the court, i and which they appeared in, not as though
they were to plead their caufe in a court of juflice, but as if
they were marching in a pompous proceflion.
3. When Pompey had heard the caufes of thefe two, and
had condemned Ariflobuius for his violent procedure, he then
fpake civilly to them, and fent them away ; and told them, that
when he came again into their country he would fettle all their
affairs, alter he had firft taken a view of the affairs of the Na-
bateans. In the mean time, he ordered them to be quiet ; and
treated Ariflobuius civilly, left he Ihould make the nation re-
volt, and hinder his return : Which yet Amftobulus did ; for
without expecting any farther determination, whichPompey
had promiled them, he went to the city Dsliusi and thence
inarched into Judea.
4. At this behaviour Pompey was angry ; and taking with
Kim that army which he was leading agajnfl the Nabateans and
the auxiliaries that carne from Darnaicus, and the other parts
of Syria, with the other Roman legions which he had with him,
he made an expedition againft Arireobulus : But as he parted by
Pella, and Scythopolis, he came to Core^e, which is the fnil en-
trance into Judea when one pafles over the mid-land countries,
where he came to a mod beautiful fortrefs that was built on
the top ot a mountain called Alexandnum, whether Ariftobulus
had fled, and thence Pompey fent his commands to him, that
he ihould come to him. Accordingly, at the perfuafions ot
many, that he would not make war with the Romans, he came
down : And when he had difputed with his brother about the
right to the government, he went up again to the citadel, as
Pompey gave him leave to do ; and this he did two or three
times, as flattering himfelf with the hopes of having the king-
dom granted him; fo that he Hill pretended he would obey Pom-
pey in whatsoever he commanded, although at the fame time
he retired to his fortrefs, that he might not deprefs himfelf too
low, and that he prepared tor a war, in cafe it mould prove as
he feared, that Pompey would transfer the government to Hyr-
canus. But when Pompey enjoined Anfiobulus to deliver up
the fortrefles he held, and to fend an injunction to their govern-
ors, under his own hand, for that purpofe ; for they had been
forbidden to deliver them up upon any other commands, he
fubmittedindeedto do (o, but Hill he retired in difpleafure to Je-
rufalem, and made preparation for war. A little after this,
certain perfons came out of Pontus, and informed Pompey, as
be was on the way, and conducing his army againil Ariitobu-
lus, that Mithridates was dead, and was (lain by his fon Phar-
Baces.
Q
ANTIQUITIES OF THE JEWS. [Book
CHAP. IV.
How Pompey, when the Citizens of jferufalemjlmt the Gates a-
gainjl Mm, btjieged the City, ana took it by Jorce ; as alft
what other things he did in Judca.
i. "\TO\V when Pompey had pitched his camp at Jericho
-L^J (where the* palm-tree grows, and that balfam which
is an ointment of all the moft precious, which upon any inci-
fion made in the wood with a fharp ftone, diftils out thence like
a juice,) he marched in the morning to Jerufalem. Hereupon
Ariflobulus repented ot what he was doing, and came to Pom-
pey, and [promifed to] give him money , and received him into
Jerufalem, and defireu that he would leave off the war, and do
what he plealed peaceably. So Pompey, upon his entreaty,
forgave him, and fent Gabinius. and foldiers with him to re-
ceive the money and the city : Yet was no part of this perform-
ed but Gabinius came back, being both excluded out of the
city, and receiving none ot the money promifed, becaufe A-
riflobulus's foldiers would not permit the agreements to be ex-
ecuted. At this Pompey was very angry, and put Ariftobu-
lus into prifon, and came himfelt to the city, which was ftrong
on every fide, excepting the north, which was not fo well for-
tified, for there was f a broad and deep ditch that encompaffed
the city, and included within it the temple, which was Jtfelf
encompaffed about with a very ftrong ftone wall.
2. Now there was a fedition of the men that were within the
city who did not agree what was to be done fn their prefent
circumffances, while fome thought it beft to deliver up the city
to Pompey ; but Ariftobulus's party exhorted them to fhutthe
gates, becaufe he was kept in prifon. Now thefe prevented the
others, and feized upon the temple, and cut off the bridge which
reached from it to the city, and prepared themfelves to abide a
* Thefe cxprsfs teftimor.ies of Jolephus's here, and Antiq. B. VIII. ch vi. ^ 6.
vol. I. andiB. XV. ch. iv. ^ 2. vol. II. that the only baliam ^aidens. and the beft
palm-trees, were, at leaft in his chiys, near Jericho and Engaddi. about the north
part of the dead ic;i. (whereabout alfo Alexander the Creat' taw the balfam drop,)
fht-w the miftake of thole that underftand Eufebius and Jerom, as if one of thole
gardens were at the louth part of that fea, at /oar or Segor, whereas they muft
cithrr mean another Zoar or Segor, -which was between Jericho and Engaddi,
agreeably to Jo'.rphus, which yet they do net appear to do, or elfe they direftly
contradift Jofephus, and were therein greatly miftaken ; I mean this, unlefi that
balfam, and the beft palm-trees, grew much more fouthward in Judea in the days
of Euiebius and Jerom than they di d in the days of Jofephus.
( The particular depth and brcad'h of this ditch, whence the (lores for the wait
about the temple vere probably taken, are omitted in ourcopies of Jofephus, bufe
let down by Strabo, B XVI. p. 763. from whom we learn, that this ditch was 6
fet deep, and 250 feet broad. However, its depth is, in the h'rfl lecYion. faid by
Toiephus to be immcnft which exactly agrees to Strabo's dcfcription, and which num.
r in Strabo are a ftrong confirmation of the truth of jofephus's delcripticm alia.
Chap. IV.] AMTIQUITIES OF THE JEWS. I2f
fiege ; but the others admitted Pompey 's army in, and delivered
up both the city m,l the king's palace to him. So Pompey fcnt
his heute-iant Piib with an army, and placed garrifons both in
the city and in the palace, to fecure them, and tortifL'd the
hou f esthat joined to the temple; and all thofe which were more
diftant, and without it. And in the firft place, he offered term*
of accommodation to thofe within ; but when they would not
comply with what was defired, he encompaifed all the places
there about with a wail, wherein Hyrcanus did gladly affift him
on all occafious, hut Pompey pitched his camp within [the
wall,] on the north part of the temple, where it wasmoft prac-
ticable ; but even on that fide there were great towers, and a
ditdi had been dag, and a deep valley begirt it round about,
ior on the parts to wards the city were prec ipices, and thebri ! ge
on which Pompey had gotten in, was broken down ; however,
a bank was raifedday by day, with agreatdeal ot labour while
the Romans cut down materials tor it trom the places round
about : A:id when this bank was fuf&ciently raifed, and the
ditch filled up, though but poorly, by reafon ot its immenfe
depth, he brought his mechanical engines and battering rams
from Tyre, and placing them on the bank, he battered the tem-
ple with the ftones that were thrown againft it. And had it
not been our practice, from the days of our forefathers, to reft on
the feventh day, this bank could never have been perfeled, by
reafon of the oppofition the Jews would have made ; for though
our law gives us leave then to defend ourfelves againft thofe
that begin to fight with us, and afTault us, yet does it not per-
mit us to meddle with our enemies while they do any thing
elfe.
3. Which thing when the Romans underftood, on thofe
days which we call Sabbaths, they threw nothing at the Jews,
no;- came to any pitched battle with them, but railed up their
earthen banks, and brought their engines into fuchtorwardnefs,
that th p y might do execution the next days. And any one
may hence learn how very great piety we exereife towards
God, and the oSfervance of his laws, fmce the priefts were
not at all hindered trom their facred miniftrations, by their
fear during this fiege, but did ft ; ll twice a day, in the morning,
an I abou f tu^ ninth hour, offer their facrifices on the altar ;
nor did they omit thofe facrifices, if any melancholy accident
happened, by the ftones that were thrown among them ; for
although the city were taken on * the third month, on the
diy o f the fall, upon the hundred feventy-nintholympiad, when,
Caius Antonius and Mircus Tullius Cicero, were confuls,
and the enemy then fell upon them, and cut the throats .of
thofe that were in the temple, yet could not thofe that offer-
ed the facrifice be compelled to run away, neither by the fear
* That is, on the 23d of Sivan, the annual faft for the defeftion and idolatry of
Jeroboam, uihomade Ifracl tojin ; or possibly iome other faft might fall into tiai
stonth, before and io the days of Jofephui.
f24 ANTIQUITIES OF THE JEWS. [Book XIV.
they were in ot their own lives, nor by the nnmher that wefe
already flain, as thinking it better to fuffer whatever came up-
on them, at their very altars, than to omit any thing that their
laws required of them. And that this is not a mere brag, or
an encomium to manifeft a degree of our piety that was faife,
but is the real truth, 1 appeal to thofe that have written oi the
ais of Pompey ; and among them to Straho and Nicolaus
of Damafcusj; and befides thefe two, Titus Livius, the
writer of th Roman hi (lory, who will bear witnefs to this
thing *.
4. But when the battering engine was brought near, the
greateft of the towers was fhaken by it, and fell down, and
brake down a part of the fortifications, fo ihe enemy pome ] in
apace; and Cornelius Fauftus, the fon of Sylla, with his fol-
diers, firft of all afcended the wali, and next to him Furius
the centurion, with thofe that, followed, on the other part,
while Fabius, who was alfo a centurion, afcended it in the
middle, with a great body of men alter him. But now all
was full oi (laughter ; fome of the Jews being (lain by the
Romans, and fome by one another; nay fome there were who
threw themfelves down the precipices, or put fire to their
houfes, and burnt them, as not ablt? to bear the miferies they
were under. Of the Jews there fell twelve thoufand, but of
the Romans very few. Abfa'orn, who was at once both un-
cle and father-in-law to Ariftobulus, was taken captive. And
no fmall enormities were committed about the temple itlel',
which, in former ages, had been inacceflible, and feen by none ;
ior Pompey went into it, and not a few of thofe th^t were
\vith him alfo, and faw all that which it was unlawful tor any
other men to fee but only for the high-priefts. There were
in that temple the golden table, the holy candleftick, and the
pouring velfels, and a great quantity of fpices ; and hefiJes
thefe, there were among the treafures two thoute.nd talents of
facred money : Yet f did Pompey touch nothing of ail this,
on account of his regard to religion ; and in this point alfo he
afted in a manner that was worthy of his virtue. The next
day he gave order to thofe that had the charge ot the temple
to clean fie it, and to bring what offerings the law required to
* It deferves here to be noted, that this Pharifaical fuperftitious notion, that of-
f en five fighting was unlawful to ]ews, even u dcr the utmoft necessity, on the Sab.
bath day ; oi which we luar nothing before the times of the Maccabtes, was tb
proper occafion of {erulakm's being taken by Pompey, Sofms, and by Titus, ai
appears from the places already quoted in the note on Antiq. B XIII. ch viii. i i.
which Icrupulous luperftition, M to the obfervrtion of irch a rigorous reft, upon
the Sabb.ith-day, our Saviour always oppofed, when the Pharifaical Jews infifted
on it, as is evident in many places in the New T.ftament, though he ftill intimated
how pernicious that luperftition might prove to them in their flight trom the Ro
jnanf, Matt. xxv. ao.
i This is fully confirmed by the teflimony of Cicero, who fays, in his oration
lor Flaccus, That " Cneius Pompeius, when he was conqueror, and had taken J-
aifakm, did not touch any thing belonging to thrt temple,"
Chap. IV.] ANTIQUTIES OF THE JEWS. t2$
God ; and reftored the high priefthood to Hyrcanus, both be-
caufe he had been ufeful to him in other refpefls, and becaufe
he hindered the Jews in the country from giving Ariftnbulus
any affi (lance in his war againft him. He allo cut off thofe
that had been the authors of that war ; ai'd beftowed proper
rewards on Fauftius, and thofe others that mounted the wall
vith fuch alacrity ; and he made jerufjlem tributary to the
Pvomans ; and took away thofe cities of CeleTyria which the
inhabitants of Judea had fubdued, and put them under the
government of the Roman prefident, and confined the whole
nation, which had elevated itfeH fo high before, within its own
bounds. Moreover he * rebuilt Gadara, which had been de-
molifhed a little before, to gratify Demetrius ot Gadara, who
was his freed man, and reftored the reft of the cities, Hippos,
and Scythopolis, and Pella, and Dios, and Samaria, as alfo
Mariffa, and Afhdod, and Jamnia, and Arethufa, to their own
inhabitants : Thefe were in the inland parts. Befides thofe
that had been demoliftied, and alfo o\ the maritime cities, Ga-
za and Joppa, and Dora, and Sirato's Tower ; which lail
Herod rebuilt after a glorious manner, and adorned with ha-
vens, and temples, and changed its name to Cefarea. All thefe
Pompey left in a flate of freedom, and joined them to the
province of Syria.
5 Now the occafions of this mifcry which came upon JCTU-
falem, were Hyrcanus and Ariftobulus, by raifing a fedition
one againft the other ; for now we loft our liberty, and became
fubjecl to the Romans, and were deprived of- that country
Which we had gained hy our arms from the Syrians, and were
compelled to reftore it to the Syrians. Moreover, the Ro-
mans exa^ed of us, in a little time, above ten thoufand
talents. Arid the royal authority, which was a dignity for-
merly beftowed on thofe that weie high-priefts, by the
right of .their family, became the property of private men.
But of thefe matters we fhall treat in their proper places.
Now Pompey committed Celefyria, as far as the river Euphra-
tes and Egypt, to Scaurus. with two Roman legions, and then
went away to Cilicia, and made hafte to Rome. He alfo car-
ried bound along with him Ariftobulus and his children ; for
he had two daughters, and as many fons ; the one of which
ran away, but the younger, Antigonus, was carried to Rome,
together with his lifters.
* Of this deftruftion of Gadara here prefuppofed, and its federation by Po.
fty, fee the nof on the War, J3. I. ch. vii. ^ 7. vol. HI.
Chap. VI.] ANTIQUITIES OF THE JEWS. 127
us left part oi his army there, in order to take the place, and
he himlelf went into other parts of Judea, and gave order to-
rebuild all the cities that he met with that had been demolifli-
ed ; at which time were rebuilt Samaria, Aihdod, Scythopo-
lis, Anthedon, Raphia, and Dora ; MarifTa alfo, and Gaza,
and not a few others befides. And as the men afted according
to Gabinius's command, it came to pals, that at this time thefe
cities were fecurely inhabited, which had been defolate for a
long time.
4. When Gahinius had done thus in the country, he return-
ed to Alexandrium ; and when he urged on the fiege of the
place, Alexander fent an ambaiTage to him, defiring that he
would pardon his former offences ; he alfo delivered up the
iortrelTes, Hyrcania, and Macherus ; and at laft Alexandrium
itfelf, which fortrefles Gabinius demolilhed. But when Alex-
ander's mother, who was of the fide of the Romans, as having
her hufband and other children at Rome, came to him, he
granted her whatfoever (he afked ; and when he had fettled
matters with her, he brought Hyrcanus to Jerufalem, and com-
mitted the care of the temple to him. And when he had or-
Gained five councils, he distributed thefame nation into the fame
number of parts : So thefe councils governed the people ; the
firft was at Jerufalem, the fecond at Gadara, the third at Am-
athus, the fourth at Jericho and the fifth at Sepphons, in Gali-
lee. So the Jews were now freed from monarchic authority,
and were governed by an * ariftocracy.
CHAP. VI.
How Gabinius caught Ariftobulus after he had fled from Rome,
and fent him back to Rome again ; and how the fame Gabini-
us, as he returned out of Hgypt, overcame Alexander and the
Nabateans in Battle.
I. 1V[OW Ariftobulus ran away from Rome to Judea, and
Jl^l fet about the rebuilding of Alexandrium, which had
been newly demolimed : Hereupon Gabinius lent foldiers a-
gamlt him, and tor their commanders Sifenna, and Antonius,
and Servilius, in order to hinder him from getting pofleflion
of the.country, and to take him again. And indeed many o
the Jews ran to Ariftobulus, on account ot his former glory,
as alfo bccaufe they mould be glad of an innovation. Now,
there was one Pitholaus, a lieutenant at Jerufalem, whodefert-
ed to him with a thpufand men, although a great number of:
thofe that came to him were unarmed ; and when Ariftobulus
Dean Frideaux well obferves, " That notwithftanding the clamour a^ainft
Gabinius at Rome, Jofephus gives him a laudable charafter, as it he had acquitted
df with, honourin the charge comm.^ttd to Mm" On Judea 1. Sec at tbo
128 ANTIQUITIES OF THE JEU'S. [Book XIV.
had refolved to go to Machrrus, he difmifTed thofe people, be-
caufethey were unarmed, for they could not be ufetul to him
in what actions they were going about, but he took with him
eight thoufand that were armed, and marched on : And as the
Romans tell upon them feverHy, the Jews fought valiantly,
but were beaten in the battle ; a:H when they had fought with
alacrity, but were overborn by the enemy, they were put to
flight ; of whom were flain a:>out five thoufand, and the reft
being difperfed, tried, as well as they were able, to fave them,
felvts. However Arirlobulus had with him Hill ahoveathouiand.
and with them he fled to Macherus, and fortified the place, and
though he had had ill fuccefs, he Hill had good hope of his affairs:
But when he had ftruggled againft the fiege for two days time,
and had received many wounds, he was brought as a captive
to Gabinius, with his fon Antigonus, who allo fled with him
from Rome. And this was the fortune of Ariftobulus, who
was fent back again to Rome, and was there retained in bonds,
having been both king and high-pricft for three years and fix
months ; and was indeed an eminent perfon.and one of a great
foul. However, the fenate let his children go, upon Gabinms's
writing to them, that he had promifed their mother fo much
when (he delivered up the fortreiles to him ; and accordingly
they thrn returned into Judea.
2. Now when Gabinius was making an expedition againft
the Parthians, and had already pafFed over Euphrates, he chang-
ed his mind, and refolved to return into Egypt, in order to
* reftore Ptolemy to his kingdom. This hath alfo been relat-
ed elfewhere. However, Antipater fupplied his army, which
he fent againft Archelaus, with corn and weapons, and money.
He alfo made thofe Jews, who were above Pelufium, his friends
and confederates, and had been the guardians of the paffes that
l^d into Egypt. But when he came back out of Egypt, he
found Syria in diforder, with feditions and troubles ; for Al-
exander, the fon of Ariftobulus, having feized on the govern-
inent a fecond time by force, made many ot the Jews revolt to
him, and fo he marched over the country with a great army,
and flew all the Romans he could light upon, and proceeded
to befiege the mountain called Gerizzim, whither they had re-
tieated.
3. But when Gabimusfound Syria in fuchaftate, hefent An-
tipater, who was a prudent man, to thofe that were feditious,
totiy whether he could cure them of their madnefs, and per-
fuade them to return to a better mind ; and when he came to
them, he brought many of them to a found mind, and induced
them to do what they ought to do, but he could not rellrain
Alexander, for he bad an army of thirty thoufand jews, and
* This hiftory is beft ilinfirated by Dr. Hudfon out of Livy, who fzys, That
J' A. Gahinius the preconiul, rdtored Ptolemy to his kingdom of Egypt, and o.
jefted Archeiaus, whom they had let up forKiug," &c. See Prid. at the years 64
and 6$,
Chap. VII.] ANTIQUITIES OF THE JEWS. 12$
met Gabinius, and joining battle with him, was beaten and
ioit ten thoufand of his men about mount Tabor.
4 So Gabinius fettled the affairs which belonged to the
city Jerufalem, as was agreeable to Ann pater's inclination, and
vent agamftthe Nabateans, and overcame them in battle. He
alfo ie.it away in a fiiendiy manner Mithiidates and Orfanes,
who were Parthian delerters, and came to him, though the re-
port went abroad that they had run away from him. And
when Gabinius had performed great and glorious actions, in
his management of the affairs ot war, he returned to Rome, and
delivered the government to Crailus. Now, Nicolaus ot Da-
inalcus, and Strabo ot Cappadocia, both defcribe the expedi-
tions of Pompey and Gabinius againft the Jews while neither
ot them fay any thing new which is not in the other.
CHAP. VII.
How CrasTus came into jfitdea, and pillaged the Temple ; and then
marched a<rai n ;l th?. Pj,rf.hiaxs, and p&ifhed, with hi s Army.
Alfo how Caffius obtained Syna ; and put a flop to the Par-
thians, and then went up to jfudea.
l ' "rVT^^ ^ ra ^ us ' as I 12 was S' n g upon his expedition
IN againrt the Parthians, came into Judea, and carried
off the money that was in the temple, which Pompey had left ;
being two thoufand talents, and was diipofed to fpoil it of all
the gold belonging to it, which was eight thoufand tal-
ents. He alfo took a beam which was made of folid beaten
gold, of the weight o\ three hundred minae ; each of which
weighed two pounds and an half. It was the prieft who was
guardian ot the facred treafures, and whole name was Ehazar,
that gave him this beam, not out ot a wicked defjgn, for he was
a good and a righteous man, but being entrufted with the cul-
toay of the veils belonging to the temple, which were of ad-
mirable beauty, and ot very coilly workmanfhip, and hung
Jo.vn from this beam, when he /aw that Craffus was bufy in
gathering money, and was in tear for the entire ornaments o
thetemple,hegavhimthisbeamoigold,asaran(om.iorthewhole
but this not till hehad given his oath that hewouldremove nothing;
elfeout.pt the temple, brt be iatisfied with this only which he
fhould give him,being worth many ten thoufand[lhe kels i. Now
this beam was contained in a wooden beam that was hollow, but
was known to no others, but Eleazar alone knew it; yet did
Craffus take away this beam, upon the condition of touching-
nothing elle that belonged to the temple, and then brake his
oath, and carried away all the gold that was in the temple.
1. And let no one wonder that there was fo much wealth
in our temple, fince all the Jews throughout the habitable earth,
and thofe that \vor(hipped God, nay, cvea thofe ot Afiai ani
VOL. II. R
1^0 ANTIQUITIES OF THE JEWS. [Book XIV.
Europe, Tent their contributions to it, and this from very an-
cient times. Nor is the largenenfe of thefe fums without its
atteftarion ; nor is that greatnels owing to our vanity, as rail-
ing it xvithout ground to fo great an height : But there are
many wiineffes to it and particularly Strabo of Cappadocia,
who lays thus : " Mithridates fent to Cos, and took the mon-
;y which queen Cleopatra had depofited there, as alfo eight
hundred talents belonging to the Jews." Now, we have no
public money but as only what appertains to God ; and it is
evident that the Adan Jews removed this money out of fear
of Mithridates. for it is not probable that thofe of Judea, who
Lad a fhong city and temple, mould (end their money to Cos;
nor is it likely that the Jews, who are inhabitants ot Alexan-
dria, fhould do fo neither, fince they were in no fear of Mith-
ridates. And Strabo himfelf bears witncfs to the fame thing
in another place, that at the fame time that Sylla paffed over
into Greece, in order to fight againfl Mithridates, he fent Lu-
cullus to put an end to a fedition that our nation, of whom the
habitable earth is full, had railed in Cyrene ; where he (peaks
thus : " There were tour daffes of men among thofe of Cyrene,
that of citizens, that of hufbandmen, the third of ftrangers, and
the fourth of Jews. Now thefe Jews are already go'ten into
all cities, and it is hard to find a place in the habitable earth
that hath not admitted this tribe of men, and is not poIIcCled ly
it : And it hath conic to pafs that Egypt and Cyrene, as hav-
ing the (ame governors, and a great number of other nations,
imitate their way of living, and maintain great bodies of thele
jews in a peculiar manner, and grow up to greater profperity
with them, and make ule of the fame laws with that nation al-
fo. Accordingly the jews have places affigned them in Egypt,
wherein they inhabit, befides what is peculiarly allotted to
this nation at Alexandria, which is a large part of that city.
There is alfo an ethnarch allowed them, who governs the na-
tion, and distributes juftice to them, and takes care of their
contracts, and ot the laws to them belonging, as if he were the
ruler of a free republic. In Egypt, therefore, this nation is
powerful, becaiii'cthe Jews were originally Egyptians and
becaufe the land wherein they inhabit, fince they went thenre,
is near to Egypt. They aHo removed into Cyrene, becaufe
that this land adjoined to the government of Egypt, as well as
docs Judea, or rather was formerly under the fame gov-
ernment." And this is what Strabo fays.
3. So when Craffus had fettled all things as he himfelf plea-
fed, he marched intoParthia, where both he himfelf and all his
army perifhed, as hath been related elfewhere. But Caflius,
as he fled from Rome to Syria, took pofleffion of it, and was
an impediment to the Parthians, who by reafon of their vito-
T\ over Craffus, made incurfions upon it : And as he came
biicktoTyre he went up into Judea alfo, and fell upon Ta-
ucheas, and prefcntly took it, and carried about thirty thou-
Chap. VII.] ANTIQUITIES OF THE JEWS. IJI
fand Jews captives ; and flew Pitholaus, who fucceeded Arif-
tobulusinhis feditious practices, and that by the perfuafion of
Antipater, who proved to have great interelt in him, and was
at that time in great repute with the Idumeans alfo : Out of
which nation he married a wife, who was the daughter of one
ot their eminent men, and her name was * Cypros, by whom
he had tour Ions, Phafael. and Herod, who was afterwards
made king, and Jofeph, and Pheroras ; and a daughter, named
balome. This Antipater cultivated alio a friendfhip and mu-
tual kindnels with other potentates, but efpecialiy with the
king of Arabia, to whom he committed his children, while he
fought againlt Ariftobulus. So Caflius removed his camp,
and marched to Euphrates, to meet thofe that were coming to
attac- him, as hath been related by others.
4. But fome time afterward Czefar, when he had taken Rome,
and after Pompey and the fenate were fled beyond the Ionian
fea, treed Ariilobulus from his bonds, and refolved to fend
him into Syria, and delivered two legions to him, that he
might fee matters right, as being a potent man in that country :
But Ariltobulus had no enjoyment of what he hoped for from
the power that was given him by Csefar, for thofe ot Pompey '
party prevented it, and defiroyed him by poifon, and thofe ot
Cae ar's party buried him. His dead body allo lay for a good
while embalmed in honey, till Antony afterward fent it to {u-
dea, and can fed him to be buried in the royal fepulchre. But
Scipio, upon Pompey's fending to him to {lay Alexander, the
fon ot Ariftobulus, becaufe the young man was accufed of
what offences he had been guilty of at firft againit the Romans,
cut ofr' his head ; and thus did he die at Antioch. But Ptolemy,
the (on of Menneus, who was the ruler of Chalcis, under
mount Libanus, took his brethren to him, and fent his fon
Philippion to Afkelon to Ariltobulus's wife, and defired her
to fend back with him her fon Antigonus, and her daughters :
The one ot which, whole name was Alexandra, Philippion fell
in love with, and married her, though afterward his father
Ptolemy flew him, and married Alexandra, and continued to
take care of her brethren.
* Dr. Hudfon obferves, that the name of this wife of Antipater's in Jofephiu
was Copras, as an Hebrew termination, but not Cyprii the Greek name for Venus,
as iorr.e critics were ready to corrcft it.
ANTIQUITIES OF THE JEWi. [Book XIV.
CHAP. VIII.
The Jews become Confederates with Cefar icktn he. fought agarnjl
Egypt. The glorious Aftwns oj Antipatcr, and his f-nend-
Jhip with Cejar. I he Honours uhicli the Jtius itctr^cd jrom
the Romans and Athenians.
I. 1VJOW after Pompey was dead, and after that viclery
1.^1 Cefar had gained over him, Antipa'er. who nian;.g-
ed the Jewifh affairs, became very ufelul to Cefar. when he
made war againft Egypt, and that by the order of Hyicanus :
For vhen Mithridatus of Pergamus was bringing his auxilia-
ries, and was not able to c ntinue his march through Peludum,
but obliged to ftay at Afkelon, Antipater came to him con-
duit ing three thoufand oi the Jews aimed nun : He had alfo
taken care the principal men of the Arabians fhouid cume to
his affiftance ; and on his account it was that all the Syrians
affifted him alio, as not willing to appear behind hand in their
alacrity tor Cefar, viz. Jambjicus the ruler, and Ptolen-y his
ion, and Tholomy the fon of Sohcmus. who dwelt at mount
Libanus, and almoft all the cities. So Mithndates u arched
out ot Syria, and came to Pelufium ; and when its inhabitants
would not admit him he befieged the city. Now Antipnu :v
fignalized him fell' here, and was the fiift who plucked di.\vn
a part of the wall, and fo opened a w^y to the reft, whereby
they might enter the city, and by this means Pelufium was
taken : But it happened that the Egyptian Jews, who dwelt in
ihe country called Onion, would nol let Antipater and M.th-
ridates, with their foldicrs. pafs to Cefar, biit Antipater per-
iuaded them to come over to their party, becaufe he was ot
the fame people with them, and that chiefly by Ihewing them
the epiftlesot Hyrcanus the high prieft, wherein he exhorted
them to cultivate friendfhip with Ce'ar, and to fupply his ar-
my with money, and all forts ot provisions which they want-
ed : And accordingly when they faw Antipater and the high
priell ot the fame ientiments, they did as they were defiled.
And when thelews about Memphis heard 'hat thefe Jews were
come over to Cefar, they alfo invited Mithridates, to ceme lo
them ; lo he came and received them alfo into his army.
2. And when Mithridates, had gone over all Delta, as the
place is called, he came to a pitched battle with the enemy,
near the place called the Jewifh Camp. Now Mithridates had
the right wing, and Antipater the left ; and when it came to a
fight, that wing where Mithridates was gave way, and was
likely to fuffer extremely, unlefs Antipater had come running
to him with his own foldieis along the fhore, when he had al-
ready beaten the enemy that opppfed him : So he delivered
Mithndates, and put thofe Egyptians who had been too hard
Chap. VIII.] ANTIQUITIES OF THE JEWS. IJJ
for him, to flight. He alfo took their camp and continued in
the pur uit ot tsiem. He allo recalled Mithridates, who had
been worried, and was retired a great way off; of wbofe fol-
diers eight hundred tell, but ot Aiuipater's fitly. So Mithri-
dates lent an account ot this battle to Ceiar, and openly de-
clared, that Antipater was the author oi this victory, and of
his own prefervation, infomuch that *Jelar commended Anti-
pater then, a..d made ufe ot him all the reft ot that war in the
moll hazardous undertakings: He happened allo to be wound-
ed in one ot thofe engagements.
3. However, when Celar, alter fome time, had finifhed that
w.ir, and was failed away trom Syria, he honoured Antipater
greatly, and confirmed riyrc-inus in thehigli pricliaojd ; and
beftowd on Antipater the privileges ot a citizen ot Rotne, and
a freedom trom taxes every where : And it is reported by ma-
ny, that Hyrcanus went along with Antipater in this expedi-
tion, and came himfelt into E^ypt. And Strabo of Cappado-
CM dears wunefs to this, when he fays thus, in the name ok
Afinius : " After Mithndates had invaded Egypt, and with
him Hyrcanus the high prieft ot the Jews." Nay, the fame
Strabo fays thus agam, in another place, in the name ot Hyp-
iici cites, tiiat " Mithridates at nrft went out alone, but that An.
tipater, who had the care ot the Jewilh affairs, was called" by
him to Afkelon, and that he had gotten ready three thoufand
foidjers to go along with him, and encouraged other gover-
nors ot the country to go along with him alio ; and that Hyr-
canus tue nig'i prieft, was alfo preient ia this expedition."
This i^ what Strabo fays.
4 But Antigonus, the fon of Ariflobulus, came at this time
to Cefar, a:id ' lamented has tather's late ; and complained,
that it was by A rj tipater's means that Ariftobulus was taken off
by poifon, and his brother was beheaded by Scipio, and defir-
ed that lie would take pity of him who had been ejected out
of that principality which was due to him." He alfo accuf-
ed Hyrcanus and Autipater as governing the nation by vio-
lence, and offering injuries to himfelt. Antipater was prefeiit
and made his delence as to the accufations that were iaid a-
gainft him. He demonflrated, that " Antigonus and his party
were given to innovation, and were feditious perfons. He al-
fo put Cefar in mmd what difficult fervice* he had undergone
when he aflifted him in his wars, and difcourfed about what
Jie was a wimeis ot himfelf. He added that Ariftohuius was
juflly can icd away to Rome, as one that was an enemy to the
Romans, and could never be brought to be a triend to them,
and that his brother had no more than he deferred from Sci-
pio, as being feized in committing robberies ; and that thig
-puniihment was not infli6ted on him in a way of violence or
injuftice by him that that did it."
5. When Antipaier had made this fpeech, Cefar appointed
Hyrcanus to be high prieft ; andjgave Antipater what princi-
34 ANTIQUITIES OF THE JEWS. [Book XIV.
pality he himfelt fhould choofe, leaving the determination to
himfelt : So he made him procurator of Judea. He alfo gave
Hyrcanus leave to raife up the walls ot his own city, upon his
afkmg that favour of him, for they had been demolilhed by
Pompey. And this grant he fent to the confuls to Rome, r .:>
be engraven in the capitol. The * decree ot the fehate was
this that follows : " Lucius Valerius, the fon of Lucius the
pretor, referred this to the fenate, upon the idesot Dec-mber,
in the temple ot Concord. There were prefent at the writing
of this decree Lucius Coponius, the fon of Lucius of the Col-
line tribe, and Papirtus of the Ouirine tribe, concerning the
affairs which Alexander the fon of Jalon, and Nutnenius t'.e
fon of Amiochus, and Alexander the fon of Dofitheus, ambaf-
iadors ot the Jews, good and worthy men. propoled, who c.ime
to renew that league of good-will and friendlhip with the Ro-
mans which was in being before. They alfo brought a Ihield
of gold, as a mark of confederacy, valued at fifty thoufand
pieces of gold ; and defired that letters might be given them,
directed both to the free cities and to the kings, that their
country and their havens might be at peace, and that no one
among them might receive any injury. It therefore pleafed
[the fenate] to make a league of Friendship and good-will wrli
them, and to bcliow on them whatsoever they Hood in need
of, and to accept ot the fhield which was brought by them.
This was done in the ninth year of Hyrcanus the high-prieft
and ethnarch, in the month Panernus." Hyrcanus alfo receiv-
ed honours from the people of Athens, as having been ufeful
to them on many occafions. And when they wrote to him,
they fent him this decree, as it here follows: " Under the
prutaneia and priellhood ol Dionyfius* the fon of Efculapius,
on the fifth day ot the latter part of the month Pancmus, this
decree of the Athenians was given to their commanders, when
Agathocles was archon, and Eucles, the fon of Menander of
Ahmufia, was the fcnbc. In the month Munychion, on the
eleventh day ot the Prutaneia, a council of the prefidents was
held in the theatre. Dosotheus the high-priefl. and -the fellow
prefidents with him, put it to the vote ot the people. Diony-
fius, the fon of Dionyfius, gave the fentence : Since Hyrcan-
us, the fon ot Alexander, the high-prieft and ethnaftcji of the
Jews, continues to bear good-will to our people iri general,
* Take Dr. Hudfon's note upon this place, which I fuppofe to be the truth :
' Here is fome na'take in jofephus : For when he had promiled us a decree for
the reftoration of jt-rula'em, he brings in a decree of far greater antiquity, and that
a league of friendfhip and union only.. One may eafily believe that Joiephus gave
oHer for one thing, and his amanuenhs performed another, by tranfpoling decrees
that concerned the Hyicani, anc! as deluded by the fameneis of their names ; tor that
belongs to lhtjir/l hi^h prirlt of this name, [John Hyrcanus. 1 which )of phus
here alcribes to one that lived later, [Hyrcanus, the ion of Alexander janneus ]
However, the decrees which he propoles to fet down follows a little lower, in the
eolle&ion of Roman decrees, that concerned the Jews, and is that dated when C-
iar was conful ths fifth tiuie.." See chap. x. $ 5.
Chap. IX.] AXTIQUTIES OF THE JE\VS. l$<$
and to every one of our citizens in particular, and treat them
with all forts of kindnefs ; and \vhen any of the Athenians
eometo him, either as ambafladors, or on any occafionot their
o'vn, he receives them in an obliging manner, and fees that
they are conduced back in fatety, of which we have had fev-
eral former teftimonies, it is now alfo decreed, at the report ot
Theodofius, the fon ot Theodoras, and upon his putting the
people in mind ot the virtue of this man and that his purpofe
is to do us all the good that is in his power, to honour him
with a crown of gold, the ufual reward according to the law,
an<l to erect his ftatue in brafs in the temple of Demus, and of
the graces ; and that this prefent o f a crown (hall be proclaim-
ed publicly in the theatre, in the Dionyfian (hews, while the
new tragedies are acling ; and in the Panathenean and Eleufm-
ian, and Gymnical (hews alfo ; and that the commanders fhall
take care, while he continues in his tricndlhip, and preferve*
hi 1 good- will to us, to return all poflible honour and favour to
the man tor his affeilron- and generofity ; that by this treatment
it may appear how our people receive the good kindly, and
repay fhem a fuitab-le reward ; and he may he induced to pro-
ceed in his afFeftion towards us, by the honours we have al-
ready paid him. That ambafladors be alfo chofen out of all
the Athenians, who lhall carry this decree to him, and defire
him to accept of the honours we do him, and to endeavour al-
ways to be doing fome good to our city." And this {hall fuf-
fice us to have fpoken as to the honours that were paid by the
Romans and the people ot Athens, to Hyrcanus.
CHAP. IX.
How Antipater commuted the care of Galilee to Herod, and
that of Jerusalem to Phafadus : As alfo, how Herod, upon
the. Jews envy at Antipater, was accufed before Hyrcanus,
I. 1VTOW when Caefar had fettled the affairs of Syria, he
1 il failed away ; And as (con as Antipater had conduft-
ed Caefar out of Syria, he returned to ludea. He then imme-
diately raifed up the wall which had been thrown down by
Pompey ; and, by coming thither, he pacified that tumult
which had been in the country, and this by both threatening
and advifing them to be quiet : For that, " If they would be
o f Hyrcanus's fide, they would live happily, and lead their
lives without diilurbance, in the enjoyment of their own pol-
leflions ; but it they were addicted to the hopes ot what might
come by innovation, and aimed to get wealth thereby they,
mould have him a fevere rnaftcr, inltead of a gentle governor,
and Hy rcanus a tyrant, inltead of a king, and the Romans, to-
gether with Caefar, their bitter enemies, inftead ot rulers, for
that they would never bear him to be fet afide whom they had
1^5 ANTIQUITIES OF TiiS JEWS. [Book. XIV.
appointed to govern " And when Antipater had faid this to
them, he himTelt fettled the affairs ot this country.
2. And feeing that Hyrcanus '.SMS pt a flow and flothful
temper, he made Phafaelus, his eldeit Ton, governor of Jerufa-
lem, and of the places that were about it, but committed Gali-
lee to Herod, his next fon, who was then a very young man,
for he was but *fifreen yearsof age : But that youth of his
was no impediment to him ; but as he was a yout i of great
mind, heprefently met with an opportunity ot figiulizing his
courage : For finding that there was one Hezekias. a captain
of a band of robbers, wno overran the neighbouring parts of
Syria, with a great troop ofithem, he feized him. and Hew him,
as well as a great number of the other robbers that were with
him ; for which aft ion he was greatly beloved by the Syrians,
for when they were very defirous to have their country freed
from this neft of robbers, he purged it of them : So they 'ung
Tongs in his commendation in their villages and cities, as hav-
ing procured them peace, and the 'ecure enjoyment of their
poffeifions ; and on this account it was that he became known
to Sextus Caefar, who was a relation of the great Caefar's, and
was now prefident of Syria. Now Phaiaelus, Herod's broth-
er, was moved with emulation at his attions, and envied the
fame he had thereby gotten, and became ambitious not to be
behindhand with him in deferving it : So he made the inhab-
itants of Jerufalem bear him the greateft good will whil^ he
held the city himfelf, but did neither manage its affairs improp-
erly, norabufe his authority therein. This conduct procured
from the nation to Antipater fuch refpeH as is due to kings,
and fuch honours as he might partake of if he were an abfolute
lord of the country. Yet did not this fplendor of his. as fre-
quently happens in the leaft diminilh in him thatkindnefs and
fidelity which he owed to Hyrcanus.
3. But now the principal men among the Jews, when the} 1 -
faw Antipater and his fons to grow fo much in the good will
the nation bear to them, and in the revenues which they receiv-
ed out ot Judea ; and out of Hyrcanus's own wealth they be-
came ill difpofed^to him : For indeed Antipater had contract-
ed a friendfhip with the Roman emperors ; and when he had
prevailed with Hyrcanus to fend them money, he took it to
himfelf, and purloined the prefent intended, and (em i f . as if it
xvere his own, and not Hyrcanus's gift to them. Hyrcanus
heard of this his management, but took no care about it, nay,
he rather was very glad of it : But the chief men ot the Jews
* Thofe who will eareful'y obfme iho fcveral occafional numbers and chrono-
logical character? in the life and death ot this Herod, and of his children, hereafter
noted, will fee, that twenty five years, and not ftjietn mnft for certain have been he-e
Jofephus's own number for thea^eof Herod, when be was made governor of Gal-
ilee. See chap, xxiii. *- 5. and ch. xxiv. ^ 7 a:;d particularly Antiq. B ^VVII. ch.
viii. ^ i. Vol. II. whereabout 44 ysars afterwards Herod dies an old man at
abaut 70.
Chap. IX. ] ANTIQUITIES OF THE JEWS. 137
were therefore in fear, becaufe they faw that Herod was a vi-
olent and bold man, and veiy defirousof acting tyrannically ;
fo they came to Hyrcanus, and now accufed Antipater open-
ly, and faid to him, " How long wilt thou be quiet under
fuch actions as are now dune ? Or doft thou not fee that An-
tipater and his foris have already feizedupoh the government ?
and that it is only the name of a king which is given thee r*
But do not thou fuffer theie things to be hidden from thee ;
nor do thou think to el cape danger, by being fo carelefs ot
thyfelf and of thy kingdom ; lor Antipater and his fons are
not now ifewards of thine affairs : Do not thou deceive thy-
fc.lf with luch a notion, they aie. evidently abiolute lords; for
Herod, Antipator's fon, hath flairi Hezekiah and thofe that
were with him, and hath thereby tranfgreffed our law, which
hath forbidden to flay any man, even though he were a wick-
ed man, uniefs lie had been mil * condemned to fuffer deatb
Ly the tanhedrmi ; yet hath lie been fo infolent as to do this,
and that without any authority from thee."
. 4. Upon Hy-i caiius's hearing this, he complied with them.
The mothers aiio of thofe that had been flain by Herod raifeci
his indignation ; lorthele women continued every day in the
temple, perfuadnig the king, and the people, that Herod
/night undergo a trial before the fanhedrim for what he had
lone. Hyrcanus was fo moved by thefe complaints, that he
iumrnoned Herod to come to his trial, for what was charged
upon him. Accordingly he came ; but hii father had perlua-
<!ed him to come not like a private man, but with a guard, for
the fecurity ot his pciion ; and that when he had fettled theaf-
lairs of Galilee in the bell manner he could for his own advan-
tage, he fhould come to his trial, but ftill with a body of mert
fuificient for his fecurity on his journey, yet fo that ne fhould
wot come with fo great a force as might look Hke terrifying
Hyrcanus, but fliil fuch an one as m'ght not expofe him nak-
ed and unguarded [to his enemies!. However, Sextus C;e-
far, prefident of Syria, wrote to Hyrcanus, and defired him
lo clear Herod, and difrmfs him at his trial, and threatened
him before lund, if ho did" not do it. Which epiflL' of hia
Wastlie occation ot Hyicanus's delivering Herod trom (ufTer.
ing any harm from the fanhedrim, for he loved him as hia
dwn fon. hut when Herod ilood before the fanhedrim, WitU
his body of men about him, he anrighted them ail, and no
one of his foru;er accufers durft after that bring a:,y cliar'ge a-
gainii him, but there v/xs a deep filence, and no body knew
* It is here wurth our while to remark, inat iioi e could be put to death in Ju-
dta but by the appro hat'ioil <;1 il'.v; jev, i(Ji l;.i.hediin), tr.tir tcing ai. excellent pn;-
viii'uii in the law ci r\L,;ti, that e'.ui in i.ri'minal csules. and particularly where fit*
^as COi)Ceilid, an p.^cai Hi. ul.'. He iH..m the k'.f r councils t-f icven in the c^ther
itits, so t-heiuprcuc council (.1 icyenty-i.ne at jcrutali-m. And ibis is exactly
according to our ^a\ n,ur : words, when he lays, .; -.uuld net It that u t'ro^'.^j..u.d
ftri/k out </ feruj^!;/}.^ Luke xiti. .^ ,.
VOL. JI. S
135 ANTIQUITIES OF THE JEWS. [Book XIV..
What was to be done. When affairs flood thus, one whofe
name xvas * Sameas, a righteous man he was, and tor that rea-
(bn above all fear, who role up, and faid, " O you that are
affeffors with me, and O thou that art our king, I neither have
ever myfelf known fuch a cafe, nor do I fuppofe th*t any one
of you can name its parallel, thae one who is called to take
his trial by us ever flood in fuch a manner before us ; but ev-
ery one, whofoever he be, that comes to be tried by this
fanhedrim, prefents himfelf in a fubmiffive manner, and like
one that is in fearot bimfelt, aud that endeavours to move us
to companion, with his hair difhevelled, and in a black and
mourning garment : But this admirable man Herod, who is
accufed ot murder, and called to anfwer fo heavy an accufa-
tion, Hands here clothed in purple, and with the hair of his
head finely trimmed, and with his armed men about him, that
if we ihall condemn him by our law, he may flay us, and by
overbearing juftice may himfelt efcape death. Yet do not I
make this complaint againft Herod himfelf ; he is to be lure
more concerned tor himfelt than tor the laws; but my com-
plaint is againft yourfelves, and your king, who give him a
licenfe fo to do. However, take you notice, that God is
great, and that this very man, whom you are going to abfolve
and difmii's, tor the lake of Hyrcanus, wil! one day punifh
both you and your king himfelf alfo." Nor did Sameas mi f-
take in any part of this prediction : For when Herod had re-
ceived the kingdom, he flew all the membersof this fanhedrim,
and Hyrcanus himfelf alfo, excepting Sameas, tor he had a
great honour for him on account of his righteoufnefs, and be-
caufe, when the city was afterward befieged by Herod and So-
fius, he perfuaded the people to admit Herod into it ; and told
them, " That for their fins they would not be able to efcape
his hands." Which things will be related by us in their pro-
per places.
5. But when Hyrcanus faw that the members of the fanhe-
drim were ready to pronounce the fentenee of death upon
Herod, he put off the trial to another day, andfent privately to
"Herod, and advifed him to fly out of the city, for that by this
means, he might efcape. So he retired to Damafcus, as though
he fled trom the king : And when he had been with Sextus
Ciefar, and had put his own affairs in a furepofture, he refolv-
ed to do thus, that in cafe he were again fummoned betore the
fanhedrim to take his trial, he would not obey that fummons.
Hereupon the members ot the fanhedrim had great indignation
at thispofture of affairs, and endeavoured to perfuade Hyrca-
nus, that all thefe things were againft him. \Vhich ftate of
matters he was not ignorant ol; but his temper was fo un-
manly, and fo foolifti, that he was able to do nothing at alL
But when Sextus had made Herod general oi the army of Ce-
* This account, as Roland obfcrves, is confirmed by the Talmudifts, who call
this ?amea?, Simeon tin Jon c
Chap. X.] ANTIQUITIES OF THE JEWS. 139
lefyria, for lie fold him that poft for money, Hyrcanus was in
fear left Herod mould make war upon him : Nor was the et-
fed of what he feared long in coming upon him, for Herod
came, and brought an army along with him, to fight with Hyr-
canus, as being angry at the trial he had been fummoned to
undergo before the lanhedrim : But his father Antipater, and
his hrotherfPharaelus], met him, and hindered him from afoul-
ting Jerufalem. They alfo pacified his vehement temper, and
perfuaded him to do no overt a -lion, but only to affright them
with threatening*, & to proceed no farther againft one who had
given him the dignity lie had : They alfo defired him not only
to be angry that he was fummoned, and obliged to come to his
trial, but to remember withal, how he was difmiiTed without
condemnation, and how he ought to give Hyrcanus thanks for
the fame, and that he was not to regard only what was difagree-
able to him, and be unthankful for his deliverance. So they
defired him to confider, that fmce it is God that turns the fcales
of war, there is great uncertainty in the i flues of battles, and
that therefore he ought not to expett the vifciory, when he fliould
fight with his king, and him that haf fupported him, and be-
flowed many benefits upon him, and had done nothing itfelf
very fevere to him ; for that his accufation, which was deriv-
ed from evil counfellors, and not from himfelf. had rather the
fufpicionoi fome feverity, than any thing really fevere in it,
Herod was perfuaded by thefe arguments, and believed that it
was fufficient for his future hopes to have made a fhew of his
ftrength before the nation, and done no more to it : And in
this ftatewere the affairs of Judea at this time.
CHAP. X.
The honours that mere paid the Jews ; and the Leagues that
\ were made by the Romans, and other nations, with, them.
i. "jVfOW when Caefar was come to Rome, he was ready
1M to fail into Africa to fight againft Scipio and Cato,
when Hyrcanus Cent ambaiFadors to him, and by them defired
that he would ratify that league of friendfrrip and mutual alli-
ance which was between them. And it feems to me to be ne-
ceffary here to give an account of all the honours that the Ro-
mans and their emperors paid to our nation, and of the leagues
of mutual afliftance they have made with it, that all the reft of
mankind may know what regard the kings of Afia and Europe
have had to us, and that they have been abundantly fatisfied
of our courage and fidelity ; for, whereas many will not be-
lieve what hath been written about us by the Perfians and Ma-
cedonians, becaufe thofe writings are not every where to be
met with, nor do lie in public places, but among us ourfelves
and certain other barbarous nations, while there is no contra-
?4o ANTIQUITIES or TKE jEV.^s. [Book XIV.
diftion to be made againft the der.ree? of the Romans, for they
are laid up in the public places of the cities, ^nd are extant ftill
in the capitol, and engraven upon pillars ot brafs; nay, be-
fides this, Julius Caefar made a pillar of brafs for the Jews at
Alexandria, and declared publicly that they were citizens ot
Alexandria. Out ot thefe evidences will I demon (Irate what
I fay ; and will now fet down the decrees made both by the.
fenate, and by Julius Caefar, which relate to Hyrcanus, and
to our nation.
2. "Caius Julius Caefar, imperator and high prieft. and dic-
tator the fecond time, to the magiftrates fenate, and people
of Sidon, fendeth greeting : It you be in health it is well.
1 alfo, and the army are well. I have fent you a copy
of that decree, regiitered on the tables, which concerns
Hyrcanus, the fon of Alexander, the high pried and eth-
narch of the JTews, that it may he laid up among the public re-
cords ; and I will that it he openly propofed in a ta'ile of brafs,
both in Greek, and in Latin. It is as follows : 1 Julius Ca*-
far, imperator the iecond time, and high pnetl, have made this
Decree, with the approbation of the fenate : Whereas Hyrca-
nus, the fon ot Alexander the few, hath demonilrated his fidel-
ity and diligence about our affairs, and this both now and in for-
jner times, both in peace, and in war, as many ot our gen.~r.il*
have borne witnefs, and came to our afiiihmce in thelart ^.Al-
exandrian war with rmeen hundred loldi^r? ; and when he was
fent by me to Mithridates, fhewed him'elt hiperior in valour to
all the reft of that army : For thcle reafons I will, that Hyrra-
nus, the fon ot Alexander, and bis children, be ethnarchfiof
the Jews, and have the high prielthood of the Jews for ever
according to the cuftoms of their forefathers, and that he and
1) is fons be our confederates; and that befides this, every one
of. them be reckoned among our particular friends. I a!(o or-
dain, that he and His children retain whatfoever privileges be-
long to the oftice of high prieft, or whatfoever favours have
been hitherto granted them. And if at any time hereafter there
arifeany quefhons about the Jewiih cuftoms, I will that L de-
termine the fame. And 1 think it not proper that they Humid
be obliged to rind us winter quarters, or that any money fliould
be required of them."
3. " The decrees of Caius Cefar, conful, containing what
liath been granted and determined, are as follows : That Hyr-
canus and his children bear rule over the nation of the j'.-ws,
and have theprofits,of the places to them bequeathed ; and that
he as himfelf the high-prielt and ethnarch ot the Jews, defend
thofe that are injured. And that ambaffadors b.e lent to Hyr-
canus the fon ot Alexander, the liigh-priell of the Jews that
may difcourfe with him about a league of friendmip and mu,-
* That Hyrcanus wns lnmfelf in Egypt, along with Antipatcr. at t!ii< time.
t.n whom accordingly the bold and prudent aftivons of his deputy Anti pater nf'- l-f.i
afcribed, as this decree of Julius Caefar fuppofes, we are farther a'Turcci by !!'.
tfftimony of Strabo, aheady produced byjoicphus, chap, viii ^ .
CliSp. X. ANTIQUITIES OF THE JEWS.
tnal afiflance, and that a table of brafs. containing the
fes, be openly propofed in the capitol, and at Sidr.n, and Tyre,
and Afkelon, and in the temple, engraven in Roman and Greek
letters : That this decree may alfo be communicated to the
quellors and pretors of the feveral cities, and to the friends ot
the jews ; And that the aTihafTadors may have prefents made
them, that thefe decrees be fent every where "
4. " Caius Cefar, imperator, dictator, conful, hath granted
That out of regard to the honour and virtue, and kindnefs of
the man, and for the advantage -t the ienate, and of the people
ot Rome, Hyrcanns, the fon of Alexander, both he and hia
children be high-priefts and priefts of Jerufalem, and of the
Jewifh nation, by the fame light, and according to the fame
Jaws, by which their progenitors have held the priefthood."
f } . '.' Caius Cefar, conful the fifth time, hath decreed, That
the Jews fhall pofTefs Jerufalem, and may cncompafs that
rity with walls ; and that Hyrcanus, the fon of Alexander, the
high pried and ethnarch of the Jews, retain in the man-
ner he himfelf pleafes ; and that the Jews be allowed to de-
dud out of their tribute every fecond year the land is let [in
the iab'.iatic period] a corns of that tribute, and that the trib-
ute they pay he not let to farm, nor that they pay always the
fame tribute/'
6. " Caius Cefar, imperator the fecond time, hath ordained,
That all the country ot the Jews, excepting ]oppa, da pay a
tribute yearly for the city Jerufalem, excepting the feventh,
which they call the Sabbatical year, because thereon they nei-
ther receive the fruits of their trees, nor do they fow their
lind ; and that they pay their tribute in Sidon on the fecond
}^ear [ot that Sabbatical period,] the fourth part ot what was
iown : And befides this, they are to pay the fame tithes to
Hyrcanus and his fons, which they paid to their forefathers.
And that no one, neither prefident, nor lieutenant, nor ambaf-
fador, raife auxiliaries within the bounds of Judea. nor my
foldiers exaft money of them tor winter quarters, or under
any other pretence, but that they be free from all forts pf
injuries : And that whatfoever they fhall hereafter have, and
are in poflefTion ot, or have bought, they (hall retain them ;jll.
It is alfo our pleafure, that the city Joppa, which the Jews
had originally, when they made a leugue ot friendfbip wifh
the Romans, (hall belong to them, as it formerly di<3, and that
Hyrcanus, the fon of Alexander, and his fons, have as tribufe
of that city from thofe that occupy the land for the country,
and for what they export every year to Sidon, twenty thou-
fand, fix hundred and feventy-five modii every year, the fev-
enth year, which they call the Sabbatic year, excepted, where-
on they neither plough, nor receive the producl of theif trees.
It is alfo the pleafure of the fenate, that as to the villages
which are in the great plain, which Hyrcanus and his toreta-
thers formerly poflefled, Hyrcanus and the Jews have thern
141 ANTIQUITIES OF THE JEWS. [Book XIV.
with the fame privileges with which they formerly had them
alfo, and tbat the fame original ordinances remain ftill in
force, which concern the Jews, with regard to their high-
priefts ; and that they enjoy the fame benefits which they have
had formerly by the conceffion of the people, and of the fen-
ate ; and let them enjoy the like privileges in Lydda. It is the
pleafure alfo of the fenate, that Hyrcanus the ethnarch, and the
Jews, retain thofe places, countries, and villages, which be-
longed to the kings of Syria and Phenicia, the confederates of
the Romans, and which they had bellowed on them as their
free gifts. It is alfo granted to Hyrcanus, and to his fons,
and to the anbaffadors by them fent to us, that in the fights
between fingle gladiators and in thofe with beads, they Ihall
fit among the fenators to fee thofe (hews ; and that when they
defire an audience, they mall be introduced into the fenate by
the diftator or by the general of the horfe ; and when they
have introduced them, their anfwers fhall be returned them
in ten days at the fartheft, after the decree of the fenate i
made about their affairs."
7. " Caius Cefar, imperator, dilator the fourth time, and
conful the fifth time, declared to be perp.tual dictator, made
this fpeech concerning the rights and privileges of Hyrcanus
the fon of Alexander, the high-pried and ethnarch of the Jews.
Since thofe * imperators that have been in the provinces be-
fore me have borne witnefs to Hyrcanus, the nigh pried of
the Jews, and to the Jews themfelves, and this before the fen-
ate and people of Rome, when the people and fenate return-
ed their thanks to them, it is good that we now alfo remember
the fame, and provide that a requital be madeto Hyrcanus, to
the nation of the Jews, and to the fons of Hyrcanus, by the
fenate and people" of Rome, and that fuitably to what good
will they have ihewn us, and to the benefits they have bellow-
ed upon us."
8. "Julius Caius, pretor [~conful] of Rome, to the magif-
frates, Senate, and people of the Parians, fendeth greeting : The
Jews of Delos, and fome other Jews that fojourn there, in the
.prefence of your ambaffadors, fignined to us, that by a decree
of yours, you forbid them to make ufe of the cufioms of their
forefathers, and their way of facred worfhip. Now it does
not pleafe me, that fuch decrees mould be made againd our
friends and confederates, whereby they are forbidden to Jive
according to their own cudoms, or to bring in contributions,
for common fuppers, and holy fedivals, while they are not
forbidden fo to do even at Rome itfelt ; for even Caius Cefar
our imperator and confui, in that decree wherein he forbad the
Bacchanal rioters to meet in the city, did yet permit thefe
* Dr. Hudfon juftly fuppofes, that the Roman imperators, or generals of ar-
trues, meant uoth here and 2. who gave teflimony to Hyrcanus's and the Jews
faithfulnefs and good will to the Romans before the fenate and p.-ople of Rome,
Vere principally Pompey. Scaurus, and Gabinius : Of ail whom Jofephui bad
already given us the hiltory, fo far as the Jews were concerned with them.
Chap. X.] ANTIQUTIES Of THE JEWS. 1$$
Jews, and thefe only, both to bring in their contributions,
and to make their common Cuppers. Accordingly, when I
forbid other Bacchanal rioters I permit thefe Jews to gather
themfelves together, according to the cufloms and laws of
their forefathers, and to perfift therein. It will be therefore
good for you, that if you have made any decree againft thefe
our friends and confederates, to abrogate the fame, by reafon
of their virtue, and kind difpofition towards us."
9. Now aHer Caius was flain, when Marcus Antonius, and
Publius Dolabella, were confuls, they bothaflembled the fen-
ate, and introduced Hyrcanus's ambafladors into it, and dif-
courfed ot what they defired, and made a league of friendfhip
with them. The fenate alfo decreed, to grant them all they de-
fired. I add the decree itfelf, that thole who read the prefent
work, may have ready by them a demonftration of the truth
ot what we fay : The decree was this :
10. " The decree of the fenate, copied out of the treafury,
from the public tables belonging to the queftors, when Quin-
tus Rutilius and Caius Cornelius were queftors, and taken
out of the feoond table of the firft clafs, on the third day be-
fore the ides of April, in the temple of Concord. There
were prefent at the writing of this decree, Lucius Calpurnius,
Pifo'of the Mencnian tribe, Servius Papinius Potitus of the
Lemonian tribe, Caius Caninius Rebilius of the Terentine
tribe, Publius Tidetius, Lucius Apulinus, the fon ot Lucius,
of the Sergian tribe, Flavius, the fon of Lucius, ot the Lemo-
nian tribe, Publius Platius, the fon ot Publius ot the Papyrian
tribe, Marcus Acilius, the fon ot Marcus, of the Mecian tribe,
Lucius Erucius, the fon of Lucius, ot the Stellatine tribe,
Marcus Quintius Plancillus, the fon of Marcus of the Pol-
Han tribe, and Publius Serius. Publius Dolabella, and Mar-
cus Antonius, the confuls, made this reference to the fenate,
that as to thofe thing* which by the decree of the fenate,
Caius Cefar had adjudged about the Jews, and yet haw not hi-
therto that decree brought into the treafury, it is our will, as
ft is alfo the defrre of Publius Dolabella, and Marcus Antonius,
our confuls to have thefe decrees put into the public tables,
and brought to the city queftors, that they may take care to
have them put upon the double tables. This was -done before
the fifth of the ides of February, in the temple ot Concord.
Now the ambafTadors from Hyrcanus the high-prieft were
thefe, Lyfimachus the fon ot Paufanius, Alexandei the fon of
Theodorus, Patroclus the fon of Chereas, and Jonathan the
ion of Onias."
11. Hyrcanus fent alfo one of thefe arnbaffadors to Dolabel-
la, who was then the preteft of Afia, and defired him to dimifs
the Jews from military fervices, and to preferve to them the
cuftoms of their forefathers, and to permit them to live accord,
ing to them. And when Dolabella had received Hyrcanus's
letter, without any farther deliberation, he fentanepiflk to all
J44 ANTIQUITIES OK i H JEVvS. [Book.
the Afhtics, and particularly to the city ot the EpheHans, the
Metropolis ot Alia about the Jews ; a copy of which epiitlu
here follows :
12. " When Ar'ernori was prytanis on the firft day of the
month Leneoh, Dola'sella iinperator to the fenate, and magif-
trates, and people ot the Ephefians fen.deth greeting : Alex-
ander, the fon ot Theodoras, the ambaffador ot Hyrcanus, the
fon oi Alexander the high-prieii and ethnarchof the Jews, ap-
peared before me, to fhew that his countrymen could not go
into their armies, becaufe they are not allowed to hear arms,
or to travel on the Sabbath days, nor there to procure them-
ielves thofe forts ot food which they have been ufed to eat from
the times of their forefather* ; I do therefore grant them a free-
dom trom going into the army, as the former prefects have
done, and permit them to ufe the cullorns of their forefathers,
in afFerabling together for facred and religious purpofes, as
their law require;, and for collecting oblations neceifiry for
facrifices : And my will is that you write this to the fevcral
cities under your jurildiction."
13. And thefe were the concefhons that Dolabel la trade to
our nation, when Hyrcanus fent an embafTage to him. But
Lucius the conful's decree run thus : " 1 have at my tribunal
fet thefe Jews, who are citizens of Rome, and follow the |ew-
iih religious rites, and yet live at Ephefus, free from going into
the army, on account of the fuperftition they are under. This
was done before the twelfth, of the calendsol October, when Lu-
cius Lentulus and Caius Marcellus, were confuls in the pref-
ence ot Titus Appius Balgus. the fon of Titus, and lieuten-
ant of the Horaticiu tribe, of Titus Ton^ius, the fon of Titus
oi the Cruftarmne tribe, of Quimus Reiius, the fon ot Quin-
tus, of Titus Pompeius Longmus. the fon of Titus, ot Caiui
Servilius, the Ion of Caius ot the Terentine tribe, of Bracciiu^
the military tribune, of Publius Lucius Gallus, the fon of Pu-
blius ot 'the Veturian tribe, of Caius Sentius, the fon ot Caius
ot the Sabbatine tribe, of Titus Atilius Bulbus, the fou of
Titus, lieutenant and vice pretor, to the magillrates, fenate,
and people of the Ephefians, iendeth greeting : Lucius Lentu-
lus die conful freed the Jews that are in Afia from going into
the armies at my intercellion tor them. And when I had made
the fame petition iometime afterward to Phanius the imperator,
and to Lucius Antonius the vice queftorl I obtained that privi-
legeof themalfo; and my willis, that you. takx; carethatnu
one give them any difiurhance."
14. The decree of the Delians. " The anfwer of thepretors,
when Beotus was archon, on the twentieth day ot the month
Thargeleon, while Marcus Pifo the lieutenant lived in our
city, who was alfo appointed over the choice of the foldiers,
he called us, and many other of the citizens, and gave order,
that if there be here any Jews, who are Roman citizens, no
crieis to give them any diiturbancc about going into the ar-
Chap. X.] ANTIQUTIES OF THE JEWS. 145
my, becaufe Cornelius Lentulus the conful freed the Jews
from going into the army, on account of the fuperftition they
are under ; you are therefore obliged to fubmit tothepretor."
And the like decree was made by the Sardians about us alfo.
15. " Caius Phanius, the fon of Caius, imperator and con-
ful, to the magiftrates ot Cos, fendeth greeting : I would have
you know that the ambaffadors of the Jewj have been with
me, and defired they might have thofe decrees which the fen-
ate had made about them ; which decrees are here fubjoined.
My will is, that you have a regard to, and take care of thefe
men, according to the fenate's decree, that they may be fately
conveyed home through your country.",
1 6. The declaration of Lucius Lentulus the conful: " I
have difmiffed thofe Jews who are Roman citizens, and who
appear to me to have their religious rites, and to obfervc the
laws of the Jews at Ephefus, on account of the fuperflition'
they are under. This aci was done before the thirteenth of
the calends of Otlober."
17. " Lucius Antonius, the fon of Marcus, vice queflor,
and vice pretor, to the magiftrates, fenate, and people of the
Sardians, fendeth greeting : Thofe Jews that are our fellow-
citizens ot Rome, came to me, and demonftrated that they
had an aflembly of their own, according to the laws of their
fore-fathers, and this from the beginning, as allo a place of
their own, wherein they determined then 1 fuits and controver-
fies with one anothor : Upon their petition therefore to me,
that thefe might be lawful for them, I give order that thefe
their privileges be preferred, and they be permitted to do ac-
cordingly."
18. The declaration of Marcus Publius, the fon of Spuri-
Us, and of Marcus the fon ot Marcus, and of Lucius the fon
of Publius : " We went to the proconful, and informed him.
of what Dofitheus, the fon of Cleopatrida of Alexandria defir-
ed, that, if he thought good, he would difmifs thofe Jews who
were Roman citizens, and were wont to obferve the rites ot
the Jewifh religion, on account of the fuperftition they were
under. Accordingly he did difmifs them.. This was done
before the thirteenth of the calends of October."
19. *' In the month Quimilis, when Lucius Lentulus and
Caius Marcellus were confuls ; and there were prefent Titus
Appius Balbus, the fon of Titus, lieutenant of the Horatian
tribe. Titus Tongius of the Cruftumine tribe, QuintusRefi-
us the fon of Quintus, Titus Pompeius the Ion ot Titus, Cor-
nelius Longinus, Caius Servilius Bracchus, the fon ot Caius',
a military tribune, ot the Terentine tribe, Publius Clufius
Callus, the fon ot Publius, of the Yeoman tribe, Caius Teu-
tius the fon ot Caius, a military tribune, of the jEmilian tribe.
Sextus Atilius Serrannus, the fon of Sextus, ot the Efquiline
tribe, Caius Pompeius the fon of Caius, of the Sabbatine tribe,
Titus Appius Menander, the fon of Titus, Publius Serviliu*
VOL. II, T
J4& ANTIQUITIES OP THE JEWS. [Book XIV,.
Strabo, the fon of Publius, Lucius Paccius Capito, the fon of
Lucius, of the Colline tribe, Aulus Furius Tertius, the Ton of
Aulus, and Appius Menas. In the prefence of theie it was
that Lentulus pronounced this decree : I have before the tri-
bunal difmiffed fhofe Jews that are Roman citizens, and are
accuftomed to obferve the facred rites of the Jews at Ephefus,
on account of the fuperftkion they are under."
20. "The magistrates of the Laodiceans to Caius Rubilius,
the fon ot Caius, the conful fendeth greeting : Sopater, the
ambaiiador ot Hyrcanus, the high-prieft, hath delivered us an
epiftle from thee, whereby he lets us know, that certain am-
bafTauors were come from Hyrcanus, the high-prieft. of the
jews, and brought an epifUe written concerning their nation,
wberem they defirethat the Jews may be allowed to obferve
their Sabbaths, and other facred rites, according to the laws
of their forefathers, and that they may be under no command,
btcauie they are our friends and confederates, and that nobo-
dy may injure them in our provinces. Now although the
1 rallians there prefent contradifted them, and were not plea-
led with thefe decrees, yetdidft thou give order that they
fhould be obferved, and in formed ft us that thou hadit been
clefired to write this to us about them. ^/Ue therefore, in obe-
dience to the injnnclions we have received from thee, have
received theepiftle which thou femcft us, and have laid it up
by itielf among our public records. And as to the other
tilings about which thou didft fend to us, we will take care
that no complaint be made againft us."
21. " Publius Servilius, the fon of Publius, of the Galban
tijbe, the proconful to the magistrates, fenate, and people of
the Milefians, fendeth greeting : Prytanes the fon of Hermes,
a citizen of youns, came to me when 1 was at Tralles, and;
held a court there, and informed me that you ufed the Jews
in a way different from my opinion, and forbade them to ce-
lebrate their Sabbaths, and to perform the facred rites received
from their forefathers, and to manage the fruits of the land,
according to their ancient cuftom, and that he had himfelf
been the promulger of your decree, according as your laws
require : I Would therefore have you know, that upon hear-
ing the pleadings on both fides, 1 gave fentence that the Jews
fhould not be prohibited to make uTe of their own cuftoms."
22. The decree of thofe of Pergamus. When Crafippus
wasprytanis, on the nrft day of the month Defius, the decree
of the pretors was this : " Since the Romans, following the
conduct of their aHceftors, undertake dangers tor the common
fatety of ail mankind, and are ambitious to fettle their confed-
erates and friends in happinefs, and in firm- peace, and fince
the nation of the Jews, and their high-prieft Hyrcanus, fent
as ambaffadors to them, Strato, the fon of Theodatus, and
Apollcnius, the fon of Alexander, and Eneas, the fon of An-
tipater, and Ariftobulus, the fon of Amyntas, and Soiipater ?
Chap. X. ANTIQUITIES OP THE JEWS. 147
the (on of Philip, worthy and good men, who gave a particu-
lar account of their affairs, the fenate thereupon made a de-
cree about what they had defired ot them, that Antiochus the
king, the fon ot Antiochus, fhould do no injury to the Jews,
the confederates ot the Romans ; and that the fortreffes, and
the havens, and the country, and whatfoever elfe he had ta-
ken from them, fhould be reftored to them ; and that it may
be lawful for them to export their goods out ot their own ha-
vens ; and that no king nor people may have leave to export
any goods, either out of the country ot Judea, or out ot their
havens, without paying cuftorns, but only Ptolemy the king
of Alexandria, becaufe he is our confederate and friend : And
that according to their defire, the garrifon that is in Joppa
may be ejefted. Now Lucius Pettius one of our fenators, a
worthy and good man, gave order that we mould take care
that thefe things mould be done according to the fenate's de-
cree ; and that we fhould take care alfo that their ambaffadors
might return home in fafety. Accordingly we admitted The-
odorus into our fenate and afTeinbly, and took the epiftle out
ot his hands, as well as the decree of the fenate : And as he
difcourfed with great zeal about the Jews, and defcribed Hyr-
canus's virtue and generofity, and how he was a benetaflor to
all men in common, and particularly to every body that comes
to him, we laid up the epiftle in our public records ; and made
a decree ourfelves, that fince we alfo are in confederacy with
the Romans, we would do every thing we could for the Jews,
According to the fenate's decree. Theodorus alfo, who brought
the epiille, defired of our pretors, that they would fend Hyr-
canus a copy ot that decree, as alfo ambaffadors to fignify to
him the affection of our people to him, and to exhort them to
preferve and augment their friendship for us, and be ready to
peftow other benefits upon us, as juftly expecting to receive
proper requitals trom us ; and defiring them to remember that
our* anceftors were friendly to the Jews even in the days of
Abraham, who 'vas the father of all the Hebrews, as we have
alfoj found it fet down in our public records "
23. The decree of thofe of Halicarnaffus. When Merrmon
* We have here a moft remarkable ar.d authentic atteftation of the citizens of
Pergamus, that Abraham was the father of all the Hebrews ; that their owa ar.:ef.
tors were, in the oldeft time, the friends of thote Hebrews ; and that the public afts
of their city, then extant, confirmed the fame ; which evidence is too flrong ta be
evaded by our prelent ignorance of the particular orcafion ot fuch an-ient triend-
fhip and alliance between thofe people. See the like full evidence of the kindred
of the Lacedemonians and the Jews; and that becauie they were both thj poiterity
of Abraham, by a public epiftle of thofe people the Jews, preferved in the firft
book of the Maccabees xii. 19, 23. and thence by Jofephus, Antiq B. XII. rh
iv. ^ :o both which authentic records are highly valuable It is alfo well woithy
of obfervation, what Mofes Choronenus. the principal Armenian hiftorian, informs
us of, p. 33 that Ariaces, who raifed the Parthian Empire, was of the feed of
Abraham by Chetura ; and that thereby was accomplimed that prediction wl.lot;
laid, kings of nations Jhall proceed from thee, Gen. xvii, 6
14$ ANTIQUITIES OF THE JIM'S. [Book XIV.
the fon of Oreftidas by defcent, but by adoption of Eunony-
inus, was prieft, on the * * * day of the month Arifterion, the
decree of the people, upon the rcprefentation of Marcus Al-
exander, was this : " Since we have ever a great regard to pi-
ety towards God, and to holinefs and fince we aim to follow
the people of the Romans, who are the benefaftorsof all men,
and what they have written to us about a league of friendfhip
and mutual affiitance between the Jews and our city, and that
their lacred offices, and accuftomed feffivals and affemblies
may be obferved by them, we have decreed, that as many men
and women of the Jews as are willing fo to do, may celebrate
their Sabbaths, and perform their holy offices, according to the
Jewifh laws ; and may make their profeuchae at the fea fide,
according to the cultoms ot their forefathers ; and it any one,
whether he be a magiftrate or private perfon, hindereth them
from fo doing, he (hall be liable to a fine, to be applied to the
ufes of the city."
1 24. The decree of the Sardians. This decree was made by
the fenate and people, upon the reprefentation of the pretors':
' Whereas thole Jews who are our fellow-citizens, and live
with us in this city, have ever had great benefits heaped upon
them by the people, and have come now into the fenate, and
defired of the people that upon the restitution of their law, and
their liberty, by the fenate and people of Rome, they may af-
femble together according to their ancient legal cuftom, and
that we will not bring any fuit againft them about it ; and that
a place may be given them where they may have their con-
gregations, with their wives and children an.d may offer, "as
did their forefathers, their prayers and facrifices to God : Now
the fenate and people have decreed to permit them to aflemble
together on the days iormerly appointed, and to act according
to their own laws ; and that fuch a place be fet apart for them
by the pretors, for the building and inhabiting the fame, as
they fhall elleem fit for that purpofe : And that thole that take
care of the provisions for the city, fhall take care that fuch
iorts of food as they efleem fit for their eating, may be import-
ed into the city."
25. The decree of the EpheGans. When Menophilus was
prytanis, on the fir ft day of the month Artemifius, this decree
was made by the people : " Nicanor the fon of Euphemu*.
pronounced it, upon t'he reprefentation of the pretors. Since
the Jews that dwell in this city have petitioned Marcus Julius
Pompeius, the fon of Brutus, the proconful, that they might
be allowed to obferve their Sabbaths, and to aclin all things
according to the cufloms of their forefathers, without impedi-
ment from any body, the pretor 'hath granted their petition.
Accordingly, it was decreed by the Seriate and people, that in
this affair that concerned the Romans, no one of them fhould
be hindered from keeping the Sabbath-day, nor be fined for
Chap. XL] ANTIQUITIES OF THE JEWS. 145
fo doing, but that they may be allowed to do all things accord-
ing to their own laws."
26. Now there are * many fuch decrees of the fenate and
imperators of the Romans, and thofe different from thefe be-
fore us, which have been made in favour of Hyrcanus, and of
our nation ; as alfo, there have been more decrees of 'the ci-
ties and refcripts of the pretors, to fuch epiftles as concerned
our rights and privileges : And certainly fuch as are not ill
dilpofed to what we write, may believe that they are all to this
purpofe, and that by the fpecimens which we have inferred ;
tor fince we have produced evident marks that may ftill be
feen, of the friendfhip we have had with the Romans, and de-
monftrated that thofe marks are engraven upon columns and
tables of brat's in the capitol, that are ftill in being, and pre-
fervedto this day, we have omitted to fet them all down, as
needlefs and difagreeable ; for I cannot fu t /pofe any one io
perverfe as not to believe the friend'hip we have had with the
Romans, while they have demonftrated the fame by fuch a
great number of their decrees relating to us ; nor will they
doubt ot our fidelity as to the reft ot thofe decrees, fince we
have (hewed the fame in thofe we have produced. And thai,
have we fufficientiy explained that friendihip and confedera-
cy we at thofe times, had with the Romans.
CHAP. XI.
How f Marcus fucceeded Sextus when he had beenjlain by Baf-
juis treachery ; and how, after the Death ofCafar, CaJJius
came into Syria, and dijlrejjed Judea ; as alfo, how Mahchus
Jlew Antipater, and was himjdfjlain by Herod.
I. "V[OW it fo fell out, that about this very time theaffairs
IN of Syria were in great diforder, and this on the oc,
cafion following : Cecilius Baffus, one of Pompey's party,
laid a treacherous defign againft Sextus Caefar, and flew him]
and then took his army, and got the management ot publiq a
fairs into his own hand ; fo there arofe a great war about Apa-
mia, while Caefar's generals came againft him with an army of
horfemen and footmen : To thele Antipater alfo fent fuccours,
* If we compare Jofcphus's promife in i, to produce all the public decrees of
the Romans in favour of the Jews with his excufe here for omitting many of them,
we may obferve, that when he came to tranfcribe all thole decrees he had collected,
he found them fo numerous that he thought he mould too much tire his readers if
he had attempted it, which he thought a fufficient apology for his omitting the reft
of them ; yet do thofe by hhn produced afford fuch a ftrong confirmation to his
hiftory, and give fuch great light to even the Roman antiquities themlelves, that I
believe the curious are not a little forry for fuch his omissions.
+ For Marcus, the prefident of Syria, fent as fucceiTor to Sextus Cifar, the Ro-
man hiftorians. require us to read Marcus in Jofephus, and this perpetually, both in
thefe Antiquities, and in his hiftory Of the War, as the learned generally agree.
150 ANTIQUITIES OF THE JEWS. [Book. XIV,
and his fpns with them, as calling to mind the kindnefles they
had received from Csefar, and on that account he thought it
but juft to require puni(hment tor him, and to take vengeance
on the man that had murdered him. And as the war was drawn
out into a great length, Marcus came from Rome to take Sex-
tus's government upon him ; but Czefar was flain by Caffius
and Brutus in the fenate-houfc, after he had retained the gov-
ernment three years and fix months. This facl:, however, is
related elfewhere.
2. As the war that arofe upon the death of Cajfar was now
begun, and the nrinpipal men were all gone, fome one way,
and fome another, to raife armies, Caffius came from Rome
into Syria, in order to receive the [army that lay in the] camp
at Apamia ; and having raifed the fiege, he brought over both
Baffus and Marcus to his party. He then went over the cities,
and got together weapons and foldiers, and laid great taxes up-
on thofe cities ; and he chiefly oppreljed Judea, and exacted
of it feven hundred talents : But Antipater when he faw the
Itate to be in (o great confirmation and diforder, he divided
the collection of that fum, and appointed his two Ions to gath-
er it ; and fo that part of it was to be exacted by Malichus,
who was ill-difpofed to him, and part by others. And becaufe
Herod did exafct what is required of him from Galilee before
others, he was in the greateft favour with Caffius ; for he tho't
il a part of prudence tp cultivate a friendfhip with the Romans,
and to gain their good-will at the expence of others ; whereas
the curators of the other cities, with their citizens, were fold
for flaves ; and Caffius reduced four cities into flavery, the
two mofl potent of which were Gophna and Emmaus ; and,
befides thefe, Lydia and Thamna. Nay, Caffius was fo very
angry at Malichus. that he had killed him, (for he affaulted
him,) had not Hyrcanus, by the means of Antipater, fent him
an hundred talents oi his own, and thereby pacified his anger
againft him.
3. But after Caffius was gone out of Judea, Malichus laid
fnares for Antipater, as thinking that his death would be the
prefervation of Hyrcanus's government : But his defign was
not unknown to Antipater, which when he perceived, he re-
tired beyond Jordan, and got together an army, partly of A-
rabs, and partly of his own countrymen. However, Malichus
being one of great cunning, denied that he had laid any
fnares for him, and made his defence with an oath, both to
himfelf and his fans ; and laid, (hat while Phafaelus had a gar-
rifon in Jerufalern, and Herod had the weapons of war in his
cuftody, lie could never have a thought of any fuch thing.
So Antipater, perceiving the diflrefs that Malichus was in,
was reconciled to him, and made an agreement with him :
This was when Marcus was prefident ot Syria ; who yet pej-
ceiving that this Malichus was making a dillurbance in Judea,
Chap, XI.] ANTIQUITIES OF THE JEWS. 15!
proceeding fo far that he had almoft killed him, but ilill at the
mterceffiori of Antipater he faved him.
4. However Antipater little thought that by faving Mali-
chus, he had iaved his own murderer ; for, now Caffius and!
Marcus had together an army, and intruded the entire careot
it with Herod, and made him general of the forces of Celefy-
ria, and gave him a fleet of (hips, and an army of horfemen and
footmen : And promifed him, that alter the war was over,
they would make him k'ing of Judea, for a war was already-
begun between Antony and the younger Caefar : But as Mal-
ichus was mod afraid of Antipater, he took him out of the
way ; and by the offer of money, perfuaded the butler of Hyr-
canus, with whom they were both to feaft, to kill him by poi-
fon. This being done, and he having armed men with him,
fettled the affairs of the city. But when Antipater's fons, Her-
od and Phafaelus, were acquainted with this confpiracy againil
their father, and had indignation at it, Malichus denied all,
and utterly renounc^ any knowledge of the murder. And
thus died Antipater, a man that had di ft ingui filed himfelf for
piety and juflice, and love to his country. And whereas one
of his fons, Herod, refolved immediately, to revenge their
father's death, and was coming upon Malichus with an army
for that purpofe, the elder of his Ions Phafaelus, thought it beft
rather to get this man into their hands by policy, left they
mould appear to begin a civil war in the country ; fo he ac-
cepted of Malichus's defence tor himfelf, and pretended to be-
lieve him that he had had no hand in the violent death of An-
tipater his father, but erefted a fine monument for him. Her-
od alfo went to Samaria ; and when he found them in great dif-
trefs, he revived their fpirits, and compofed their differences.
5. However, a little after this, Herod, upon the approach ot
a feftival, came with his foldiers into the city ; whereupon
Malichus was affrighted, and perfuaded Hyrcanus not to per-
mit him to come into the city. Hyrcanus complied; and for
a pretence of excluding him alleged, that a rout of ftrangers
ought not to be admitted when the multitude were purifying
themfelves, But Herod had little regard to the meffengers that
were fent to him, and entered the city in the night ti-me,, and af-
frighted Malichus ; yet did he remit nothing of his former dif-
fimulation, but wept for Antipater, and bewailed him as a friend
'of his with a loud voice: But Herod and his friends thought
it proper not openly to contradift Malichus's hypocrify, but to
give him tokens of mutual iriendfhip, in order to prevent hi
fufpicion of them.
6. However, Herod fent to Caihus, and informed him of
the murder of his father ; who knowing what fort of man Mal-
ichus was as to his morals, fent him back word, that he fheuld
revenge his father'sdeath ; andaHo fent privately, to the com-
manders ot his army at Tyre, with orders to afiiit Herod in the
:cution of a very jutt dcfign of his. Now when Caffius had
15* ANTIQUITIES OF THE JEWS. [Book XFV\
taken Laodicea, they all went together to him, and carried him
garlands and money : And Herod thought that Malichus might
be pumfhed while he was there ; but he was fomewhat appre-
henfive ot the thing, and defigned to make fome great attempt,
and becaufe his fon was then an hoflage at Tyre, he went to
that city, and refolved to fteal him away privately, and to march
thence into Judea ; and as Caflius was in hafte to march againfl
Antony, he thought to bring the country to revolt, and to
procure the government for himfelf. But providence oppofed
his counfels ; and Herod being a flirewd man, and perceiving
what his intention was, he fent thither before hand afervantin
appearance indeed to get a fupper ready, tor he had faid before,
that he would feaft them all there, but in reality to the com-
manders ot the army, whom he perfuaded to go out againfl:
MalichUs, with their daggers. So they went out and met the
man near the city, upon the Tea fhore, and (tabbed him. Where-
upon Hyrcanus was fo aftonifhed at what had happened, that
his fpeech faded him : And when after f<Sme difficulty, he had
recovered himfelf, he afked Herod, what the matter could be,
and who it was that flew Malichus ? And when he faid that it
was done by the command of Caffcus, he commended the ac-
tion ; for that Malichus was a very wicked man, and one that
confpiredagainft his own country. And this was the punifh-
mentthat was inflided on Malichus for what he wickedly did
to Antipater.
7 But when CafTius was marched out of Syria, diflurbances
arofe in Judea : For Felix, who was left at Jerufalem with an
army, made a fudden attempt againft Phafeelus, and the people
themielves role in arms ; but Herod went to Fabius, the prefect
of Damafcus, and was defired to run to his brother's afllftance,
but was hindered by a diftemper that feized upon him, till
Phafaelus by himfelf had been too hard for Felix, and had (hut
him up in the tower, and there, on certain conditions, difmiff-
ed him. Phafaelus alfo complained of Hyrcanus, that although
he had received a great many benefits from them, yet did he
lupport their enemies ; for Malichus's brother made many
places to revolt, and kept garrifons in them, and particularly
Mafada, the flrongeft fortrefs ot them all. In the mean time,
Herod was recovered of his difeafe, and came and took from
.Felix all the places he had gotten ; and upon certain conditions,
oifmiffed him alfo,,
Chap. XIL] AtffiQUTiES OF THE JEWS.
CHAP. XII.
Herod fjefls Antigonus, the fon of Arifiobutus, out of jfudea,
and gains the Frisndflup of Antony, who was how come into
Syria by fending him muck money ; on which account he
Zuould not admit of thofe that would have accufed Herod
And what it was that Antony wrote to the. Tyrians of the
Jews.
\ i. jVTOW * Ptolemy, the fon of Mcnneus, brought back
1M into Judo a Antigonus the fon of Ariftobulus, who
had already railed an army, and had, by money, made Fab i us
to be his friend, and this becaufe he was of kin to him. Ma-
rion alfo gave him afliihnce. He had been left by Caflius to
tyrannize over Tyre, for this Caffius was a man that feized on
Syria, and then kept it under, in the way of a tyrant. Marion
slfo marched 'into _ Galilee, which lay in his neighbourhood,
and took three of its iortreffes, and put garrifons into them to
keep them. But when Herod came, he took all from him ;
but the Tynan garrifon he ditmifTed in a very civil manner
nay, to fome of the foldiers he made prefents out of the good
will he bare to that city. Wheii he had difpatched thele af-
fairs, and was gone to meet Antigonus, he joined battle with
him, and beat him, and drove him out of Judea prefently,
when he was juft come into its borders. But when he was
come to Jerufalem, Hyrcanus and the people put garlands a-
bcut his head ; for he had already contracted an affinity with
fhe family of Hyrcanus by having efpoufed a defcendant of
his-, and for that reafon Herod took the greater care of him, a*
being to marry the daughter of Alexander, the fon of Arifto-
bulus, and the grand daughter of Hyrcanus, by which wife he
became the father of three male, and two female children. He
had alfo married before this another wife, out of a lower fam-
ily of his own nation, whofe name was Doris, by whom he
had his eldelt fon Antipater.
2. Now Antonius and Cefar had beaten Caffius near Philip-
pi, as others have related ; but after the yiftory, Cefar went
into Gaul, | Italy] and Antony marched for Afia, who when
he was arrived at Bithynia, he had amballadors that met him
from all parts. The principal men alfo of the Jews came
' In this and the following chapter! the reader will eafily remark, how truly
us obferves, in his notes on the Roman decrees in favour of the Jews,
tfcat their rights and privileges were commonly purchafcd of the Romans with
money. Many examples of this fort, both s-, 'to the Romans, and others in au-
vill occur iu our Jofephus, both now and hereafter, and need not be taken
particular notice of on the feveral occafions in thefe notes. Accordingly the chief
ciptain confedes to .St. Pa;ii, that w;V,4 a great fum k: had ol'tained his freedom. Afts
>.- h-.u St. Paul's Miceftors, very probably, purchafedthe like freed ota foe
:hfir family by monry. as the fame author iuftlv concludes alfo,
VOL. II, U
154 ANTIQUITIES OF THE JEWS. [Book
thither, to accufe Phafaelus, and Herod, and they faid, that
Hyrcanus had indeed the appearance of reigning, but that
thefe men had all the power ; but Antony paid great refpeft
to Herod, who was come to him to make his defence againft
his accufers, on which account his adverfarits could not fo
much as obtain an hearing ; which favour Herod had gained
of Antony by money. But ftill, when Antony was come to
Ephefus, Hyrcanus the high prieft, and our notion fent an
embafTage to him which carried a crown of gold with them,
and defired that he would write to the governors ot the prov-
inces, to fet thofe Jews free who had been earned captive by
Gaffius, and this without their having fought againft him, and
to reftore them that country, which, in the days ot Cafllus,
had been taken from them. Antony thought the Jews defires-
were juft, and wrote immediately to Hyrcanus, and to the
Jews. He alfo lent, at the fame time, a decree to the Tyri-
ans ; the contents of which were to the fame purpofe.
3 " Marcus Antonius imperator, to Hyrcanus the high prieft
and ethnarch of the Jews, fendeth greeting : If you be in
health, it is well ; 1 am alfo in health, with the army. Ly-
fimachus, the fon ot Paufanius, and Jofephus the fon of Men-
neus, and Alexander the fon of Theodorus,your ambafJadors,
met me at Ephefus, and have renewed that embaffage which
they had formerly been upon at Rome and have diligently
acquitted themfelves of the prefent emba i^age, which thou and
thy nation have intruded to them, and have fully declared
the good will thou haft for us. I am therefore fatisfied, both
by your actions, and your words, that you are well diipofed
to us ; and I underftand that your conduct of life is conftant
and religious ; fo I reckon upon you as our own : But when
thofe that were adverfaries to you, and to the Roman people,
and abftained neither from cities nor temples, and did not ob-
ierve the agreement they had confirmed by oath, it was not
only on account of our conteft with them, but on account of
all mankind in common, that we have taken vengeance on
thole who have been the authors ot great inj uftice towards men,
and of great wickednefs towards the gods ; lor the fake ot which
we fuppofe it \v as that the * fun turned away his light from us,
as unwilling to view the horrid crime they were guilty ot in
the. cafe oi Ccfar. We have alfo overcome their confpiracies,
which threatened the gods themfelves, which Macedonia re-
ceived, as it is a climate peculiarly proper for impious and in-
folent attempts ; and we have overcome that confufed rout of
men, halt mad with fpite againft us, which they got together
at Plulippi, in Macedonia, when they feized on theplaces that
* This dauie plainly alludes to lhat well known but unufual and very long dark-
nefs of the Inn, which happened upon the murder ot Julius Caefar by Brutus and
Callus ; which is greatly taken notice of by Virgi!, Pliny, and other Ron-an au-
thors. Sec Y i rail's Georgieks, Book I, juft before the eiid ; and Pliny's Nat. Hift.
B. II. ch. xxx.
XII. ANTIQUITIES OF THE JEWS. 155
were proper for their purpofe, and, as it were, walled them
round with mountains to the very fea, and where the paflage
was open only through a (ingle gate. This victory we gained,
becaufe the go;ls had condemned thefe men tor their wicked
enterprises. Now Brutus, when he had fled as far as Phillip-
pi, was fhut up by us, and became a partaker of the fame per-
dition with C.-iflius ; and now thefe have received their pun-
iflnijeht we ftippo r e, that we may enjoy peace for the time to
corne, and that Afia may be at reft from war. We therefore
make that peace which God hath given us common to our
confederates alfo, infomuch that the body of Afia is now re-
covered out of that diftemper it was under by the means of
our viclory. I, therefore, hearing in mind both thee, and your
nation, ihall take care of what may he tor your advantage. I
have alfo fent epiltles in writing to the feveral cities, thai if a-
ny perlons, whether freemen or bondmen, have been {old un-
der the fpearby Caius Cafiius, or his fabord mate officers, they
may be fet free. And I will that you kindly make ufeof the
favours which I and Dolabella have granted you. I alfo for-
bid the Tyrians to life any violence with you ; and for what
places of the Jews they now pOiTefs, I order them to reftore
them. I have withal accepted of the crown which thou fent-
eft me/'
4. '' Marcus Antonius imperator. to the magiftrates, fenate,
and people of Tyre, fendeth greeting : The ambaffadors ot
Hyrcanus the high priefl andethnarch [of the Jews.] appeared
before me at Ephefus and told me. that you are in poilefTion
of part of their country which you entered upon under the
government of our adverfaries. Since, therefore we have un-
dertaken a war for the obtaining the government, and have
taken care to do what was agreeable to piety and juftice and
have brought to punifhment thofe that had neither any re-
membrance of the kindnelles they had received nor have kept
their oaths, I will that you be at peace with thofe that are our
confederates ; asaHo that what you have taken by the means
of our adverfaries (hall not be reckoned your own, but be re-
turned to thofe from whom you took them ; for none of them
took their provinces or their armies by the gift ot the fenate,
but they leizedthemby force, and bellowed them by violence
upon fuch as become ufeful to them in their unjuft proceed-
ings. Since, therefore, thofe men have received the punilh-
ment due to them, we defire that our confederates may retain
whatfoever it was that they formerly poiTelled without dif-
turbance. and that you reftore all the places which belong to
Hyrcanus the ethnarch of the Jews which you have had, tho'
it were but one day before Caius Caflius began an unjuftifia-
ble war againft us, and entered into our province; nor do you
ufe any force againft him, in order to weaken him, that he
may not be able to difpofe of that which is his own, but if you
have any conteft with him about your refpelive rights, it
156 ANTIQUITIES OF THE JEWS. [Book XIV.
fhall be lawful for you to plead your.caufe when we come
upon the places concerned for we (hall alike preferve the
rights, and hear all the caufes of our confederate's."
5. " Marcus Antonius imperator, to the magiftrates, fenate,
and people of Tyre fendeth greeting : I have lent you n:y
decree, of which I will that, ye take care that it be engraven
on the public tables, in Roman and Greek letters, and that if
ftand engraven in the mod illultrious places that it may be
read by all." Marcus Antonius, imperator, one of the tri-
urnverate over the public affairs, made this declaration : "Since
Caius Caffius in this revolt he hath made, ruth pillaged that
province which belonged not to him, and was held by garri-
fons there encamped, while they were our confederates, and
hath fpoiled that nation of the Jews that was in frieii
With the Roman people, as in war ; and fince we have over-
come his madneis by arms, we now correct by our decrees
and judicial determination what he hath laid waftc, that thofe
things may be reftored to our confederates. And as tor what
hath been fo!d of the Jewiih poffeilions, whether they be bo-
dies or pofleilions let them be releafed the bodies into that
Jtate of freedom they were originally in, and the poffeflions
to their former owners. I alfo will, that he who mail nor
comply with this decree of mine, (hall be puniflied for his <uf-
obedience ; and if fuch an one. be caught, I will take care
that the offenders fuffer condign punifhment."
6. The fame thing did Antony write to the Sidonians, and
the Antiochians, and the Aradians. We have produced
decrees, therefore, as marks tor futurity of the truth of wha.t
we have faid, that the Romans had a great concern about ou;
nation.
CHAP. XIII.
flow Antony made Herod and Phafae.lus Tetrarcks, after they-
had been accufed to no purpofc ; andkmu the Parthians, when
they brought Antigonus into Judea, took Hyrcanus and Pha-
faelus captives. Herod's flight ; and what afflidions IlyrcA*,
nus and Phafaelus endured.
$ I. T X 7HEN after this Antony came into Syria, Cleopa-
VV tramethimin Cilicia, and brought him to tall
in love with her. And there came now alfo an hundred of
the moft potent of the Jews to accufe Herod and thofe about
him, and fct the men of the greatcft eloquence among them to
fpeak. But MefTala contradicted them, en behalf of the young
men, and all this in the prefenceoi Hyrcanus, who was * Her-
* We may her? take notice, that efpnvfah alone were of old efleemed a Cuff cient
foundation for affinity Hyrcanus being here called father-in-law to Herod,
bis grand-daughter Mariamne was betrothed to him, although the man ia^.
ot completed till four yeirs afur-.yard. See Matt i. Ife
Chap. XIII.] ANTIQUITIES OF THE JEWS. Iff
cd's father-in-law already. When Antony had heard both
fides at Daphne, he afked Hyrcanus who they were that gov-
erned the nation beft ? He replied, Herod and his friends.
Hereupon Antony, by reafon of the old hofpitable friendihip
he had made with his lather [Antipater], at that time when he
was with Gabinius, he made both Herod and Phafaelus te-
trarchs, and committed the public affairs of the Jews to them,
and wrote letters to that purpofe. He alfo bound fifteen of
fheir adv rfaries, and was going to kill them, but that Herod
*btained their pardon.
2. Yet did not thefe men continue quiet when they were
come back, but a thoufand of the Jews came to Tyre to meet
him there, whither the report was that he would come. But
Antony was corrupted by the money which Herod and his
brother had given him, and fo he gave order to the governor
of the place to punifli the Jewifh ambafladors, who were for
making innovations, and to fettle the government upon Her-
od : But Herod went out haftily to them, and Hyrcanus was
with him 'for they flood upon the Ihore before the cityj, and
he charged them to go their ways, becaufe great mifchief would
befal them if they went on with their accufation. But they
did not acquielce : Whereupon the Romans ran upon them
with their daggers, and Hew fome, and wounded more of them,
and the reft fled away, and went home, and lay flill in great
conflernation : And when the people made a clamour againfl
Herod, Antony was fo provoked at it that he Ikw the pnfon-
rs.
3. Now, in the fecond year, Pacorus, the king of Parthia's
fon, and Barzapharnes, a commander of the Part hians, poflef-
fed themfdves of Syria. Ptolemy, the. fon of Menneus, alfo
was now dead, and Lyfanias his fon took his government, and
made a league of friendfhip with Antigonus, the fon of Arif-
tobulus ; and in order to obtain it, made ufeot that comman-
der who had great intereft in him. Now Antigonus had
promifed to give the Partisans a thoufand talents, and five
hundred women, upon condition they would take the govern-
ment away from Hyrcanus, and bellow it upon him, and
withal kill Herod. And although he did not give them what
he had promifed, yet did the Parthians make an expedition in-
to Judea on that account, and carried Antigonus with them.
-Facorus went along the maratime parts, but the com-
mander Barzapharnes, through the midland. Now the Tyri-
ans excluded Pacorus, but the Sidonians, and thole of Ptole-
jnais, received him. However, Pacorus fent a troop of horfe-
men into Judea, to take a view of the Hate of the country,
and to aflnl Antigonus ; and fent alfo the king's butler, ot
the fame name with himfelf. So when the Jews that dwelt a-
bout mount Carmel came to Antigonus, and were ready to
inarch with him into Judea, Antigonus hoped to get fome
part of the country by their affifiance. The place is callei
158 ANTIQUITIES OF THE JEWS. [Book. XIV,
Drymi; and when fome other came and met them, the men
privately fell upon Jerufalern ; and when fome more were
come to them, they got together in great numbers, and came
againft the king's palace, and befieged it. But as Phafaelus's
and Herod's party came to the other's affiftance, and a battle
happened between them in the market-place, the young men
beat their enemies, and purfued them into the temple, and fent
fome armed men into the adjoining houfes, to keep them in,
who yet being deftitute of fuch as Ihould fupport them, were
burnt, and the houfes with them, by the people who rofe
up againft them. But Herod was revenged on thefe feditious
adverfaries of his a little afterward for this injury they had of-
fered him, when he fought with them, and flew a great num-
ber of them.
4. But while there were daily fkirmifhes, the enemy waited
for the coming of the multitude out of the country to Pente-
coft, a fealt o\ ours fo called : And when that day was come,
many ten thoufandsof the people were gathered together about
the temple, fome in armour, and fome without. Now thofe
that came, guarded both the temple and the city, excepting
what belonged to the palace, which Herod guarded with a few
of his foldiers ; and Piialaelus had the charge of the wall, while
Herod, with a body of his men, fallied out upon the enemy,
who lay in the fuburbs, and fought courageoufly, and put ma-
ny ten thouiands to flight, fome flying into the city, and fome
into the temple, and fome into the outer fortifications, lor fame
fuch fortifications there were in that place. Phafaelus came
alfo to his afliftance ; yet was P<tcorus, the genera! ot the Par-
thians, at the defire ot Antigonus, admitted into the city, with
a tew of his horfevncn, under pretence indeed as it he would
ftill the fedition, but in reality to affiit Antigonus in obtaining
the government. And when Phafaelus met him, and received
him kindly, Pacorus perluaded him to go himfelf as ambafla-
dor to Barzapharnes, which was done fraudulently. Accor-
dingly, Phafaelus, fufpecHng no harm, complied with hii
propofal, while Herod did not give hisconfentto what was done,
becaufe of the pen'idioufnefs of thefe Barbarians, but defired
Phafaelus rather to fight thole that were come into the city.
5. So both Hyrcanus and Phafaelus went on the embaffage;
but Pacorus left with Herod two hundred horfemen, and ten
men, who were called, The freemen ; and conducted the oth-
ers on their journey ; and when they were in Galilee, the
governors of the cities there met them in their, arms. Bar-
zapharnes alfo received them at the firft with cheerfulnefs,
and made them prefents, though he afterward confpired againft
them; and Phafaelus, with his horfemen were conducted to
ihe fea fide : But when they heard that Antigonus had prom-
ifed to give the Parthians a thoufand talents, and five hundred
women, to a (lift him, ngainfl them, they foon had a fufpicion
of die Barbarians. Moreover, there was one who ini@rnie4
Chap. XIII.] ANTIQUITIES OF THE JEWS. 15$
them that fnares were laid for them by night, while a guard
came fecretly, and they had then been feized upon, had not
they waited for the feizure of Herod by the Parthians, that
were about Jerufalem, left, upon the (laughter of Hyrcanu*
and Phafaelus, be fhould have an intimation of it, and efcape
out of their hands. And thefe were the circumflances they were
now in ; and they faw who they were that guarded them. Some
perfons indeed would have perfuaded Phafaelus to fly away im-
mediately on horfeback, and not Hay any longer ; and there was
one Ophellius who, above all the reft was earneft with him to do
io, for he had heard of this treachery from Saramalla, the richeft
of all the Syrians at that time, who alfo promifed fo provide
him mips to carry him off; for the Tea was juft by them : But
he had no mind to defert H-yrcanus, nor bring his brother into
danger ; but he went to Barzapharnes, and told him, he did
j}ot act juftiy when he made fuch a contrivance againft them,
for that if he wanted money, he would give him more than
Antigonus ; and befides, that it was an horrible thing to flay
thofe that came to him upon the fecurity of their oaths, and
that when they had done them no injury. But the Barbarians
fwore to him, that there was no truth iu any of his fufpicions,
but that he was troubled with nothing but falle propofals, and
then went away to Pacorus.
6. But as foon as he was gone away, fome men came and
bound Hyrcanus and Phafaelus, while Phafaelus, greatly re-
proached the Parthians for their perjury. However, that but-
ler who was fent againft Herod had it in command to get him.
without the wails of the city, and feize upon him ; but meffen-
gers had been fent by Phafaelus to inform Herod of the per-
fidioufnefs ot the Parthians : And when he knew that the en-
emy had feized upon them, he went to Pacorus, and to the
mod potent otthe Parthians, as to the lords of the reft, who,
although they knew the whole matter, diffembled with him in
a deceitful way ; and faid, " That he ought to go out with
them before the walls, and meet thofe which were bringing
him his letters, tor that they were not taken by his adverfaries,.
but were coming to give him an account of the good fuccefs
Phafaelus had had." Herod did not give credit to what they
faid ; for he had heard that his brother was feized upon by oth-
ers alfo : And the daughter ot Hyrcanus, whole daughter he
had efpoufed, was his monitor alfo [riot to credit them, J which
made him ftill more fufpicious ol the Parthians, tor although
other people did not give heed to her, yet did he believe her,
as a woman of very great wifdom.
7. Now while theParthians were in confultation what was
fit to be done ; for they did not think it proper to make an o-
pen attempt upon a perfon of his character; and while they
put off the determination to the next day, Herod was under
great difturbance of mind, and rather inclining to believe the
reports he heard about his brother and the Parthians, than t
l66 ANTIQUITIES O? THE JBWS. [Book XIV.
give heed to wh.it was faid on the other fide, he determined, that
when the evening came on, he would make ufe ot it tor
his flight, and not make any longer delay as it the dangers
from the enemy were not, yet certain. He therefore removed
with the armed men whom he had with him: And fet hi$
wives upon the h calls, as a!fo his mother, and fifter, and her
whom he was about to marry, [Mariamne] the daughter ot
Alexander, the Con of Ariftobulus, with her mother, the daugh-
ter of Hyrcanus, and his yonngeft brother, and ;>11 their fei v-
ants, and the reft of the multitude that was with him, and
without the enemies privity purfued his way to Idumea : Nov
could any enemy of his, who then faw him in this cafe be ib
hard hearted, but would have cornmiferatedhis fortune, while
the women drew along their infant children, and left their own
country, and their friends in prifon, with tears, in their eyes
and faid lamentations, and in expectation of nothing but what
was of a melancholy nature.
8. But for Herod himfelf, he raifed his mind above the mif-
crable ftate he was in, and was of good courage in the midffc
of hismisfortunes ; and, as he palled along, he bid thern'every one
to be of good cheer, and rfot to give themfelves up to lorrow,
becaufe that would hinder them in their flight, which wasnow
the only hope of fafety that they had. Accordingly they tried to
bear with patience the calamity they were under, as he exhort-
ed them to do ; yet -was he once almoft going to kill himfelf,
upon the overthrow of a waggon, and the danger his mother
was then inot being killed, and this on two accounts, becaufe
of his great concern for her, and becaufe he was afraid left,
by this delay, the enemy mould overtake him in the purfuit;
but as he was drawing his fword, and going to kill himfelf
therewith, thofe that were prefent reflramed him and being
fo many in number were too hard for him ; and told them, that
he ought to defert them and leave them a pray to their ene-
mies, for that it was not the part of a brave man to free himfelf
from the diftreffes he was in, and to overlook his friends that
were in the fame diftreffes alfo. So he was compelled to let
that horrid attempt alone ; partly out of fhame at what they
faid to him, and partly out of regard to the great number of
thofe that would not permit him to do what he intended. So he
encouraged his mother, and took all the care of her the time
would allow, and proceeded on the way he propofed to go
with the utmoft hafte, and that was to the fortrefs of Mafada.
And as he had many fkirmi(hcs with fuch ot the Parthians as
attacked him, and purfued him he was conqueror in them all.
9. Nor indeed was he free from the Jews all along as he
was in his flight ; tor by that time he was gotten fixty furlongs
out ot the city, and was upon the road, they fell upon him,
and fought hand to hand with him, whom they alfo put to flight,
and overcame, not like one that was in dilirefs, and in neceffi-
ty, but like one that was excellently prepared tor war, and had
Chap. XllI.J ANTIQUITIES 0? THE JE\VS, i6l
what he wanted in great plenty. And in this very place where
he overcame the Jews it was that he fome time afterward
built a moft excellent palace, and a city round about it, and
called it khr odium. And when he was come to Idumea, at a
piace called ThreJJa* his brother Jofeph met him, and he then
held a council to take advice about all his affairs, and what
was fit to be done in his circumftances, fince he had a great
multitude that followed him, befides his mercenary foldiers,
and the place Mafada, whither he propofed to fly, was too
fmall to contain lo great a multitude ; fo he lent away the
greater part of his company, being above nine thoufand, and
bid them go, fome one way, and fome another, and fo fave
themfeives in Idumea, and gave them what would buy them
provifions in their journey ; but he took with him thofe that
were leaft incumbered, and were moft intimate with him, and
came to the fortrefs, and placed there his wives, and his fol-
lowers, being eight hundred in number, there being in the
place a fufricient quantity of corn and water, and other necef-
faries, and went directly for Petra, in Arabia. But when it
was day, the Parthians plundered all Jerufalem, and the pal-
ace, and abstained from nothing but Hyrcanus's money, which
was three hundred talents. A great deal of Herod's money
efcaped, and principally all that the man had been fo provi-
dent as to (end into Idumea betore-hand : Nor indeed did what
was in the city fuffice the Parthians, but they went out into
the country, and plundered it, and demohihed the city Marif-
fa.
10. And thus was Antigomis brought back into Judea, by
the king of the Parthians, and received Hyrcanus and Phafae-
lus tor his prifoners ; but he was greatly caft down becaufe
the women had efcaped, whom he intended to have given the
enemy, as having promifed they fhould have them, with the
money, tor their reward : But being afraid that Hyrcanus,
who was under the guard of the Parthians, might have hi*
kingdom reftored to him by the multitude, he cut off his ears,
and thereby took care that the high priefthood fhould never
come to him any more, becaufe he was maimed, while the **
law required that this dignity fhould belong to none but fuch
as had all their members entire. But now one cannot but here
admire the fortitude of Phafaelus, who perceiving that he was
to be put to death, did not think death any terrible thing at all,
but to die thus by the means of his enemy, this he thought a
moft pitiable and dishonourable thing, and therefore, fince he
had not his hands at liberty, but the bonds he was in, prevent-
ed him from killing himfelt thereby, hedafhed his head againft
a great ftone, and thereby took away his own lite, which he
thought to be the belt thing, he could do in fuch a diftrefs aa
This law of Mofes, that the prkfts were to b withntt lltmijh, a* t* all & P art *
Qf their bodies, is in Lev it. xxi. 17, 2^.
VOL. II W
102 ANTIQUITIES OF THE JEWS. [Book XIV,
he was in, and thereby put it out of the power of the enemy to
bring him to any death he pleaft-d. It is alfo reported, that
when he had made a great wound in his head, Antigonus fent
Phyficians to cure it, and by ordering them to infufe poifoa
into the wound, killed him. HI wever, Phafaelus hearing, be-
fore he was quite dead, by a certain woman, that his brother
Herod had efcaped the enemy, underwent his death cheer r ul-
ly, fince he now leit behind him one who would revenge his
death, and who was able to inflift punilhinent on his enemies.
CHAP. XIV.
Hew Herod got away from the King of Arabia , and made najh
to go into Egypt, and thence went in hajle aljo to Rome ; and
how, by promying a great deal of Money to Antony, he ob-
tained of the, Senate, and .<?/ Cafar to be. made King of the
Jews.
$ i. A S for Herod, the great miferies he was in did not dif-
jT\ courage him, but made him fharp in difcovering
furprifing undertakings ; for he went to Malchus, king of A-
yabia, whom he had formerly been very kind to, in order to
receive fomewhat by way of requital, now he was in more than
ordinary want of it, and defired he would let him have fome
money, either by way of loan, or as his free gift, on account
of the many benefits he had received from him, for not know-
ing what was become of his brother, he was in hafte to redeem
him out of the hand of his enemies, as willing to give three
hundred talents for the price of his redemption. He alfo took
with him the fon of Phafaelus, who was a child of but feven
years of age for this very reafon that he might be an hoftage
for the repayment of the money : But there came meffengers
from Malchus to meet him, by whom he was defired to be
gone, for that the Parthians had laid a charge upon him not to
entertain Herod. This was only a pretence, which he made
ufe of that he might not be obliged to repay him what he ow-
ed him ; and this he was farther induced to, by the principal
men among the Arabians, that they might cheat him of what
fums they had received from [his father] Antipater, and which
he had committed to their fidelity. He made anfwer, that he
did not intend to be troubleiome to them by his coming thith-
er, but that he defired only to difcourfe with them about cer-
tain affairs that were to him of the greateft importance.
2. Hereupon he refolved to go away, and did go very pru-
dently the road to Egypt ; and then it was that he lodged in a
certain temple, for he had left a great many of his follower*
there. On the next day he came to Rhinocolura, and there
it was'that he heard what was befallen his brother. Though.
Malchu* foon repented of what he had done, and came run-
Chap. XIV.] ANTIQUITIES or THE JEWS. 163
ning after Herod, but with no manner of fuccefs, for he was
gotten a very great way off, and made hafte into the road to
Pelufium ; and when the ftationary fhips that lay there hinder-
ed him from failing to Alexandria, he went to their captains,
by whofe afkftance, and that out of much reverence of and
great regard to him, he was condu6ied into the city [Alexan-
dria, j and was retained there by Cleopatra, yet wa^ me not a-
bleto prevail with him to flay there, hecaufe he was making
haite to Rome, even though the weather was ftormy, and he
was informed that the affairs of Italy was very tumultuous,
and in great diibrder.
3. So he fet fail from thence to Pamphylia, and falling into
a violent ftorm, he had much ado to efcape to Rhodes, with
the lofs of the Ihip's burden ; and there it was that two ot his
friends, Sappinas and Ptolemeus met with him : And as he
found that city very much damaged in the war againft Caffius,
though he were in necefli'y himlelf, he negletied not to do it
a kindnefs, but did what he could to recover it to its former
flate. He alfo built there a three decked fhip, and fet fail
thence, with his friends, for Italy, and came to the port of
Brundufium : And when he was come from thence to Rome,
he firft related to Antony what had befallen him in Judea, and
how Phafaelus his brother was feized on by the Paithians, and
put to death by them,. and how Hyrcanus was detained cap-
five by them, and how they had made Antigonus king, who
had promifed them a fum ot money, no lefs than a thoufand
talents, with five hundred women, who were to be of the prin-
cipal families, and ot the Jewifh Itock, and that he had carried
oft the women by night, and that, by undergoing a great ma-
ny hardfhips, he had efcaped the hands ot his enemies ; as al-
fo, that his own relations were in danger ot being befieged and
taken, and that he Had failed thro' a ftorm, and contemned all
thefe terrible dangers of it, in order to come, as loon as poffi-
ble, to him, who was his hope and only fuccour at this time.
4. This account made Antony commifferate * the change
that had happened in Herod's condition ; and reafoning with
himfelf that this was a common cafe among thofe that are pla-
ced in fuch great dignities, and that they are liable to the mu-
tations that come from fortune, he was very ready to give
him the affiftance he defired, and this becaufe he called to
mind the triendfhip he had had with Antipater, becaufe Herod
offered him money to make him king, as he had formerly
given it him to make him tetrarch, and chiefly 1 eraule ot his
hatred to Antigonus, for he took him to be a teditiuus perfon.
and an enemy to the Romans. Cefar was alfo the forwarder
* Concerning the chronology of Herod, and the time wfeen he was firft made
king at Rome, and concerning the time when he began his iecond reign, without
a rival, upon the conqueft and {laughter of Antigonus, both principal v Derived
from this and the two next chapters in Joiephus, fee the ntc on $ 6. and ch. xv.
164 ANTIQUITIES or THE JEWS. [Book XIV.
to raife Herod's dignity, and to give him his afliffance in what
lie defired, on account ot the toils ot war which he had him-
felt undergone with Antipater his father in Egypt, and ot the
hofpitality he had treated him withal, and the kindnefs he had
always (hewed him as alfo to gratify Antony, who w?.s very
zealous tor Herod. So a fenate was convocated ; and Me (la-
la firft, and then Atratinus, introduced Herod into it, and en-
larged upon the benefits they had received from his. lather, ;:i,d
put them in mind of the good will he had home to the Ro-
mans. At the fame time, they accuied Antigonus, and declar-
td him an enemy, not only becaule of his former oppofition
to them, but that he had now overlooked the Romans, and
taken the government from the Parthians. Upon this the
ienate was irritated ; and Antony informed them farther, that
it was for their advantage in the Parthian war that Herod
fhould be king. This feetned good to all the fenators ; and fo
they made a decree accordingly.
5. And this was the principal inftance of Antony's affeclion
for Herod, t!-.tt he not only procured him a kingdom which
he did not expeft, (for he did not come with an intention to
afk the kingdom for him'elf, which he did not fuppofe the
Romans would grant him, who ufed to beftow it on fome ol
the royal family, but intended to defire it for his wife's broth-
er, who was grandfon by his father to Arillobulus, and to
Hyrcanus by his mother], but that he procured it for him fo
fuddenly that he obtained what he did not expect, and depart-
ed out of Italy in fo few days as feven in all. This young
man [the grandfon] Herod afterward took care to have (lain,
as we (hall Ihew in its proper place, But when the fenate was
diffolved, Antony and Ceiar went out ot the fenate houle,
with Herod between them, and with the confuls and other
magiilrates before them, in order to offer facrifices, and to lay
up their decrees in the capitol. Antony alfo feafted Herod
thefiril day of his reign. And thus did this man receive the
kingdom, having obtained it on the hundred and eighty -fourth
olympiad, when Caius Domitius Calvinus was conful the le-
cond time, and Caius Afinius Pollio [the firft timej.
6. All this while Antigonus befieged thofe that were in Maf-
fada, who had plenty of all other neceffaries, but were only in
want * ot water, infomuch that on this occafion Jofephus.
Herod's brother, was contriving to run away from it, with
two hundred of his dependants, to the Arabians ; for he had
heard that Malchus repented of the offences he had been guil-
ty of with regard to Herod ; but God, by fending rain in the
night time, prevented his going away, for their cifterns were
thereby filled, and he was under no neceflity of running away
on that account ; But they were now of good courage, and
* This grievous want of water at MafTada, till the place had like to have been
taken by the Parthians, mentioned both here, and Of the War, B. I. ch. xv. $ u
vol. III. is an indication that it was now fummer time.
Chap. XV.] ANTIQUITIES OF THE JEWS. 165
the more fo, becaufe the fending that plenty ot water which
they had been in want of feemed a mark of divine providence ;
fo they made a fally, and fought hand to hand with Antigo-
nus's loldiers, with fome openly, with fome privately, and de-
ftroyed a great number ot them. At the fame time, Ventidius,
the general or the Romans, was fent out of Syria, to drive the
Parthians out or it, and marched after them into Judea, in pre-
tence indeed to fuccour Jofeph, but in reality, the whole affair
was no more than a ftratagem, in order to get money of Anti-
gonus ; fo they pitched their camp very near to Jerufalem,
and wiped Antigonus ot a great deal ot money, and then he
retired himfelt with the greater part ot the army ; but that the
wickednefs he had been guilty ot might not be found out, he
left Silo there, with a certain part ot his foldiers, with whom
alfo Antigonus cultivated an acquaintance, that he might caufe
him no diiiurbance, and was ftill in hopes that'the Parthians
would come again and defend him.
CHAP. XV.
How Herod Sailed out of It ah to Judea, and Fovght with An-
tigonus ; and what other things happened in Judea, about
that tune.
I. "D Y this time Herod had failed out of Italy to Ptole-
JD mais, and had gotten together no fmall army, both
of ftrangers and ot his own countrymen, and marched through
Galilee againft Antigonus. Silo alfo, and Ventidius, came
and aflifted him, being perfuaded by Dellius, who was lent
by Antony to aihit in bringing back Herod, Now for Ven-
tidius, he was employed in compofing the difturbances that
had been made in the cities by the means ot the Parthians ; and
for Silo, he was in Judea indeed, but corrupted by Antigonus.
However as Herocf went along his army increafed every day.
and all Galilee, with fome frnali exception, joined him ; but as he
was marching to thole that were at Maffada, for he was obliged
to endeavour to fave thole that were in that fortrefs, now they
were befieged, becaufe they were his relations; Joppa was
an hindrance to him, for it was neceflary for him to take that
place firft, it being a city at variance with him, that no flrong
hold might be. left in his enemies hands behind him when he
fhoujd goto Jerufalem : And when Silo made this a pretence
for riling up from Jerufalem, and was thereupon purlued by
the Jews, Herod ted upon them with a fmall body of men,
and both put the Jews to flight and laved Silo, when he was
very poorly able to defend himfclf ; but when Herod had
taken Joppa, he made hafteto let free thofeof his family that
were in Maltada. Now of the people of the country, fome
joined him becaufe eC the friend (hip they had had with his fa-
166 ANTIQUITIES OF THE JEWS. [Book. XIV.
ther, and fome becaufe ot the fplendid appearance he made,
and others by way of requital tor the benefits they had receiv-
ed from both of them, but the greateft number came to liiin
in hopes of getting fomewhat from him afterward, it he were
once firmly fettled in the kingdom.
2. Herod had now a ftrong army ; and as he marched on,
Antigonus laid fnares and ambufhes in the pafles and pla ea
moft proper for them, but in truth he thereby did little or no
damage to the enemy : So Herod received thofe of his family
out of Maffada, and the fortreis Reffa, and then went on for
Terufalem. The foldiery alfothat was with Silo accompanied
him all along, as did many of the citizens, being afraid ot hh
power : And as foon as he had pitched his camp on the \\cii
fide ot the city, the foldiers that were fet to guard that part
fhot their arrows, and threw their darts at him ; and when
fomefaliied out in a crowd, and came to fight hand to hand
with the firft ranks ot Herod's army, he gave orders that they
fhould, in the firft place, make proclamation about the wall,
That " he came lor the good ot the people, and for the pref-
ervation ot the city, and not to bear any old grudge at even
3iis moft open enemies, but ready to forget the offences which
liis greateft adveriaries had done him." But Antigonus- by
way of reply to what Herod had caufed to be proclaimed, and
this before the Romans, arid betore Siloalfo, faid, That" they
would not do juitiy. it they gave the kingdom to Herod, who
was no more than a private man, and an Idumean, i. e. * an
half Jew, whereas they ought to befto w it on one of the royal
family, as their cuftom was ; for, that in cafe they at prel'ent
bear an ill-will to him, and had refolved to deprive him ot the
kingdom, as having re civc ! it from the Parthians yet were
there many others of his family that might by their law take
it, and thefe fuch as had no way offended the Romans, and
being ot the facredotal family, it would be an unworthy thing
to put them by." Now, while they faid thus, one to another,
and fell to reproaching one another on both (ides, Antigonus
permitted his own men that were upon the wall to detend
themfelves, who ufing their bows, and fhowing great alacrity
againft their enemies, eafily drove them away trom the towers.
3. And now it was that Silo difcovered that he had taken
bribes : For he fet a good number of his foldiers to complain
aloud of want of provifions they were in, and to require mo-
ney to buy them food, and that it was fit to let them go into
places proper for winter quarters, fince the places near the
* This affirmation of Antigonus's Ipoken in the days of Herod, and in a manner
to his face, that he w.-s an /,/ ./. -:iaa t i e an halj Jew, ieems to me of much greater
authority than that pretence of his favourite and flatterer Nicolaus of Dam.iic ;s, that
he derived his pedigree from jews as far backward as the Babylonifh captivity, ch.
j. 3. Accordingly Jofephus always eileems him an Idumean, though he fays his
father Antipater was ot the lame people with the Jews, ch viii. ^ i. and by birth a
Jew, Antiq. B. XX. ch. viii. 7 as indeed all fuch profelytes of jufticeas the Idu
means were in time eikemed the very lame people with the Jews.
hap, XV.] ANTIQUITIES OF THE JEWS. l6f
city were a defert, by reafon that Amigonus's foldiers had
carried all away ; io he fet the array upon removing, and en-
deavoured to march away : But Herod preffed Silo not to de-
part ; and exhorted Silo's captains and foldiers not to deferfi
him, when Caefar and Antony, and the fenate, had fent him
thither, tor that he would provide them plenty of all the things
they wanted, and eafily procure them a great abundance o
what they required ; after which intreaty, he immediately
went out into the country, and left not the leaft pretence to
Silo for his departure, for he brought an unexpected quantity
of provifions, and fent to thofe friends of his who inhabited
about Samaria, to bring down corn, and wine, and oil, and
cattle, and all other provifions, to Jericho, that there might
be no want of a fupply for the foldiers tor the time to come.
Antigonus - vas fenfible ot this, and fent prefently over the
country fuch as might reftrain and lie in ambufh for thole that
went out for provilions. So thefe men obeyed the orders of
Antigonus, and got together a great number of armed men a-
bout Jericho, and fat upon the mountain*, and watched thofe
that brought the provifions. However, Herod was not idle
in the mean time, tor he took ten bands of foldiers, of whom
five were oi the Romans, and five ot the Jews, with fome
mercenaries among them, and with lome few horfemen, and
came to Jericho ; and as they found the city deferted, but
that five n.undred of them had fettled themfelves on the tops o
the hills, with their wives and children, thofe he took and fent
away ; but the Romans fell upon the city, and plundered it,
and found the bpufes full of all forts ot good things. So the
king lett a garrifon at Jericho, and came back again, and fent
the Roman army to take their winter quarters in the countries
that were come over to him, Judea and Galilee, and Samaria.
And fo much did Antigonus gain- of Silo for the bribes he
gave him, that part of the army fhould be quartered at Lidda^
in order to pleafe Antony. So the Romans laid their weapons
afide, and lived in plenty of all things.
4, But Herod was not pleafed with lying ftill, but fent out
his brother Jofeph againd Idumea with two thoufand armed
footmen, and four hundred horfemen, while he himfelf came
to Samaria, and left his mother and his other relations there,
for they were already gone out ot Mafada, and went into Gal-
ilee, to take certain places which* were held by the garrifons
of Antigonus ; and he palfed on to Sepphoris, as God fent a
fnow, while Antigonus's garrifons withdrew themfelves, and
had great plenty ot provifions. He alfo went thence, and re-
folved to deftroy thofe robbers that dwelt in the caves, and did
much mifchief in the country ; fo he fent a troop of horfe-
men, and three companies ot armed footmen againfl them.
They were very near to a village called Arbda. ; and on the
fortieth day after he came himfelf, with his whole army : And
as the enemy (allied out boldly upon him the left wing ot his
10# ANTIQUITIES Of TH* JEWS* [Book XlV
arm}' gave way, but he appearing with a body of men, put
thofe to flight who were already conquerors, and recalled his
men that ran away. He alfo p re {fed upon his enemies, and
purfued them as Far as the river Jordan, though they ran away
by different roads. So he brought over to him all Galilee,
excepting thofe that dwelt in the caves. ?nd diftributed money
to every one of his foldiers, giving them a hundred and fitty
drachmae apiece, and much more to their captains, and lent
them into winter quarters : At which time Silo came to him.
and his commanders with him, becaufe Antigonus would not
give them provifions any longer, for he fupplied them for no
more than one month ; nay, he had fent to all the country a-
bout, and ordered them to carry off the provifions that were
there, and retire to the mountains, that the Romans might have
no provifions to live upon, and fo might perilh by famine :
But Herod committed the care ot that matter to Pheroras, his
youngeft brother, and ordered him to repair Alexandrium al-
fo. Accordingly he quickly made the foldiers abound with
great plenty of provifions, and rebuilt Alexandrium, which
had been before defolate.
5. About this time it was that Antony continued fome time
at Athens, and that Ventidius, who was now in Syria, fent tor
Silo, and commanded him toaffift Herod in the firft place to
finifli the prefent war, and then to fend for their confederates,
for the war they were themfelves engaged in ; but as tor Her-
od, he went in hafte againft the robbers that were in the caves,
and fent Silo away to Ventidius while he marched againft
them. Thefe caves were in mountains that were exceedingly
abrupt, and in their middle were no other than precipices,
with certain entrances into the caves, and thofe caves wereen-
compaffed with (harp rock's, and in thefe did the robbers lie
concealed, with all their families about them ; but the King
caufed certain cherts to be made, in order to deftroy them, and
to be hung down, bound about with iron chains, by an engine
from the top ot the mountain, it being not poflible to get up to
them by reafon of the (harp afcent of the mountains, nor to
creep down to them from above. Now thefe chefts were filled
with armed men, who had long hooks in their hands, by which
they might pull out fuch as refilled them, and then tumble them
down, and kill them by fo dping ; but the letting of the cheiti
down proved to be a matter of great danger, becaufe of the valt
depth they were to be let down, although they had their provif
ions in the chefts themfelves : But when the chefts were let
down, and not one of thofe in the mouths ot the caves durft come
near them, but lay ftill out ot fear, fome of the armed men girt
on their armour, and by both their hands took hold of the chain
by which the chefts were let down, and went into the mouths
ot the caves, becaufe they fretted that fuch delay was made by
the robbers not daring to come out ot the caves ; and when they
were at any of thofe mouths, they firft killed many of. thofe that
Chap. XV.] ANTIQUITIES OF THE JEWS. 169
were in the mouths with their darts, and afterwards pulled
thofe to them that refitted them with their hooks, and tumbled
them down the precipices, and afterwards went into the caves,
.iiied many more, and then went into their chefls again,
and lay {till there ; but upon this/ terror feizedthe reft, wheu
iliey heard the lamentations that were made, and they defpair-
ed of efcaping : However, when the night came on that put
an end to the v-'iole work ; and as the king proclaimed par-
don by an herald to fuch as delivered themfelves up to him.
accepted of the offer. The fame method of affault was
made Life of the next day ; and they went farther, and got
out in bafkets, to fight them, and fought them at their doors,
md fern fire among them, and fet their caves on fire, for
there was a great deal of combuflible matter within them.
-Now there wag one old man who was caught within one ot"
thefe caves, with feven children and a wife ; thefc prayed
them to give them leave to go out, and yield themfelves up
to the enemy, but he flood at the cave's mouth, and always
ilcvv that child of his who went out, till he had deftroyed them
every one, and after that he flew his wife, and caft their dead
bodies down the precipice, and himfelf after them, and fo un-
derwent death rather than flavery : But before he did this, he
greatly reproached Herod with the meannefs ot his family,
although he was then king. Herod alfo favv what he was do-
ing, and ftretched out his hand, and offered him all manner
ot fecurity for his life : By which means all thefe ca% es wcie
it length fubdtred entirely.
6. And when the king had fet Ptolemy over thefe parts of
the country as his general, he went to Samaria, with fix hun-
dred horfemen, and three thoufand armed footmen, as intend-
ing to fight Antigonus. But ftill this command of the army-
did not fucceed well with Ptolemy, but thofe that had beeii
troublefome to- Galilee before attacked him, and flew him ;
and when they had done this, they fled among the lakes and
places almoft macceflible, laying wade and plundering what-
loever they could come at in thofe places. But Herod fooh
returned, and pun ifhed them for what they had done ; for Tome
thefe rebels he flew, and others of them, who had fled to
rong holds, he befieged, and both Hew them, and demol-
d their ' i rong holds : And when he had thus put an end
iicir rebellion, he laid a fine upon the cities of an hundred
talents.
7. In the mean time Pacorus was fallen in a battle, and the
i-'aithian* were defeated, when Vomidius fent Macherus to
e alfaltance of Herod, with two legions, and a thoufand horfe-
nen, while Antony encouraged him to make haffe. But Ma-
herus, at the mffigation of Antigonus, without the appro-
uaticm of Herod, as being corrupted by money, went about
e a view of his affairs : But Antigonus fufpeding this
tention of his coming, did. not admit him into the city, but
VOL. II. X
!7<* ANTIQUITIES OF THE JEWS. [Boo
kept him at a diftance, with throwing flones at him, and plain-
ly Ihewed what he himfelf meant. But when Macherus was
fenfible that Herod had given him good advice, and that he
had made a miftake himfelf in not hearkening to that advice,
he retired to the city Emmaus ; and what Jews he met with
he flew them, whether they were enemies, or friends, out of.
the rage he was in at what hardfhips he had undergone. The
king was provoked at this condutt of his, ard went to Sama-
ria, and refolved to go to Antony about thele affairs, and to
inform him that he flood in no need of luch helpers, who did
him more mifchiet than they did his enemies, and that he was
able of him (elf to beat Antigonus; but Ma eherus followed
him, and defired that he would not go to Antony, or, if he
was refolved to go, that he would join his brother Jofeph
with them, and let them fight againft Antigonus. So he was
reconciled to Macherus, upon his earneit entreaties. Ac-
cordingly he lett Jofeph there with hre army, but charged
him to run no hazards, nor to quarrel with Macherus.
8. But for his own part, he made haft'e to Antony, (who
was then at the fiege of Samofata, a place upon Euphrates}
with his troops, both horfemen and footmen, to be auxiliaries
to him : And when he came to Antioch, and met there a great
number of men gotten together that were very defirous to go
to Antony, but durft not venture to go out of {ear, becaule
the Barbarians tell upon men on the road, and flew many, fo
he encouraged them, and became their conductor upon the
road. Now when they were within two days march of Samofa-
ta, the Barbarians had laid an ambufh there to diflurb thofe
that came to Antony, and where the woods made the paffes
narrow, as they led to the plains, there they laid not a few of
their horfemen, who were to lie ftill until thofe paffengers
were gone by into the wide place. Now as foon as the firfl
ranks were gone by, (tor Herod brought on the rear,) thofe
that lay in ambufh, who were about five hundred, fell upon
them on the f udden, and when they had put the foremoft to
flight, the king came riding hard', with the forces that were
about him, and immediately drove back the enemy ; by which
means he made the minds of his own men courageous, and
emboldened them to go on, infomuch that thofe who ran a-
way before, now returned back, and the barbarians were flain
on all fides. The king alfo went on killing them, and recov-
ered all the baggage, among which were a great number of
beafts for burden, and of flaves, and proceeded on in his
inarch ; and whereas there were a very great number of thofe
in the woods that attacked them, and were near the paffage
that led into the plain, he made a fally upon thefe alfo with a
ftrong body of men ; and put them to flight, and flew many
ot them, and thereby rendered the way fafe for thofe that
came after ; and thefe called Herod their favour and proteflor.
9. And when it was near to Samofa'-a, Antony fent out hi*
Chap. XV.] ANTIQUITIES OF THE JT5WS. l*jl
.array in all their proper habiliments to meet him, in order to
pay Herod this refpeft, and becaufe of the afli fiance he had
given him, tor he had heard what attacks the Barbarians had
made upon him | in Judea.] He alfo was very glad to fee
him there, as having been made acquainted with the great ac-
tions he had performed upon the road : So he entertained him
very kindly, and could not but admire his courage. Antony
alfo embraced him as foon as he law him, and fJuted him af-
ter a moft affectionate manner, andgave him the upper hand, as
having himfelf lately made him a king ; and in a little time
Antiochus delivered up the fortrefs, and on that account this
war was at an end ; then Antony committed the reft to Sofius,
and gave him orders to afiift Herod, and went himfelf to E-
gypt. Accordingly Spfius fent two legions before into Judea
to the affiftance of Herod, and he followed himfelf with the
body of the army.
10. Now Jofeph was already flain in Judea, in the manner
following : He forgot what charge his brother Herod had giv-
en him when he went to Antony ; and when he had pitched his
camp among the mountains, for Macherus had Lnt him five
regiments, with thefe he went haftily to Jericho, in order to
reap the corn thereto belonging ; and as the Roman Regiments
were but newly raifed, and were unfkilful in war, for they
were in great part collected out of Syria he was attacked by
the enemy, and caught in thofe places of difficulty, and was
himfelf flain, as he was fighting bravely, and the whole army
was loft, for there were fix regiments flain. So when Anti-
gonus had got poffeffion of the dead bodies, he cut off Jo-
feph's head, although Pheroras his brother would have re-
deemed it at the price of fifty talents. After which defeat,
the Galileans revolted from their commanders, and took thofe
of Herod's party, and drowned them in the lake and a great
part of Judea was become leditious ; but Macherus fortified
the place Gitta [in Samaria, J
11. At this time meffengers came to Herod, and informed
him of what had been done ; and when he was come to Daph-
ne by Antioch, they told him of the ill fortune that had be-
fallen his brother; which yet he expefted, from certain vif-
ions that appeared to him in his dreams, which clearly fore-
fhewed his brother's death. So he haftened his march ; and
when he came to mount Libanus, he received about eight
hundred of the men of that place, having already with him
alfo one Roman legion, and with thefe he came to Ptolemais.
He alfo marched thence by night with his army, and proceeded
along Galilee. Here it was that the enemy met him, and fought
him, and were beaten, and fhut up in the fame place of flrength
when ce they had fallied out the day before. So he attacked the
place in them orning, but by reafon of a great ftorm that was then
very violent, he was able to do nothing, but drew off his ar-
iny into the neighbouring villages; yet as foon as the othc:
172 ANTIQUITIES OF THE Jfc\VS. [Book XIV.
legion that Antony font him was cqme to his affiflance, thofe
that were in garrilon in the place were afraid, and deferted it
in the night time. Then did the king march haft.il y to
cho, intending to avenge himfelf on the enemy tor the (laugh-
ter of his brother ; and when he had pitched his tents, he made
a tea ft for the principal commanders, and atter this collation
was over, and he had difmifled his gaefts, he retired to his
own chamber : And here may one fee what ktndnefs God had
for the King, tor the upper part ol the houfe tell down when
nobody was in it, and fo killed none, iniqrriuch that aii the
people believed lhat Herod was beloved of God, fince he had
cfcaped fuch a great and fuiprifmg danger.
12. But the next day fix thoufan'd of the enemy came down
from the tops of the mountains to fight the Romans, which
greatly terrified them ; and the foldiers that were in light ar-
mour came near, and pelted the King's guards that were come
out with darts and ftone's and one of them hit him on the fide
with a dart. Antigonus alfo fent'a commander againfl Sama-
ria, whofe name was Pappus, with fome forces, being defir-
ous to (hew the enemy how potent he was, and that he had
men to fp3re in his war with them : He fat down to oppofc
Macherus ; but Herod when he had taken five cities, took
fuch as were left in thesn, being about two thoufand, and flew
them, and burnt the cities themfelves, and then returned to
go againft Pappus who was encamped at a village called If a-
nas : And there ran in to him many out of Jericho and Ju-
dea. near to which places he was, and the enemy fell upon
his men, fo (lout were they at this time, and joined battle with
them, but he beat them in the fight ; and in order to be re-
venged on them tor the (laughter of his brother, he purfued
them (harply, and killed them as they ran away : * And ,;s
the houfes were full ot armed men, and many ot them ran as
far as the tops of the honfes, he got them under his power, and
pulled down the roofs of the houfes, md faw the lower rooms
hill of foldiers that were caught, and lay all on a heap ; fo
they" threw ftones down upon them as they lay piled one up-
on another, 'and thereby killed them : Nor was there a more
frightful fpeftacle in all the war than this, where beyond the
walls an immenfe multitude of dead men lay heaped one up-
on another. This atlion it was which' chiefly brake the fpir-
i'<: ot the enemy, who expefted now what would come, tor
there appealed a mighty number of people that came from
places tar diftant, that were now about the village but then
r<m away ; and had it not been for the depth ot winter, which
* It may be worth our obfervafion here, thai :he!V fc'.diers of Herod could not
;-.,vf gotten up<->n the tops of thelo Ivnifes which were full of enemies, in order to
pull up r'-c upper floors, fcnd deftroy them beneath, but by ladders from thr out-
i.cie ; v. riich iiluftratcs lome texts in the Nev/ Teft.iment. by which it appears that
r-TM ufcd to aicencl tnither by ladders on the outlines, ^ee Matr, xxiv. 17. Mirk
sui j^. L-;ke v, 19 xvii 3:.
Chap. XVI.] ANTIQUITIES OF THE JEWS. 173
then reftrained them, the Kind's army had prefently gone to
Jerufalem, as being very courageous at this good fuccefs, and
the whole work had been done immediately, for Antigonus
was already looking about how he might fly away, and leave
the city.
13. At this time the King gave order that the {oldiers fhould
goto fupper, for it was late at night, while he went into a
chamber to ufe the bath, for he was very weary : And here it
was that he was in the greateft danger, which yet by God's
providence, he efcaped ; for a* he was naked, and had but
one fervant that followed him to be with him while he was
bathing in an inner room, certain of the enemy, who were
in their armour, and had fled thither out of tear, were then in
the place ; and as he was bathing, the firft of them came out
with his naked fword drawn, and went out at the doors, and
after him a fecond and a third, armed in like manner, and
were under fuch a confternation that they did no hurt to
the King, and thought themfelves to have come off very well
in fuffering no harm themfelves in their getting out of the
houfe. However, on the next day he cut off the head of Pap-
pus, for he was already flain, and fent it to Pheroras, as apun-
ifhment of what their brother had fufFered by his means, for
he was the man that, flew him with his own hand.
14. When the rigour of winter was over, Herod removed
his army and came near to Jerufalem, and pitched his camp
hard by the city. Now this was the third year fince he had
been made King at Rome ; and as he removed his camp, and
came near that part of the wall where it could be moft eafily
atTau!ted,'he pitched that camp before the temple, intending to
make his attacks in the fame manner as did Pompey, fo he
encompaffed the place with three bulwarks, and "creeled tow-
ers, and employed a great many hands about the works, and cut
down the trees that were round about the city ; and when he had
appointed proper perfons to overfee the works, even while the
army lay before the city, hehimfelf went to Samaria to com-
plete his marriage, and to take to wife the daughter of Alex-
ander, the fon of Ariftobulua, for he had betrothed her already,
sis I have be tore related.
CHAP. XVI.
ffoto Herod when he had married Mariamne , took Jerufalem,
with the ajjijlance of Sofius, h force ; and how the Govern-
ment of the Afamoneans was put an end to.
\ l - A FTER the wedding was over, came Sofius through
-~X. Phenicia, having lent out his army before him fl-
yer the midland parts. He alfo, who was their commander,
came hunfelf, with a great number of horiemen and footmen.
^4 ANTIQUITIES OF THE JEWS. [Book. XIV.
The king alfo came himfelf from Samaria, and brought with
him no fmall army, befides that which was there betore, for
they were about thirty thoufand ; and they all met together at
the walls ot Jerufalem, and encamped at the north wall ot the
city, being now an army of eleven legions, armed men OQ
foot, and fix thouland horfemen, with other auxiliaries out ot
Syria. The generals were two, Sofius, fent by Antony to
aflift Herod, and Herod on his own account, in order lo take
the government from Antigonus, who was declared an enemy
at Rome, and that he might himfelf be king, according to the
decree of the fenate.
2. Now the Jews that were inclofed within the walls of the
city fought againfl Herod with great alacrity and zeal, (for
the whole nation was gathered together] ; they alfo gave out
many prophecies about the temple, and many things agreea-
ble to the people, as if God would deliver them out ot the dan-
gers they were in ; had alfo carried off what was out of the
city, that they might not leave any thing to afford fuflenance
cither for men or for beads ; and by private robberies, they
made the want of neceffaries greater. When Herod under-
ilood this, he oppofed ambuihes in the fitteft places againft
their private robberies, and he fent legions of armed men to
bring in provifions, and that from remote places, fo that in a
little time they had great plenty of provifions. Now the three
bulwarks were eafily erected, becaufe fo many hands were
continually at work upon it ; for it was fummer time, and
there was nothing to hinder them in raifing their works, nei-
ther from the air, nor from the workmen : So they brought
their engines to bear, and ihook the walls of the city, and tri-
ed all manner of ways to get in ; yet did not thofe within dif-
coverany fear, but they alfo contrived not a few engines td
oppofe their engines withal. They alfo fallied out, and burnt
not only thofe engines that were not yet perfected, but thofe
that were; and when they came hand to nand, their attempts,
were not lefs bold than thofe of the Romans, though they were
behind them in {kill. They alfo erected new works when the
former were ruined, and making mines underground, they
met each other, and fought there, and making u(e of brutifh
courage rather than ot prudent valour, they perfifted in this,
war to the very laft : And this they did while a mighty army
lay round about them, and while they were diftreffed by fam-
ine, and the want ot necelfaries, tor this happened to be a fab-
batic year. The firft that fcaled the walls were twenty chof-
en men, the next were Sofms's centurions, for the firft wall
was taken in forty days, and the (econd in fifteen more, when
fome of the cloifters that were about the temple were burnt,
which Herod gave out to have been burnt by Antigonus, in
order to expofe him to the hatred of the Jews. And when the
outer court of the temple, and, the lower city were taken, the
Jews fled into the inner court of the temple, and into the up-
Chap. XVI.] ANTIQUITIES OF THE JEWS. ife
per city ; but now fearing left the Romans fhquld hinder them
from offering their daily facrifices to God, they fent an em-
ballage, and defired that they would only permit them to bring
in beaits for facrifices, which Herod granted, hoping they
were going to yield, but when he faw that they did nothing
of what he fuppofed, but bitterly op poled him, in order to
preferve the kingdom to Antigonus, he made an aSTault upon
the city and-took it by ftorm ; and now ail parts were lull of
thofe that were {lain, by the rage of the Romans at the long
duration of the fiege, and by the zeal ot the Jews that
were on Herod's fide, who were not willing to leave one
of their adverfaries alive ; fo they were murdered contin-
ually in the narrow ftreets, and in the houfes by crouds, and
as they were flying to the temple for melter, and there
was no pity taken ot either infants or the aged, nor did they
ipare fo much as the weaker fex ; nay, although the king fent
about, and befought them to fpare the people, yet nobody re-
ftrairied their hand from (laughter, but, as it they were a com-
pany of madmen, they fell upon perfons of all ages, without
diflinelion ; and then Antigonus, witout regard to either his
paftorprefent circumibnccs, came down from the citadel,,
and fell down at the feet of Sofius, who took no pity of him,
in the change of his fortune, but infulted him beyond meaf-
ure, and called him Antigone, [i. c. a woman, and not a man ;J
yet did he not treat him as if he were a woman, by letting him
goat liberty, but put him into bonds, and kept him in clofe
cuilody.
3. And now Herod having overcome his enemies, his care
was to govern thofe foreigners who had been his afliftants, for
the croud of Grangers rufhed to fee the temple, and the facred
things in the temple ; but the king thinking a viftory to be
a- -more fevere afflclion than a defeat, if any of thofe things
which it was not lawful to fee fhould be feen by them, tiled
entreaties and threatnings, and even fometimes force itielf, to
reftram them. He alfo prohibited the ravage that was made
in the city, and many times afked Sofius, whether the Romans
would empty the city both of money and ot men, and leave
him king of a-defart ? and told him, that he efteemed the do-
minion over the whole habitable earth as by no means an e-
quivalent fatiataftion for fuch a murder of his citizens : And
when he faid, that this plunder was jultly to be permitted the
foldiers, tor the fiege they had undergone, he replied, that
he would give every one their reward out ot his own money,
and hy this means he redeemed what remained of the city
from deftrucHon, and he performed what he had promifedhim,
ior he gave a-noble p re fent to every foldier, and a proportion-
able prelent to their commanders, but a moll royal prelent to
Sofius himfelf, till they all went away full of money.
4. This * deftruction betel the city'ot JerufaLera when Mar-
* Note here, that Jofephus fully and frequently azures us that there palled a-
bove three years between Herod's firft obtaining the kingdom at Rome, and his !>-,
ANTIOUITlEa (> V THE JE\VS. ( Bo'bk XIV.
cus Agrippa, and Caninius Callus were confuls of Rome, o?i
the hundred eighty and fiith olympiad, on the third month,
on the iblemnny of the fatt, as it" a periodical revolution of
calamities had returned, li nee that which betel the Jews un-
derPompey >for the Jews were taken by him on the lame day, and
riils was alter twenty-feven years- time. So when Sofius had
dedicated a crown of gold to God, he marched away from
}erufalem,.and carried Antigonus with him in bonds to An-
tonv ; but Herod was afraid leif Antigonus fhould be kept in
prifon [only] by Antony, and that when he was carried to
Rome by him. he might get his caufe to be heard by the fen-
ate, and might demonstrate, as he was himfelf ot the royal
biood, and Herod but a private man, that therefore it belong-
ed to his fons however to have the kingdorr, on account of
the family they were of, in cafe he had hirnfelf offended the
Romans by what he had done. Out of Herod's tear ot this it
was. that he, by giving Antony a great deal of money endeav-
oured to perfuade him to have Antigonus {lain, which it it
were once done, he ihould be free trom that tear. And thus
did the government of the Afamoneans ceafe, an hundred
twenty and fix years atter it was firlt fet up. This family was
a fpleadid and an iUuiirius one, both on account ot the nobili-
ty of their flock, and of the dignity ot the high priefthood,
.is alfo for the glorious actions their anceftors had performed
for our nation : But thefe men loft the government by their
diflentions one with another, and it came to Herod the fon of
Antipater, who was of no more than a vulgar tamily, and of no
eminent extraction, but one that was fubjetl to other kings :
And this is what hiitory tells-us was the end of the Afamone-
an tamily.
cond obtaining it upon the taking of Jerufalem, and death of Antigonus. The
prefent hiftory of this interval twice mentions the army's going into winter quar-
ters, which perhaps belonged to two feveral winters, ch. xv. ^ 3, 4. and though
Joiephus fays nothing how long they lay in thoie quarters, yet does he give luch an
account of the long and ftudied delays of Ventidius Silo, and Macheras, who were
to fee Herod fettled in his new kingdom, (but feem not to have had fuffkient forces
for thatpurpofe, and were for certain all corrupted by Antigonus to make the
longeft delays possible, and give us luch particular accounts of the many great ac-
tions of Herod's during the fame interval, as fairly imply that interval, before
Herod went to Sameiata, to have been very confiderable. However wh;it is want-
ing in Joiephus, is fully fupplied by Mofes Chorenenfis, the Armenian hiftori=n,
in his hiftory of that interval, B. II. ch. xviii. where he direftly affures us, that Ti
granes, then king of Armenia, and the principal manager of this Parthian war, reign-
ed two years afterHcrod was made kingatRome, and yetAntony did not hear of his
death, in that very nighbourhood, at Samofata, till he was cpme thither to hefiege
it: After which Herod brought him an army, which was 340 miles march, and
through a difficult country full of enemies alio, and joined with him in the hege
of Samofata till that city was taken ; then Herod and Sofius march back with their
large armies the fame number of 340 miles, and when in a little time, they iat
down to befiege Jerufalem, they were not able to take it but by a fiege of five month*.
All which put together, fully fupplies whau is wanting in Joiephus, and fecures
the entire chronology of thsfe times beyend contradiction.
Chap. LJ ANTIQUITIES OF THE JEWS. 177
BOOK XV.
Containing the interval of eighteen years.
n the Death of ANT ICON us to (keJini/Jiing of the Tern*
pU by HJE.ROD.]
CHAP. I.
Cencernin* Pollio and Sameas. Herod Jlays the principal of
Antigonus's f fiends* andfpoils the City ej its Wealth. Anto-
ny beheads Antigonus.
I. TTOW Sofius and Herod took Jerufalem by force ;
X~l and befides that, how they took Antigonus captive,
has been related by us in the foregoing book. .We will now
proceed in the narration. And fince Herod had now the gov-
ernment ot all Judea put into his Innds, he promoted fuch of
the private men in the city as had beenot his party, but never
left off avenging and punching every day thofe that had chof-t
en to be ot the party ot his enemies : But Pollio the Pharifee m
and Sameas, a difciple of his, were honoured by him above
all the reft, for when Jerufalem was befieged, they advifed!
the citizens to receive HeroxL for which advice they were
well requited ; but this Pollio, at the time when Herod was
once upon his trial of life and death, foretold, in way ot re-
proach, to Hyrcanus and the other judges, how this. Herod,
whom they fuffered now to efcape, would afterward inflifc
punifhment on them all ; which had its completion in time,
while God fulfilled the words he had fpoken.
2. At this time Herod, now he had got Jerufalem under
his power, carried off all the royal ornaments, and fpoiledthe
wealthy men of what they had gotten ; and \vhen, by thefe
means, he had heaped together a great quantity of filver and
told, he gave it all to Antony, and his friends that were about
im. He allo Dew forty-five of the principal men oi Anti-
gonus's party, and fct guards at the gates o* the city, that no-
thing might be carried cut together with their dead bodies.
They alib fearched the J^ad, and whatfoever was found, ei-
ther of filver or gold, or other treafure, it was carried to the
king ; nor was there any end of the rniferies he brought upori
them, and this diftrefs was in part occafioned t-y the cove-
toufnefs of the prince regent, who was ihll in want ot more,
and in part by the fabbatic year, which was Hill going on,
arid forced the country to lie ftill uncultivated,, fince we are
forbidden to low our land in that year. New when Antony
VOL. II Y
3?S ANTIQUITIES OP THE JEXVS. [Book. XV.
had received Antigonus as his captive, he determined to keep
him againft his triumph ; but when he heard that the na-
tion grew feditious, and that out of their hatred to Herod,,
they continued to bear good will to Antigtmus, he refolved ?
to behead him at Antioch, for otherwise the Jews coujd no-
wav be brought to be quiet. And Strabo of Cappadocia' at-
tefts'to what I have faicl, when he thus fpeaks : " Antony or-
dered Antigonus the Jew to be brought to Antioch, and there
to be behea-ded ; and this Antony fecms to me to have been
the very firft man who beheaded a king, as fuppofing he could:
no other way bend the minds of the Jews, fo as to receive
Herod, whom he had made king in his ftead, for by no tor-
ments could they be forced to call him king, fo great a fond-
nefs they had for their former king ; fo he thought that this-
diihonourable death would diminifh the value they had for
Antigonus's memory, and at the fame time would diminilh
their hatred they bare to Herod." Thus far Strabo.
C H A P. II.
Mow Hyrcanus was fet at Liberty by the Partkians, and re-
turned to Herod ; and what Alexandra did when Jhe heard
that Ananelus was made High Priejl.
i. "\JOW after Herod was in pbffeffion of the kingdom,
JL>I Hyreanus the high prieft, who was then a captive
a-mong the Parthians. came to him again, and was fet tree
from his captivity, in the manner following : Barzapharner,
and Pacorus, the generals of the Parthians; took Hyrcanus,
who was Srft made high prieft and afterward king, and Her-
od's brother, Phafaelus, captives, and were carrying them a-
way into Parthia. Phafaelus indeed could not bear the re-
proach of being in bonds, and thinking that death with glory
was better than any life whatfoever, he became bis own exe-
cutioner, as 1 have formerly related.
2. But when Hyrcanas was brought into Parthia, the king*
Phraates treated him after a very gentle manner, as having al-
ready learned of what an illufrrious family he was ; on which
account he fet him free from his bonds, and gave him an hab-
itation at * Babylon, where there was Jews in great numbers-.
Thefejews honoured Hyrcanua astheir high prieft, andking ^
as did all the )ewrfh nation that dwelt as far as Euphrates;
which refpeft was very much to his /atisfaHon. but when
be was informed that Herod had received- the kingdom, new
* The city here called Babylon by Jofephus, feems to be one which was built
by Come of the Seleueidae upon the Tigris, which long after the utter defolation of
old Babylon, was commonly fo called, and I fuppoie not far from Seleucia ; juffe
as the later adjoining city Bagdat hai bein, and is ottcn called by the fame old nama
of Babylon till this very day;
. II] ANTIQUITIES OF THE JEWS. 179
hopes came upon him, as having been himfelf, flill of a kind
difpofition towards him ; and expefting that Herod would
bear in mind what favour he had received from him, and when
he was upon his trial, and when he was in danger that a capital
fentence would be pronounced againft him, he delivered him
from that danger, and from all puni foment. Accordingly, he
talked of that matter with the Jews that came often to him
with great afjfeclion ; b.ut ihey endeavoured to retain him a-
inong them, and defired that he would (lay with them, putting
him in mind of the kind offices and honours they did him, and
that thofe honours they paid him were not at all inferior to
what they could pay to either their high priefls or their kings ;
and what was a greater motive to determine him, they laid was
this, that he could not have thofe dignities [in Judeaj becaufe
oi that mairn in his body, which had been inflicted on him by
Antigonus ; and that kings do not ufe to requite men for thcfe
kindneijfes which they received when they were private per-
fon, the height of their fortune making ufually no fm.all
Changes in them.
3. Now although they fuggefted thefe arguments to him for
his own advantage, yet did Hyrcanus flill defire to depart.
Herod alfo wrote to him, and perfuaded him to defiie of
Phraates, and the Jews that were there, that they Ihould not
grudge him the royal authority, which he fhould have jointly
with himfelf, for that now was the proper time for himfelt to
niake him amends tor the favours he had received from him,
as having been brought up by him, and faved by him alfo, us
well as tor Hyrcanus to receive it. And as he wrote thus to
Hyrcanus, fo did he fend alfo Saramallas, his ambalTador, to
Phraates, and many preients with him, and defired him in the
moil obliging way, that he would be no hindrance to his grat-
itude towards his benefactor. But this zeal of Herod's did not
flow from that principle, but becaufe he had been made gov-
ernor of that Country without having any jull claim to it, he
was afraid, ancj that upon reafons good enough, of a change in
his condition, and fo made what halle he could to get Hyrca-
nus into his power, or indeed to put him quite out of the way :
Which laft thing he compalfed afterward.
4. Accordingly, when Hyrcanus came, full of aflurance,
by the permiflion of the king of Panhia, and at the expence
of the lews who fupplied him with money, Herod received
him with all poflible refpect, and gave him the upper place at
public meetings, and fet him above all the reft at feafls,
and thereby deceived him. He called him his father; and
endeavoured, by al} the ways poffible, that he might have no
fufpicion of any treacherous defign againii him. He alfo did
other things, in order to fecure his government, which yet oc-
cafioned a fedition in hus own family ; lor being cautious how
J$0 ANTIQUITIES OF THB JEWS. fBook XV,
('" <*
he made any * illuftrious perfon the high-prieft ot God, he
|ent for an obfcure prieft out of Babylon, whofe name \va
Ananelus, and beftowed the high priefthood upon him.
' 5. However, Alexandra, the daughter ot Hyrcanur,.
tvite ot" Alexander, the fon ot Ariftobulus the king, who had
alfo brought Alexander [two j children, could not bear this
Indignity. Now this fon was one of the greateft comciinefs,
and was called Ariftobulus ; and the daughter. Mariamne, was
married to Herod, and eminent for her beauty alfo. This
Alexandra was much difturbed, and took this indignity offer-
ed to her fon exceeding ill, that while he was alive, any one
clfe Ihould be fent for to have the dignity ot the high prieft-
hood conferred upon him. Accordingly fhe wrote to Cleo-
jjatra fa mufician affifting her in taking care to have her letters
carried), to defire her interceffion with Antony, in order to
gain the high priefthood for her fon.
; 6. But as Antony was flow in granting this reqiieft, his
friend tDellius came into Judea upon fome affairs, ;.: ci when
he faw Ariftobulus, he ftood in admiration at the tallnels ><]
handfomenefs ot the child, and no lefs at Mariamne, the king's
wife, and was open in his commendations of Alexandra, <
mother ot moft beautitul children : And when fhe came to r!if-
courfe with him, he perfuaded her to get pictures drawn of
them both, and to fend them to Antony, tor that when he f.uv
them, he v/ouln deny her nothing that fhe fiiould afi-;. Ac-
cordingly Alexandra was elevated with thefe word sol his, an"d
fent the pictures to Antony. De'llius aKp talked extruvag mt-
ly, and laid, That " thefe children feemed not derived
rnen, but from fome god or other." His defign in doing fo
v/2S to entice Antony into lewd pleafures with then
alhamed to fend for the damiel, as being the wife "of i '.
and avoided it, becaufe of the reproaches he fhould have irom
Cieopatra on that account, but he fent, in the moft ci
ip^nner he could, for the young man ; but added this withal.
* } Unlefs he thought it hard upon him fo to do/' When this
letter was brought to Herod, he did not think i< faie tor him
to fend one fo handiorne as was Ariftobulus, in the pn
his life, tor he was fixteen years ot age, and ot To noble a tarn-
ily, and particularly not to Antony, the principal man among
* Here we have an eminent example of Herod's worldiv ar.rl profane ;
\vhen by the abufeof his unlawful and uiurped power, to make wrv>'-
high pneft, in the perfon of Ananclus, he occafioi)d iuch difiarbances in his king-
dom, and in his own fsmily. as laffered him to enjoy no laftivg p':e DT trnt.quil-
ity ever afterward : And luth is frequently the cffeft ot pr ;ia.is court pr i
bout matters of religion in other ages and nations. ' The Old IVftairsent i? fu'.l of
the miferies of t!ie people of the jews derived from iucli court p Cities, e'p
in and after the days of Jeroboam the fon of Kehat, who made if^a-I tn J-a ; who
gave the moft pernicious example of it ; who brought on the groiiift corruption of
religion by it ; and the punifhment of whofe family for it was moft remarkable.
The cafe is too well known to ftand in need of particular citations
; t Of this wicked Dellius, fee the note on the War, B. I. ch. xv. (, 3. voL {II.
Chap. II.] ANTIQUITIES OP THE JEWS. I$I
the Romans, and one that would ahufe him in his amours, and
befides, one that openly indulged himfelt in fuch pleafures, as
his own power allowed him, without controul. He therefore
wrote back, to him, That " it this boy (hould only go out of
the country, all would be in a ftate of war and uproar, becaufe
the ews were in hopes ot a change in the government, and
to have another king over them."
7. When Herod had thus excufed hinrelf to Antony, he
refolved that he would not entirely permit the child or Alex-
andra to be treated diihonourably : But his wife Mariamne
lay vehemently at him to reftore the high pritfthood to her
brother, and he judged it was tor his advantage fo to do, be-
caufe, it he once had that dignity, he could not go out <>t the
country. So he called his friends together, and told them,
That " Alexandra privately confpired againlt his royal au-
thority, and endeavoured, by the means >t Cleopatra, fo to
bring it about, that he might be deprived o! the government,
and that ny Antony's means this youth might have the man-
agement ot public affairs in his ite^d ; and that this procedure
of hers was unjult, fince the would at the fame time deprive
her daughter of the dignity Ihe now had, and would ''ring dif-
turbances upon the kingdom, for which he had taken a great
deal ot pains, and had gotten it with extraordinary hazards :
That vet, vhile he well remembered her wicked practices, he
wor.id not leave off doing what was right himfelf, but would
even now give the youth the high prieithood ; and that he for-
merly fet up Ananelus, becaufe Ariltobulus was then fo very
young a child." Now when he had faid this, not at random,
but as he thought with the heft difcretion he had, in order to
deceive the women, and thofe friends whom he had taken to
conlult withal. Alexandra out of the g 'eat joy (he had at this
unexpected promife, and out ot fear From the fufpicions fhe
lay under, leil a weeping ; and made the following apology
for herfelf, and faid, That " as to the [high] prieithood, fhe
was very much concerned for the difgrace her fon was
under, and fo did her utmoft endeavours to procure it tor him,
but that as to the kingdom, (he had made no attempts, and that
if it were offered her [for her fon,] Ihe would not accept it ;
and that now fhe would be fatisfied with her fon's dignity,
while he himfelf held the civil government, and fhe had there-
by the fecurity thatarofe from his peculiar ability in govern-
ing, to all the remainder of her family : That fhe was now o-
vercome by his benefits, and thankfully accepted of this hon-
our (hewed by him to her fon and that Ihe would hereafter be
entirely obedient : And (he defired him to excufe her, if the
nobility of her family, and that freedom ot a6ling which fhe
thought that allowed her, had made her att too precipitately
and imprudently in this matter." So when they had fpoken
thus to one another, they came to an agreement, and all iuf-
piciom, fo far as appeared, were vanifhed away.
ANTIQUITIES OF THE JEWS. [Book XV.
CHAP. HI.
How Herod, upon his making Ariftobulus High-priejl, took can
that htjliould be murdered in a little time ; and what apology
he made to Antony about Arijlobulus : As alfo concerning Jo-
Jeph tnd Mariamnc.
I. CO king Herod immediately took the high-priefthood
O away from ^naneius, who, as we faid before, was not
of this country, but one ot thofe Jews that had been carried
captive beyond Euphrates ; for there were not a few ten thou-
fands of this people that had been carried captives, and dwelt
about Babylonia, whence Auanelus came. He was one * ot"
the ftock of the high prietts, and had been of old a particular
friend ot Herod's ; and when he was firft made king- he con-
ferred that dignity upon him, and now put him out of it again,
in order to quiet the troubles in his family, though what he
^id was plainly unlawful, for at no other time [Jot old] was a-
ny one that had once been in that dignity deprived of it. It
was Antiochus Epiphanes who firft brake that law, and de-
prived Jefus, and made his brother Onias high-pneft in his
#ead. Ariftobulus was the fecond that did fo, and took that
dignity from his brother [Hyrcanus ;J an.dthis Herod was the
third, who took that high olfice away [from Ananelus,"J and
gave it to this young man, ArHtobulus, in his ftead.
1. And now Herod feemed to have healed the divifions in
his family \ yet was he not without fufpicion, as is frequently
the cafe ot the people feeming to be reconciled to one another,
but thought that, as Alexandra had already made attempts
tending to innovations, fo did he fear that me would go on
therein, it me found a fit opportunity for fo doing ; fo he gave
a command, that fhe fhould dwell in the palace, and meddle
with no public affairs : Her guards alfo were fo careful, that
nothing Ihe did in private lite every day was concealed. All
thefe hardfbips put her out of patience, by little and little, and
fhe began to hate Herod ; for as (he had the pride of a woman
to the utmoft degree, Ihe had great indignation at this fulpi-
* When Jofephus fays here, that, this Ananelus, the new high prieft, was f the
jlock of the high pricjli, and fince he had been juft telling us that he was a prieft of
an ob/cure family or character, ch ii. ^ 4. it is not at all probable that he could fo
foonfay that he was of thtjtoch of (lie high priejis. However, Jofephus here make*
a remarkable obfervation. that this Ananelns was the third that was ever unjuftly and
wickedly turned out of the high priefthood by the civil power, no king or gover-
nor having ventured to do fo that Jolsphus knew of, but that heathen tyrant and
perfecutor Antiochus Epiphanes ; that barbarous parricide Ariftobulus, the firft that
took, royal authority among the Maccabees ; and this tyrant king Herod the Great,
slthongh afterward that infamous practice became frequent, till the very dcftru&ioa
cf Jerusalem, when the office of high prieflhood wasat an end.
Chap. III.] ANTIQUITIES F THE JEWS. l$Ji
eious guard that was about her as defirous rather to undergo 1
any thing that could befal her, than to be deprived of her lib-
erty of fpeech, and, under the notion of an honorary guard,
to live in a ftate of flavery and terror : She therefore fent to
Cleopatra, and made along complaint of the circumftances-
(he was in, and entreated her to do her utmoft tor her a fli fi-
ance. Cleopatra hereupon advifed her to take her fon with
her and come away immediately to her into Egypt. This ad-
vice pleafed her ; and fh'e had this contrivance for getting a-
w"ay : She got two coffins made, as if they were to carry away
two dead bodies, and put herfelf into one, and her fon into the
other, and gave orders to fuch of her feryants, asr knew of her
intentions, to carry them away in the night time. Now their
road was to be thence to the fea-fide, and there was a fhip
ready to carry them into Egypt. Now ^fop, one of her fer-
vants, happened to fall upon Sabbion, one of her friends, and
fpake of this matter to him, as thinking he had known of it
before. When Sabbion knew this, (who had formerly been
an enemy of Herod's, and been efteemed one of thofe that laid
fnares for, and gave the poifon to [his father] Antipater,) he
expected that this difcovery would change Herod's hatred in-
fo kind'nefs, fo he told the king of this private ftratagem of Al-
exandra's : Whereupon he fuffered her to proceed to the exe-
cution of her project, and caught her in the very fact, but flill
he palled by her offence ; and though he had a great mind to
do it, he durft not inflict any thing that was fevere upon her,
for he knew that Cleopatra would not bear that he fliouldhave
her accufed, on account of her hatred to him but made a fhe\v
as if it were rather the generofity of his foul, and his great
nfo'deration; that made him forgive them. However, he tully
propofed to himfelf to put this young man eut of the way by
one means or other ; but he thought he might in probability
be better concealed in doing it, if he did not presently, nor
immediately after what had lately happened.
3, And now, upon the approach of the feaft of tabernacles,
which is a feflival very much obferved among us, he let thofe
days pafs over, and both he and the reft of the people were
therein very merry ; yet did the envy which at this time arofe
in him, caufe him to make hafte to do what he was about, and
provoke him to it : For when this youth Ariftobulus, who
was now in the feventeenth year of his age, went up to the al-
tar, according to the law, to offer the facrifices, and this with
the ornaments of his high priefthood, and when he * perform-
ed the facred offices, he feemed'to be exceeding" comely, and'
taller than men uftially were at that age, and to exhibit in his
countenance a great deal of that high family he was fprung;
from, and a warm zeal and affection towards him appeared a-
* This entirely confutes the TalmmUfh, who pretend that no one under twenty
of age could officiate as high pried among the jews-.
i$4 ANTIQUITIES OF THE JEWS. [Book XV
rr.ong the people, and the memory of the aft ions of his grand-
father Ariftobutas was trelh in their minds ; and their affec-
tions got fo far the mattery of them, that they could not for-
bear to (hew their inclinations to him. They at once rejoic-
ed, and were confounded, and mingled with good wiihes their
joyful acclamations which they made to him, till the good-will
ot the multitude was made too evident, and they more rafhly
proclaimed the happinefs they had received from his family
than was fit under a monarchy to have done. Upon all this,
Herod refolded to complete what he had intended againft the
young man. When therefore the feftival was over, and he
was feaftingat * Jericho with Alexandra, who entertained them
there, he was then very pleafant with the young man, and
drew him info a lonely place, and at the fame time played with
him in a juvenile and ludicrous manner. Now the nature ot
that place was hotter than ordinary ; fo they went out in a
body, and of a fudden, and in a vein of madnefs, and as they
flood by the fifh ponds, of which there were large ones about
the houfe, they went to cool themfelves [by bathing,] becaufe
it was in the midfl of an hot day. At firft they were only fpec-
tators of Herod's fervantsand acquaintance as they were fwim-
ming, but after a while, the young man, at the inftigation of
Herod, went into the water among them, while fuch of Her-
od's acquaintance, as he had appointed to do it, dipped him,
as he was fwimming, and plunged him under water, in the
dark ot the evening as if it had been done in fport only, nor
did they defiil till he was entirely fufFocated ; and thus was
Ariftobulns murdered, having lived no more in all than teigh-
teen years, and kept the high priefthood one year only : Which
high priefthood Ananelus now recovered again.
4. When this fad accident was told the women, their joy
was foon changed to lamentation, at the fight of the dead bo-
dy that lay before them, and their furrow was immoderate.
The city alfo [of JerufalemJ upon the fpreading ot this
news, were in very great grief, every one looking on this
calamity as it it had not belonged to anofher, but that one of
themfelves was flain ; but Alexandra was more deeply affect-
ed, upon her knowledge that he had been deftroyed | on pur-
pofej. Her forrow was greater than that of others, by her
knowing how the murder was committed, hut fhe was under a
neceffity ot bearing up under it, out of her profpect of a
greater mifchief that might otherwife follow : And fhe often-
times came to an inclination to kill hei felt with her own hand,
* A Hebrew chronicle, cited by Reland, fays, this drowning was at Jordan^
not at Je ricko, and this even when he quotes joiephus. I tufpeft the tranfcriber of
the Hebrew chronicle miftook the narhe, and wrote Jordan tor Jericho.
t The reading of one of Joiephus's Greek MSS. feems here to be ri'ght, that
Aiiilobu'ui was nut eighteen years old when he <*as drowned, for he was not Jcren-
tfcn whe:i he was made high prieft, chap. ii. ^ 6 chap, iii.'^ 3, aad be continued
iii that cia:c but one yur, s ia the place before us.
Chap. III.] ANTIQUITIES OF THE JEWS. 185
but ftill (he re drained herfelf, in hopes fhe might live long e-
Hough to revenge the unjuft murder thus privately commit-
ted : Nay, (he farther reiolved to endeavour to live longer,
and to give no occafion to think fhe fufpeded thather fon was
(lain on purpofe, and fuppofed that (he might thereby be in a
capacity oi revenging it at a proper opportunity . Thus did
Ihe reftrain herfelf, that fhe might not be noted for entertain-
ing any fuch fufpicion. However, Herod endeavoured that
none abroad mould believe that the child's death was caufed
by any defign of his ; and for this purpofe he a id not only
life the ordinary figns of forrow, but tell into tears alfo, and
aed a real confufion oi foul : And perhaps his affec-
tions were overcome on this occafion, when he faw the child's
countenance fo young, and fo beautiful, although his death
were fuppofed to tend to his own fecurity ; fo far at leaft this
grief ferved as to make fome apology for him : And as tor his
funeral, that he took care mould be very magnificent, by mak-
ing great preparation tor a fepulchre to lay his bc-dy in, and
providing a great quantity of (pices, and burying many orna-
ments together with him. till the very women, who were in,
fuch deep forrow, were altonilhed at it, and received in this
way fome confolation.
5. However, no fuch things could overcome Alexandra's
griet, but the remembrance ot this miferable cafe made her
forrow both deep and obftinate. Accordingly fhe wrote an
account ot this treacherous fcene to Cleopatra, and how her
fon was murdered ; but Cleopatra, as (he had formerly been,
defirous to give her what fatistaclion Ihe could, and commif-
erating Alexandra's misfortunes, made the cafe her own, and
would not let Antony be quiet, but excited him topunifh the
child's murder ; for that it was an unworthy thing that Herod,
who had been by him made king of a kingdom that no way
belonged to him, Ihould be guilty of fuch horrid crimes a-
gainft thofe that were of the royal blood in reality. Antony-
was perfuadcd by thefe arguments ; and when he came to La-
odicea, he lent and commanded Herod to come and make his
defence, as to what he had done to Ariftobulus, tor that fuch
a treacherous delign wa3 not v/di done, it he had any hand
in it. Herod was now in iear. both of the acculation, and of:
Cleopatra's ill will to him which was fuch, that Ihe was ev-
er endeavouring to make Antony hate him. He therefore de-
termined to ofcey his fummons, for he had no poilible way to
avoid it : So he left his uncle, Tofeph, procurator tor Iris-gov-
ernment, and for the public affairs and gave him a private
charge that if Antony mould kill him he alfo mould kill Ma-
riamne immediately, tor that he had a tender affetrion tor this
his wite, and was afraid of the iujury that (hould be offered
him, it. atter his death, Ihe, tor her beauty, (hould be engag-
ed to lome other man : But his intimation \vas nothing but
> the bottor:'., thu Antony had fallen in love with her,
VOL. II,
186 ANTIQUITIES OF THE JEWS. [Book XV.
when, he had formerly heard fomewhat of her beauty. So
when Herod had given Joi'eph this charge, and had indeed no
lure hopes ot efcapmg with his life he went away to Antony.
6. But as Jofeph was adminiftering the public affairs of
the kingdom, and for that reafon was very .frequently with
Mariamne, both becaufe his bufine.s required it, and becaufe
of the refpecls he ought to pay to the queen, he frequently
let himfelt into dilcoiuies about Herod's kindnefs, and great
affeclion towards her ; and when the women, efpecially Al-
exandra, uied to turn his diicoun'es into feminine raillery,
Joi'eph was fo over defirous to demon ft rate the king's inclina-
' tions, that he proceeded fo far as to mention the charge he
had received, and thence drew his demonftration, that Herod
was not able to live without her ; and that it he fhould come
to any ill end, he could not endure a feparation from her, ev-
en alter he was dead. Thus (pake Jo'eph. But the wosien,
as was natural, did net take this to be an initance of Hi-rod's
ftrong affeftion for them, but of his fevere ufage of them,
that they could not efcape deftruclion nor a tyrannical death,
even when he was deadhimfelf: And this faying [of Jofeph 'sj
was a foundation- for the womens fevere fufpicions aoout him
afterwards.
7. At this time a report went about the city Jerufalem a-
mong Herod's enemies, that Antony had tortured Herod, and
put him to death. This report, as is natural, difturbed thofe
that were about the palace, but chiefly fhe women : ; , Upon
^ hich Alexandra endeavoured to perfuade Jofeph to go out
ot the palace, and fly to the enfigns of the Roman legion,
which then lay encamped aboutthe city, asaguard to the king-
dom, under the command of Julius ; tor that, by this means,
ii any diilurbance (hould happen about the palace, they fhould
be in greater fecurity, as having the Romans favourable to
them ; and that befides, they hoped to obtain the higheft au-
thority, it Antony did but once Ice Mariamne, hy whofe
means they fhould recover the kingdom and want nothing
. was reafonable, for them to hope for, becaufe of their
: extra 61 ion.
: 'ut as they were in the midil of thefe deliberations, let-
tcis were brought from Herod about all his affairs, and prov-
ed contrary to the report, and of what they before expected ;
tor when he was come to Antony, he foon recovered his in-
terefl with him, by the prefents he made him, which he had
brought with him from Jerufalem, and he foon induced him,
upon difcouriing with him, to leave off his indignation at him,
lo that Cleopatra's perfuafions had lefs force than the aigu-
ments and prefents be brought, to regain his friendfhip : For
Antony faid, That " it was not good to require an account ot a
king, as to the affairs of his government, for at this rate he
could be no king at all, but that thofe who had given him that
authority ought to permit him to make ufe of it." He a' fa
Chap. III.] ANTIQUITIES 0)F THE JEWS. iS?
faid the fame things to Cleopatra, thaf it would be bed for her
not bufily to meddle with the afcls of the king's government.
Herod wrote an account of thefe things ; and " enlarged up.
on the other honours which he had received from Antony :
How he fat by him at his hearing raufes, and took his diet
with him every day, and that he enjoyed thofe favours from
him,notwithftandjng the reproaches thatCieopatra fo (evereiy
lai'.l againft him, who having a great defire ot hiscountry, and
earneftly entreating Antony that ihe kingdom might be given
to her, laboured with her utmoft diligence to have him out ot
the way, but that he ftill found Antony juft to him. and had
no longer any apprehenfions of hard treatment from him ; and
that he was foon upon his return, with a firmer additional af-
furance of his favour to him, in his reigning and managing
public affairs ; and that there was no longer any hope for Cle-
opatra's covetous temper, fince Antony had given her Cele-
fyria inftead ot what (he defired, by which means he had at
once pacified her, and got clear ot the entreatieS which fhe
made him to have Judea beftowed upon her."
9. When thefe letters were brought, the women left off
their attempt for flying to the Romans, which they thought
of, while Herod was luppofed to be dead, yet was not that
purpofe of theirs a fecret ; but when the king had conducted
Antony on his way againft the Parthians, he returned to Ju-
dea, when both his filler Salome, arid his mother informed
him of Alexandra's intentions. Salome alfo added fomewhat
farther againft Jofeph, though it were no more than a calum-
ny, that he baa often hid criminal converfation with Mari-
amne. The reafon ot her faying fo was this, that ihe lor a
long time bare her ill-will, for when they had differences with
one another, Maria mne took great freedoms, and reproached
the reft tor the meannefs of their birih. But Herod, whofe
affection to Mariamne was always very warm, was prefently
difturbed at this, and could not bear the torments oi jealoufy,
but was ftill reftrained from doing any rain thing to her by the
love he had lor her : Yet did his vehement affection and jeal-
oufy together make him afk Mariamne by herfelf about this
matter ot Jofeph ; but fhe denied it upon her oath, and faid
all that an innocent woman could poilibly fay in her own de-
fence, fo that by litfle and little the king was prevailed upon to
drop the fufpicion, and left off his anger at her ; and being
overcome with his paffion for his wife, he made an apology
to her for having feerned to believe what he had heard about
her, and returned her a great many acknowledgments of her
modeft behaviour, and proieffed the extraordinary affection
and kindnefs he had for her, till at lail as is ufual between
lovers, they both fell into tears, and embraced one another
with a moft tender affeftipn. But as the king gave more and
more affurances of his belief of her fidelity .and endeavoured to
draw her to a like confidence in him, Mariamne faid " Yet
l88 ANTIQUITIES OP THE JEWS. [Book. XV.
was not that command thou gaveft, that if any harm came to
thee from Antony, 1> who had been no occafion of it, mould
perifh with thee, a fign of thy love to me." When thefe
words were fallen from her, the king was fhocked at them,
and prefently let her go out of his arms, and cried out, and
tore his hair with his own hands, and (aid, that " now he had
an evident demonffration that Jofeph had had criminal con-
verfation with his wife, for that he would never have uttered
what he had told him alone by himfelf, unlefs there had been
fuch a great familiarity and firm confidence between them."
And while he was in this pafhon he had like to have killed his
wi'e, but being ftill overborne by his love to her, he reftr -lin-
ed this his paffion, though not without a lading griet, and dif-
quietnefs ot mind. However, he gave order to flay Toieph,
without permitting him to come into his fight ; and as tor Al-
exandra, he bound her, and kept her in cuitody, as the caufe
pi all this miffhief.
CHAP. IV.
How Cleopatra, when fie had gotten from Antony fame parts
oj Judea and Arabia, came into jfudea ; and how Herod
gave her many Prefents, and Conduced her on her Way back
to Egypt.
i. T^TOW at this time the affairs of Syria were in confu^
1 H| fion by Cleopatra's conftant perfuafions to Ant
to make an attempt upon every body's dominions ; for ihe
perfuaded him to take thofe dominions away from their
al princes andbeftow them upon her ; and" (he had a mighty
influence upon him, by realbn of his being enflaved to her by
his affections. She was allo by nature very covetous, and
fluckat no wickednefs. She had already pot foned her broth-
er, becaufe flic knew that he was to be king of Egypt, and
this when he was but fifteen years old : And (he got her fiftcr
Arfinoe to be fhin, by the means of Antony, when (lie was
a (applicant at Diana's temple at Ephefus ; for if there were
but any hopes of getting money, (he would violate both tem-
ples and fepulchres. Nor was there any holy place that was
efleemed the mofl inviolable, from which (he would not fetch
the ornaments it had in it : Nor any place fo profane, but was
to fuffer the mofl flagitious treatment poflible from her, it it
could but contribute Tomewhat to the covetous humour ot
this wicked creature : Yet did not all this fuffice fo extrava-
gant a woman, who was a flave to herlufts, but (he (till imag-
ined that (he wanted every thing (he could think of and did
her utmoft to gain it ; for which reafon (he hurried Antony
on perpetually to deprive others of their dominions and give
them to her. And as fii-e went over Syria with him, (he con-
Chap. IV.] ANTIQUITIES OF THE JEWS. llty
triverl to get it into her pofTefTion ; fo he flew Lyfanlas, the fon
of Ptolemy, accufing him of his bringing the Parthians upon
tho. countries. Shealfo petitioned Antony to give her Ju-
dea and Arabia, and in order thereto defired him to take thefe
countries away from their prefent governors. As for Antony,
he was fo entirely overcome by this woman, that one would
not think her converfation only could do it, but that he was
forne way or other bewitched to do whatfoever the would have
him ; yet did the grofTeft parts of her injuftice make him fo
afhamed, thaf he would not always hearken to her, to do thofe
flagrant enormities (he would have perfuaded him to. That
therefore he might not totally deny her, nor, by doing every
thing which fhe enjoined hirp. appear openly to bean ill man, he
took fome parts of each of thofe countries away from their
former governors, and gave them to her. Thus he gave her
the cities that were within the river Eleutherus, as far as E-
gypt, excepting Tyre and Sidon, which he knew to have
been tree cities from their anceftors, although fheprefled him
very often to beftow thofe on her alfo.
2. When Cleopatra had obtained thus much, and had ac-
companied Antony in his expedition to Armenia, as far as Eu-
phrates, (he returned back, and came to Apamiaand Damaf-
cus, and paffed on to Judea, where Herod met her, and farmed
of her her parts of Arabia andthofe revenues that came to her
from the region about Jericho. This country bears that bal-
fam, which is the moft precious drug that is there, and grows
there alone. The place bears alfo palm-trees, both many in
number, and thofe excellent in their kind. When fhe was
there, and was very often with Herod, fhe endeavoured to
have criminal converfafion with the king : Nor did fhe afleft
iecrecy in the indulgence of fuch fort of pleafures ; and per-
haps fhe had in fome meafure apaflion of love to him, or rath-
er, what is moft probable, fhe laid a treacherous fnare for him,
by aiming to obtain fuch adulterous converfation from him :
However, upon the whole, fhe feemed overcome with love to
him. Now Herod had a great while borne no good will to
Cleopatra, as knowing that fhe was a woman irkfome to all ;
and at that time he thought her particularly worthy of his hat-
red, if this attempt proceeded out of lull : He had alfo tho't
of preventing her intrigues, by putting her to death, if fuch
were her endeavours. However, he refufed to comply with
her propofals, and called a counfel of his friends to confult
with them, " Whether he mould not kill her, now he had her
in his power ? For that he mould thereby deliver all thofe
Irom a multitude of evils to whom fhe was already become
irkfome, and was expefted to be fl.il 1 fo for the time to come ;
and that this very thing would be much for the advantage of
Antony himfelf, fince fhe would certainly not be faithful to
him, in cafe any fuch feafon or neceffity fhould come upon
him as that he fhould ftand in need of her fidelity." But when
r$0 ANTIQUITIES OF THE JEWS. [Book XV.
he thought to follow this advice, his friends would not let
him ; and told him, That " in the firJl place, it was not right
to attempt fo great a thing, and run himfelf thereby into the
utmoft clanger : And they laid hard at him, and begged of
him to undertake nothing rafhly for that Antony would nev-
er bear it, no not though any one fhould evidently lay before
his eyes that it was for his own advantage ; and that the ap-
pearance of depriving him of her converfation by this violent
and treacherous method, would probably fet his affeftions
more on a flame than before. Nor did it appear that he could
offer any thing of tolerable weight in his defence, this attempt
being againfl fuch a woman as was of the higheft dignity ot
any of her fex at that time in the world : And as to any ad-
vantage to be expecled from fuch an undertaking, it any fuch
could be fuppofed in this cafe, it would appear to deferve
condemnation, on account of the infolence he muft take upon
him in doing it. Which confiderations made it very plain
that in fo doing he would find his government rilled with naif-
chiefs, both great and faffing, both to himfelf and his pofteri-
ty, whereas it was ft ill in his power to rejett that wickednefs
fhe would perfuade him to, and to come off honourably at
the fame time." So by thus affrighting Herod, and repreferit-
ing to him the hazard he muft in ail probability, run by this
undertaking, they retrained him from it. So he treated Cle-
opatra kindly, and made her prefents, and conducted her on
her way to Egypt.
3. But Antony fubdued Armenia, and lent Artabazes, the
fon of Tigranes, in bonds with his children and procurators,
to Egypt, and made a prefent of them, and of all the royal
ornaments which he had taken out of that kingdom to Cleo-
patra. And Artaxias, theeldellot his fons, who had efcaped
at that time, took the kingdom of Armenia ; who yet was e-
jetted by Archeiaus and Nero Cjefar, when they reftored Ti-
granes his younger brother to that kingdom : But this hap-
pened a good while afterward.
4. But then, as to the tributes which Herod was to pay Cle-
opatra for that country which Antony had given her. he aled
fairly with her, as deeming it not fafe for him to afford any
caufe for Cleopatra to hate him. As tor the king of Arabia,
whofe tribute Herod had undertaken to pay her, tor fometime
indeed he paid him as much as came to two hundred talents,
but he afterwards became very niggardly, and flow in his pay-
ments, and could hardly be brought to pay lome parts ot it,
and was not willing to pay even them without fome deduc-
tion.
Chap. V] ANTIQUITIES OF THE JEWS.
CHAP. V.
How Herod made War with the King of Arabia, and after they
had Fought many Battles, at length Conquered htm, and was
chofen by the Arabs to be Governor of that Nation : As alfo
concerning a great Earthquake.
i. T TEREUPON Herodheldhimfelf ready to go againft
XTL the king of Arabia, becaufe of his ingratitude to
him, and becaufe, after all, he would do nothing that was juft
to him, although Herod made the Roman war an occafion of
delaying his own, tor the battle at Athum was now expected,
which fell into the hundred eighty and feventh olympiad,
where Caefar and Antony were to fight for the fupreme pow-
er of the world; but Herod having enjoyed a country that
was very fruitful, and that now for a long time, and having
received great taxes, and raifed great armies therewith, got
together a body of men, and carefully fuinifhed them with
all nece,Tarics, and deligned them as auxiliaries for Antony :
But Antony faid, he had no want of his afliftance ; but he
commanded him topunifh the king of Arabia; for he had heard
both trom him, and Irom Cleopatra, how perfidious he was ;
for this was what Cleopatra defired, who thought it for her
own advantage, that thefe two kings fhould do one another as
great miichief as pofTible. Upon this meilage from Antony,
Herod returned back, but kept his army with him, in order
to invade Arabia immediately. So when his army of horfe-
men and tootmen was ready, he marched to Diofpolis, whith-
er the Arabians came alfo to meet them, tor they were not
unappriied of this war that was coming upon them ; and after
a great battle had been fought, the Jews had the victory : But
afterward there were gotten together another numerous army
of the Arabians, at Cana, which are places of Celefyria. He-
rod was informed of this beforehand ; fo became marching
againft them with the gicaLeft part of the forces he had ; and
when he was come near to Cana, he refolved to encamp him-
felt, and he call up a bul.vark, that he might take a proper
feafon lor attacking the enemy ; but as he was giving thofe
orders, the multiude of the Jews cried out, that he (hould
make no delay, but lea-cl them againft the Arabians. They
went with great f'pirit, as believing they were in very good
order, and thofe eipecially were fo that had been in the for-
mer battle, and had been conquerors, and had not permitted
their eneiiiies fo much as to come to a clofe fight with them.
And when they were fo tumultuous, and Shewed fuch great a-
lacrity, the king reiojved to make ufe of that zeal the multi-
tude then exhibited ; and when he had affured them he would
ot be behind hand with them in cpurage, he led them on, and
19* ANTIQUITIES OF THE JEWS. [Book XV.
flood before them all in his armour, all the regiments follow-
ing him in their feveral ranks : Whereupon a confternation
fell upon the Arabians ; tor when they perceived that the Jews
were not to be conquered, and were full of fpirit, the greater
part of them ran away, and avoided fighting, and they had
been quite deftroyed, had not Athenio fallen upon the Jews,
and diftrelfed them, tor this man was Cleopatra's general over
the foldiers fhe had there, and was at enmity with Herod,
and very wiftfully looked on to fee what the event ot the bat-
tle would be : Me had alfo refoived, that in cafe the Arabians
did any thing that was brave and fuccefsful, he would lie flill,
but in cafe they were beaten, as it really happened, he would
attack the jews with thole forces he had ot his own, and with
thofe that the country had gotten together tor him : So he fell
upon the Jews unexpectedly, when they were fatigued, and
thought they had already vanquifhed the enemy, and made a
great {laughter of them ; for as the Jews had fpent their cour-
age upon their known enemies, and were about to enjoy them-
felves in quietnefs after their victory, they were eatiiy beat-
en by thefe that attacked them atre/h, and in particular re-
ceived a great lofs in places where the horfes could not be of
fervice, and which were very flony, and where thole that at-
tacked them were better acquainted with the places than them-
felves. And when the Jews had fuffered this lofs, the Arabi-
ans raifed their fpirits after their defeat, and returning back a-
gain, flew thofe that were already put to flight; and indeed
all fort of Daughter were now frequent, and of thole tkat ef-
caped, a tew only returned into the camp. So king Herod,
when he defpaired of the battle, rode up to them to bring them
affiftance. yet did he not come time enough to do them any
fervice, though he laboured hard to do it, but the Jewilh
camp was taken, fo that the Arabians had unexpectedly a moil
glorious fuccefs, having gained that viilory which of them-
felves they were no way likely to have gained, and flaying a
great part of the enemy's army : Whence afterward Herod
could only a6l like a private robber, and make excurfions upon
many parts ot Arabia, and dilirefs them by fudden incurfions,
while he encamped among the mountains, and avoided by any
means to come to a pitched battle, yet did he greatly harrafs
the enemy by his aflidutty, and the hard labour he took in this
matter. He alfo took great care ot his own forces, and uied
all the means he could to rcftore his affairs to their old Hate.
2. At this time it was that the fight happened at A6tium, be-
tween Ociavius Cefar and Antony, in * the feventh year of the
reign of Herod ; and then it was alfo there was an earthquake
* The reader is here to take notice, that \.\i\*fevcnik year of the reiga of Herod,
and all the other years of his reign, in jofephus, are dated from the death of An-
tigonus, or at the iooneft from the coi.queR of Antigocus, and th-i taking ot Jeru-
falem a few months before, and never from h'.s fint obui.. '/ the kingdom at Rome
above three years before, i 'o:nehavi ?rv \ve.'s!y done*
Chap. V%] ANTIQUITIES OF THE JEWS.'
in Judea, fiich an one as had not happened at any other time*
and which earthquake brought a great deftru&ion upon the
cattle in that country ^ About ten thoufand men alfo perifhed
by the fall of houfes ; but the army, which lodged in the field,
received no damage by this fad accident. When the Arabi-
ans were informed of this, and when thofethat hated the Jews,
and pleafed themfelves with aggravating the reports told them
of it, they railed their fpirits, as if their enemy's country was
quite overthrown, and the men were utterly deftroyed, ami
thought there now remained nothing that could oppofe them.
Accordingly, they took the Jewifh ambaffadors, who came to
them after all this had happened, to make peace with them*,
and flew them, and came with great alacrity againft their ar-
my ; but the Jews durft not withftand them, and were fo caffc
down by the calamities they were under, that they took no
care of their affairs, but gave up themlelves to defpair, for
they had no hope that they mould be upon a level again with:
them in battles, nor obtain any affiftance ellewhere, while
their affairs at home were in fuch great diftrefs alfo. "When,
matters were in this condition, the king perfuaded the com-,
manders by his words, and tried to raife their fpirits which
were quite funk ; and firft he endeavoured to encourage and
embolden fome of the better fort before hand, and then ven-
tured to make a fpeech to the multitude, which he had before
avoided to do, leil he fhould find themuneafy thereat, becaufe:
of the misfortunes which had happened ; fo he madeaconfol-
atory fpeech to the multitude, in the manner following :
3. " You are not unacquainted, my fellow-foldiers, that we
have had not long fince, many accidents that have put a flop>
to what we are about, and it is probable, that even thofe that
are moft diitinguifhed above others tor their courage, can hard-
ly keep up their fpirits in fuch circumftances, but fince we
cannot avoid fighting, and nothing that hath happened is ofc
fuch a nature but it may by yourfelves be recovered into a
good ftate and this by one brave aflion only well performed,,
1 have propofed to myfelf both to give you fome encourage-
ment, and, at the fame time fome information, both which part
oi my defign, will tend to this point, that you may iti-ll con-
tinue in your own proper fortitude. I will then, in the firft
place, demonftrate to you, that this war is a juft one on our
fide, and that on this account it is a war of neceffity, and oc-
cafioned by the injuftice ot our adverfaries, for it you be once
fa'tisfied of this, it will be a real caufe ot alacrity to you, after
which I will farther demonftrate, that the misfortunes we are
under are of no great confequence, and that we have the great-
eft realon to hope for victory. I fhall begin with the firlt, and
appeal to yourfelves as witneffes to what I (hall fay. You are
not ignorant certainly of the wickednefs ot the Arabians,
which is to that degree as to appear incredible to all other men,
and to include fomewhat that fhews the groffeft barbarity and
VOL. II A a
*94 ANTIQUITIES OF THE JEWS.
ignorance of God. Their chief things wherein they have"
affronted us, have arifen from covetoufnefs and envy, and
they have attacked us in an infidious manner, and on the fud-
den. And what occafion is there for me to mention many in-
ilances of fuch their procedure? When they were in danger
of lofing their own government of themfelves, and of being
flaves to Cleopatra, what others were they that freed them
irom that fear ? For it was the friendfhip 1 had with Antony,
and the kind difpofition he was in towards us, that hath been
the occafion that even thefe Arabians have not been utterly
undone, Antony being unwilling to undertake any thing which
might be fufpefted by us of unkindnefs : But when he had a
mind to beflow Tome parts of each of our dominions on Cleo-
patra, I alfo managed that matter fo, that by giving him pref-
ents of my own, 1 might obtain a fecurity to both nations,
while I undertook my felf to anfwer for the money, and gave
him two hundred talents, and became furety for thofe two
hundred more which were impofed upon the land that was
fubjeft to this tribute : And this they have defrauded us of,
although it was not reafonable that Jews fhowld pay tribute to
any man living, or allow part of their land to be taxable ; but
although that was to be, yet ought we not to pay tribute for
thefe Arabians, whom we have ourfelves preferved ; nor is it
fit that they, who have profefled, and that with great integrity
and fenfe of our kindnefs, that it is by our means that they
keep their principality, mould injure us, and deprive us of
what is our due, and this while we have been ftill not their
enemies but their friends. And whereas- obfervation of cov-
enants takes place among the bittereft enemies, but among
friends is abfolutely neceffary, this is not obferved among
thefe men who think gain to be the beft of all things, let it be
by any means whatfoever, and that injuftice is no harm, if they
may but get money by it : Is it therefore a cjueftion with you,
Whether the unjuil are to be punifhed or not ? When God
himfeli hath declared his mind that fo it ought to be, and hath
commanded that we ever fhould hate injuries and injufiice.
which is not only jufl but ncceffary in wars between feveral
nations ; for thefe Arabians have done what both the Greeks
and Barbarians own to be an inftance of the groffeft wicked-
nels, with regard to our ambaffadors, which they have behead-
ed, while the Greeks declare that fuch ambafladors are * facred
and inviolable. And for ourfelves we have learned from God
the moft excellent of our doftrines, and the moil holy part of
our law by angels, or ambaffadors ; for this name brings God
tc the knowledge of mankind, and is fufficient to reconcile
* Herod (ays here, that as amkaffadors were facred, when they carried meffages to
others, fo did the laws of the Jews derive a facred authority by being deli*
from God by ante's [or J^-ine ambajjadorsl which is St. Paul's expression. a u
Bie lame laws, Gal. iii. 19. Heb. ii. z.
Chap. V.J ANTIQUITIES F THE JEWSu IO,*?
enemies one to another. What wickednefs then can be great-
er than the (laughter of amballadors, who come to treat about
doing what is right ? And when fuch have been their aftions,
how is it poflible they can either live fecurcly in common lite,
or be fuccefsful in war ? 'n my opinion this is impoffible ;
tut perhaps fome will fay that what is holy, and what is right-
eous is indeed on our fide, but the Arabians are either more
courageous, or more numerous than we are. Now as to this,
in the fir ft place, it is not fit for us to fay fo, tor with whom is
what is righteous, with them is God hirnfelf ; now, where God
is, there is both multitude and courage. But to examine our
own circumftances a little, we were conquerors in thefirft bat-
tle ; and when we fought again, they were not able to oppofe
us, but ran away, and could not endure our attacks, or our
courage ; but when we had conquered them, then came Athen-
ion, and made war againft us without declaring it ; and pray,
is th-is an iaftance of their manhood ? Or is it not a fecond in-
ftance of their wickednefs and treachery ? Why-are we there-
fore of lefs courage, on account of that which ought to infpire
us with ftronger hopes ? And why are we terrified at thefe,
who, when they fight upon the level, are continually beaten,
and when they feern to be conquerors, they gain it by wick-
ednefs ? And if we -fuppofe that any one mould deem them to
be men of real courage, will not he be excited by that very
confideration to do his utmoft againft them ? For true valour
is not fhewn by fighting againft weak perfons, but in being
able to overcome the moii hardy. But then, if the diftrefle.s
we are ourfelves under, and the miferies that have come
by the earthquake, hath affrighted any one, let him confider
in the firft place, that this very thing will deceive the Arabi-
ans, by their fuppofal that what hath befallen us is greater tha.u
it really is. Moreover it is not right that the fame thing that
emboldens them mould difcourage us ; for thefe men, you fee,
do not derive their alacrity from any advantageous virtue of
their own, but from their hope, as to us, that we are quite cait
down by our misfortunes ; but when we boldly march againil
them, we mall foon pull down their infolent conceit of them-
felves and mall gain this by attacking them, that they will
not be fo infolent when wa come to the battle, for our diftreff-
es are not fo great, nor is what hath happened an indication
of the anger of God againft us, as fome imagine, for fuch
things are accidental, and adverfities that come in the ufual
courfe of things ; and if we allow that this was done by the
will of God, we mult allow that it is now over by his will al~
fo and that he is fatfsfied with what hath already happened,
for had he been willing to afflict us ftill more thereby he had
not changed his mind lo foon. And as for the war we are en-
gaged in, he hath himfelf demonllrated, that he is willing it
ihould go on, and that he knows it to be a juft war ; for while
lorae ot the people in the country have perifhed, all you
ig6 ANTIUITIBS F THE JEWS. [Book XV.
were in arms have fuffered nothing, but are all preferred alive ;
whereby God makes it plain to us, that if you had univerfally,
with your children and wives, been in the army, it had come
to pals, that you had not undergone any thing that would have
much hurt you. Corifider thefe things, and, what is more
than all the refl, that yo\i have God at all times for your pro-
teftor ; and profecute thefe men with a juft bravery, who, in
point of friendfhip, are unjuft. in their battles, perfidious, to-
wards ambafladors impious, and always inferior to you in val-
our."
4, When the Jews heard this fpeech, they were much raif-
ed in their minds, and more difpofed to fight than betore. So
Herod, when he had * offered the facnfices appointed by the
law, made hafte, and took them, and led them againft the Ara-
bians ; and in order to that pafled over Jordan, and pitched
his camp near to that of the enemy. He alfo thought fit to
feize upon a certain caflte that lay in the midft of them, as
hoping it would be for his advantage, and would the fooner
produce a battle, and that if there were occafion for delay, he
Should by it have his camp fortified ; and as the Arabians had
the fame intentions upon that place, a contefl arofe about it ;
at firft they were but fkirmifhes, after which there came more
ioldiers, and it proved a fort of fight, and fome fell on both
fides, till thofe ot the Arabian fide were beaten, and retreated.
This was no fmall encouragement to the Jews immediately ;
and when Herod obferved that the enemies army were difpof-
ed to any thing rather than to come to an engagement, he ven-
tured boldly to attempt the bulwark itfelt, and to pull it to
pieces, and fo to get nearer to their camp, in order to fight
them ; for when they were forced out of their trenches, they
went out in dilorder, and had not the leaft alacrity, or hope
of victory ; yet did they fight hand to hand, becaufe they were
more in number than the Jews, and becaufe they were in fuch
a difpofition ot war that they were under a neceffity ot com-
ing on boldly ; fo they came to a terrible battle, while not a
few tell on each fide. However, at length the Arabians fled ;
and fo great a {laughter was made upon their being routed,
that they were not only killed by their enemies, but became
the authors pt their own deaths alfo, and were trodden down
by the multitude, and the great current ot people in diforder,
* This piece of religion, the fupplicating God with facrifices, by Herod, before
he went to this fight with the A rabians, taken notice of alfo in the firft book Of
thi War, ch. xix. 5. vol. III. is worth remarking, becaulc it is the only example
of this nature, fo far as I remember, that Jolephus ever mentions in a'l'his laige
and particular accounts of this Herod : And it was when h*: had been in mighty
diftrels, and djfcoaraged by a great defeat of his former army, and by a very great
earthquake in Judea, iuch times of affliction making men moft religious : Nor was
he dilappointed of his hopes here, but immediately gained a molt fi_,nal victory
over the Arabias, while they who juft before had been fo great viftors, and fo
much elevated upon the earthquake in Judea as to venture to flay the Jewifh am.
: s, were now under a ftrange coufternation, and hardly able to fight at ail.
Chap. VI.] ANTIQUITIES OF THE JEWS. 197
and were deftroyed by their own armour; fo five thoufand
men lay dead upon the fpot, while the reit of" the multitude
fooii ran within the bulwark j forfaiety], but had no firm hope
ot iafety, by reafon of their want of neceffaries, and efpecially
of water. The Jews purfued them ; but could not get in with
them but fat round about the bulwark, and watched any af-
fittance that would get in to them, and prevented any there,
that had a mind to it, trom running away.
5. When the Arabians were in theie circumftances, they
fent ambaffadors to Herod, in the fidt place to propofe terms
of accommodation and after that to offer him, fo p retting was
their thii ft upon them, to undergo whatfoever he pleafed, if
he would free them from their prefent diilrefs ; hut he would
admit of no ambaffadors, ot no pi ice ot redemption, nor ot any
other moderate terms whatever, being very defirous to revenge
thole unjult attions which they had been guilty ot towards
his nation. So they were neceffitated by other motives, and
particularly by their thirft to come out, and deliver them/elves
up to him, to be carried away captives ; and in five days
time, the number ot tour thoufand were taken prifoners, while
all the rcil reiolved to make a fally upon their enemies, and
to fight it out with them, chooling rather, it fo it rnuft be, to
die therein, than to perilh gradually and ingloriouOy. When
they had taken this refolution, they came out ot taeir trench-
es, but could no way fuitain the fight, being too much diiabied,
both in mind and body, and having not room to exert them-
felves, and thought it an advantage to be killed, and a milery
to furvive; fo at the firlt onfet there fell about feven thoufantl
ot them, after which itroke they let all the courage they had
put on before tall, and flood amazed at Herod's warlike fpirit
under his own calamities ; fo tor the future, they yielded, and
made him ruler ot their nation ; whereupon he was greatly
elevated at fo feafonable a fuccefs, and returned home, taking
great authority upon him, on account of fo bold and glorious
in expedition as he had made.
CHAP. VI.
How Herod Jlew Hyrcanus, and 'then ha fled away to Cefar, and
obtained ike Kingdom from himalfo ; and how, a little time
afterward he entertained Cefar in a meft honourable manner.
I. TJEROD's other affairs were now very profperous ;
XJl and he was not to be eafily affaulted on any fide.
Yet did there come upon him a danger that would hazard his
entire dominions, after Antony had been beaten at the battle
of A6lium by Cefar [OfctavianJ ; tor at that time both Her-
od's enemies and triends defpaired ot his affairs, for it was
not probable that he would remain without punilhment who
9$ ANTIQUITIES OF THE JEWS. [Book XV.
had (hewed fo much friendfhip for Antony. So it happened
thai his friends defpaired and had no hopes at his efcape, but
for his enemies, they all outwardly appeared to be troubled at
his cafe, but were privately very glad of it, as hoping to ob-
tain a change tor the better. As for Herod himfelf,he faw
that there was no one of royal dignity left but Hyrcanus, and
therefore he thought it would be for his advantage not to fuf-
fer him to be an obftacle in his way any longer ; for that in
cafe he himfelt furvived, and efcaped the danger he was in, he
thought it the fafeft way to put it out ot the power of fuch a
man to make any attempt againrt him, at fuch junctures of
affairs, as was more worthy of the kingdom than himfdf :
And in cafe he fhould be (lain by Cefar, his envy prompted
him to defire to (lay him that would otherwife be king after
him.
2. While Herod had thefe things in his mind, there was a
certain occafion afforded him ; for Hyrcanus was of fo mild a
temper, both then and at other times, that he defired not to
meddle with public affairs, nor to concern himfelf with inno-
vations, but lelt all to iortune, and contented himfell with
what that afforded him : But Alexandra This daughter] was a
lover ot ftrife, and was exceeding rJefirous of a change of the
government, and fpake to her father not to bear forever Her-
od's injurious treatment of their family, but to anticipate their
future hopes, as he fafeJy might ; a.nd defired him to write a-
bout thefe matters to Malchus, who was then governor of
Arabia, to receive them, and to fecure them [from Henxlj, for
that if they went away, and Herod's affairs proved to be, as
it was likely they would be, by reafon of Cefar's enmity to
him, they fhould then be the only pcrfoivs that could take the
government, and this, both on account of the royal family
they were of, and on account of the good difpofition of the
multitude to them. While Ihe u fed thefe perfuafions, Hyr-
canus put off her fuit ; but as fhe fhewed that (he was a wo-
man and a contentious woman too, and would not defifl either
night or day, but would always be fpeaking to him about thefe
matters, and about Herod's treacherous defigns, Ihc at laft
prevailed with him to intruft Dofitheus, one of his friends,
with a letter, wherein his refolutioa was declared ; and he
defired the Arabian governor to fend to him fome horfemen,
who Ihould receive him and conduct him to the lake Afphal-
tites, which is from the bounds ot Jerufalem three hundred
iurlongs : And he did therefore truit Dofitheus with this let-
ter becaufe he was a careful attendant on him, and on Alex-
andra, and had no fmall occafions to bear ill-will to Herod ;
lor he was a kinfman of one Jofeph whom he had flain, and a
brother of thofe that were formerly flain at Tyre by Antony:
Yet could not thefe motives induce Dofitheus to ferve Hyrca-
nus in this affair, for preferring the hopes he had from the
prefent king to thofe he had from him, he gave Herod the
Chap. VI.] ANTIQUITIES OF THE JEWS.
letter. So he took his -kindnefs in good part, and bid him
befides do what he had already done, that is, go on in ferving;
him, by rolling up theepiftle and fealing it again, and deliv-
ering it to Malchus, and then to bring back his letter in an-
fwer to it, for it would be much better if he could know
Malchus's intentions alfo. And when Dofitheus was very
ready to ferve him in this point al(o, the Arabian gover-
nor returned back for anfwer, that lie would receive Hyr-
canus, and all that mould come with him, and even all the
Jews that were of his party : That he would moreover, fend
forces fufficient to fecure them in their journey, and that he
fhould be in no want of any thing he fhould defire. Now as
foon as Herod had received this Tetter, he immediately lent
for Hyrcanus, and queftioned him about the league he had
made with Malchus : And when he denied it, he fhewed his
letter to the Sanhedrim, and put the man to death immediately.
3. And this account we give the reader, as it is contained in
the commentaries of king Herod : But other hiftorians do not
agree with them, for they fuppofe that Herod did noifind, but
Bather make this an occafion for thus putting him to death, and
that by treaeheroufly laying a fnare for him ; for thus do they
write : That Herod and he were once at a treat, and that Her-
od had given no occafion to fufpecl [that he was difpleafed at
him], but put this queftionto Hyrcanus, Whether he had re-
ceived any letters from Malchus ? And when he anfwered,
that he had received letters, but thofe ot falutation only ; and
when he afked farther, whether he had not received any pre-
fents from him ? And when he had replied, that he had re-
ceived no more than four horfes to ride on, which Malchus
had fent him ; and they pretend that Herod charged thefe up-
on him as the crimes of bribery and treafon, and gave order
that he fhould be led away and flain. And in order todemon-
ftrate that he had been guilty of no offence, when he was
thus brought to his end, they alleged how mild his temper had
been, and that even in his youth he had never given any de-
monflration of boldnefs or raihnefs, and that the cafe was the
fame when he came to be king, but that he even then commit-
ted the management of the greateft part of public affairs to An-
tipater ; and that he was now above fourfcore years old, and
knew that Herod's government was in a iccure Hate. He alfo
came over Euphrates, and left thofe who greatly honoured him
beyond that river, though he were to be entirely under Her-
od's government, and that it was a moft incredible thing that
he fhould enterprise any thing by way of innovation, and not
at all agreeable to his temper, but that this was a plot ot Herod's
own contrivance.
4. And this was the fate ot Hyrcanus ; and thus did he end
his life, after he had endured various and manifold turns of
fortune in his lifetime : For he was made high-prieft of the Jew-
ifh nation in the beginning of his mother Alexandra's reign, who-
20* ANTIQUITIES OF THE JEWS* [Book. XV-
held the government nine years ; and when, after his mother's
death, he took the kingdom himfelf, and held it three months,
he loft it by the means ot his brother Ariftobulus. He was
then reflored by Pompey, and received all forts of honour
horn him, and enjoyed them forty years ; but when he was a-
gain deprived by Aniigonus, and was maimed in his body, he
was made a captive by the Parthians, and thence returned home
again after !ome time, on account of the hopes that Herod had
given him ; none of which came to pafs according to his ex-
peBation. but he flill conflicted with many misfortunes thro*
the whole courfe of his lite ; and what was the heaviett calam-
ity of all, as we have related already, he came to an end which
was undeferved by him. His character appeared to be that of a
man of a mild and moderate difpofition, and fuffered the admin-
iftration of affairs to be generally done by others under him.
He was aveife to much meddling with the public, nor had
fhrewdnefs enough to govern a kingdom : And both Antipa-
ter and Herod came to their greatneis by region of his mild-
nefs, and at la ft he met with fuch an end trom them as was not
agreeable either to juftice or piety.
5. Now Herod, as foon as he had put Hyrcanus out of the
way, made hafte to Caefar ; and becaufe he could not have any
hopes of kindnefs from him, on account of the triendfhip he
had for Antony, he had a fufpicion of Alexandra, left ihe
would take this opportunity to bring the multitude to a revolt,
and introduce a fedition into the affairs of the kingdom ; fo he
committed the care of every thing to.his brother Pheroras, and
placed his mother Cypros, and his fifter | SalomeJ and the
whole family at MafTada, and gave him a charge, that if he
fhould hear any fad news about him, he mould take care of the
government: But as to Mariamne his wife, becaufe of the
mifunderftanding between her and his fifter, and his fifters
mother, which made it impoffible forthem to live together, he
placed her at Alexandrium, with Alexandra her mother, and
left his treafurer Jofeph and Sohemus of Jturea, to take care of
that fortrefs. Thefe two had been very faithful to him from the
beginning, and wcrenowleft as aguard to the women. They
allo had it in charge, that if they ihould hear any mifchief had
befallen him, they ihould kill them both, and, as far as they were
able, to prefeive the kingdom tor his fons, and for his brother
Pheroras.
6. When he had given them this charge, he'made hafte to
Rhodes, to meet Caefar; and when he had failed to that city, he
took offhis diadem, but remitted nothing el fe of his ufual digni-
ty : And when, upon his meeting him, he defired that he would
let him fpeak to him, he therein exhibited a much more noble
fpecimenof a great foul, for he did not betake himfelf tofup-
plications, as men ufually do upon fuch occalions nor offered
him any petition, as if he were an offender, butafteran undaunted
manner', gave an account of what he had done ; for he fpake thus
Chap. VI.] ANTIQUITIES OF THE JEWS. 2OI
to Caefar, That " he had the greafeft friendfhip for Antony,
and did every thing he could that he might attain the govern-
ment : That he was not indeed in the army with him, be-
caufe the Arabians had diverted him, but that he had fent
him both money and corn, which was bufc. too little in com-
parifon of what he ought to have done lor him ; for, it a man
owns himfelf to-be another's friend, and knows him to be a
benefactor, he is obliged'to hazard every thing, to ufe every
faculty of his foul, every member of his body, and all the
wealth he hath, for him, in which I coniefs I have been too
deficient. However, 1 am confcious to myfelf, that fo far I
havejdone right, that I have not cleferted him upon his defeat
at Actium : Nor upon the evident change of his fortune have
I transferred my hopes from him to another, but have pre-
ferved myfelf, though not as a valuable fellow foldier, yet
certainly as a faithful counfellor to Antony, xvhen I demon-
ilrated to him that the only way that he had to fave himfelr,
and not to lofe all his authority, was to flay Cleopatra ; for
when Oie was once dead, there would be room for him to re-
tain his authority, and rather to bring thee to make a compo-
fifion with him, than to continue at enmity any longer. None
of which advices would he attend to, but preferred his own
rafh refolutions before them, which have happened unpro-
fitably for him, but profitably for thec. Now, therefore, in
cafe thou determined about me, and my alacrity in ferv'ing
Antony, according to thy anger at him, I own there is no
room for me to deny what I have done, nor will I beafhamed
to own. and that publicly too, that I had a great kindnefs for
him : But if thou wilt put him out of the cafe, and only ex-
amine how I behave myfelf to my benefactors in general, and
what a fort of friend I am, thou wilt find by experience that
we (hall do and be the fame to thyfelf, for it is but changing
the names and the firmnefs of friendfhip that we Ihall bear-
to thee, will not be difapprovcd by thee."
7. By this fpeech, and by his behavour, which {hewed Cs-
far the franknefs of his mind, he greatly gained upon him,
who was himfelf of a generous and rragnificent temper, in-
fomuch that thofe very a6Hons, which were the foundation of
the accufation againft him, procured him Csefar's good wilL
Accordingly, he reliored him his diadem ; and encouraged
him to exhibit himfelf as great a friend to himfelf as he had
been to Antony, and then had him in great efteem. Moreo-
ver, he added this, that Quintus Didius had written to him,
that Herod had very readily aflilled him in the affair of the
gladiators. So when he had obtained fucha kind reception,
and had, beyond all his hopes, procured his crown to be more
entirely and firmly fettled upon him than ever, by Csefar'a
donation, as well as by that decree of the Romans, which Cae-
far took care to procure for his greater fecurity, he conduced
Caefar on his way to Egypt, and made prefents, even beyond
VOL. II. B b
202 ANTIQUITIES OF THE JEWS. [Book XV,
his ability, to both him and his friends, and in general behav-
ed himf'elt with great magnanimity. He alfo defired that Cae-
far would not put to death one Alexander, who had been a
companion of Antony's ; but Casfar had Iworn to put him to
death, and fo he could not obtain that his petition. And now
he returned to Judea again with greater honour and aflurance
than ever, and affrighted thofe that had expectations to the
contrary, as ftill acquiring from his very dangers greater
fplendor than before, by the favour ot God to him. So he
prepared for the reception of Caefar, as he was going out ot
Syria to invade Egypt ; and when he came, he entertained
him at Ptolemais with all royal magnificence. He nlfo be-
ftowed prefents on the army, and brought them provifions in
abundance. He alfo proved to be one of Caefar's moll cor-
dial friends, and put the army in array, and rode along with
Caefar, and had an hundred and fifty men, well appointed in
all refpefts, after a rich and fumptuous manner, for the better
reception of him and his friends. He alk> provided them
with what they mould want, as they palled over the dry de-
iert, infomuch that they lacked neither wine nor water, which
laft the foldiers flood in the greatell need of ; and befides, he
prefented Ciefar with eight hundred talents, and procured to
himfelf the good will of them all, becaule he was affi fling them
in a much greater and more fpicndid degree than the kingdom
he had obtained could affora, by which means he more and more
dempnftrated to Casfar the firmnefs of his friendfhip. and his
readinefs to afTifl him ; and what was of the greatell advantage
to him was this, that his liberality came at a feafonablc time
alfo : And when they returned again out of Egypt, hisaffift-
ances were no way inferior to the good offices he had former-
ly done them.
C H A P. VII.
How Herod Jlew Sohemus, and Mariamne, and afterward Al-
exandra, andCoflobarus, and his mojl intimate Friends, and
at laji the Jons of Eaba alfo.
y I- TTOWEVER, when he came into his kingdom again.
1 X he found his hotife all in diforder, and his wife Ma-
riamne and her mother Alexandra very uneafy ; for, as they
iuppofed, what was eafy to be fuppofed, that they were not
put into that fortrefs [AlexandriumJ for the fecurity of their
perfons, but as into a garrifon for their imprifonment, and that
they had no power over any thing either of others or of their
own affairs, they were very uneaiy ; and Mariamne fuppofing
that the king's love to her was but hy pocriticaly, and rather
pretended, as advantageous to himfelf, as real, (he looked upon
it as fallacious. She alfo was grieved that he would not allow
Chap. VII.] ANTIQUITIES <DF THE JEWS. 203
her any hopes of furviving him, if he fhould come to any
harm himfeH. She alfo recollecled what commands he had
formerly given to Jofeph, infomuch that (he endeavoured to
pleafe her keepers,' and especially Sohemus, as well apprifed
how all was in his power. And at the firft Sohemus was faith-
iul to Herod, and neglected none of the things he had given
him in charge ; but when the women, by kind words and
liberal prefents, had gained his affeftions over to them he was ,
by degrees overcome, and at length difcovered to them all the
king's injunctions, and this on that account principally, that
he did not fo much as hope he would come back with the fame
authority he had before, fo that he thought he mould both el-
cape any danger from him, and fuppofed that he did ".hereby
much gratify the women, who were likely not to be over-
looked in the fettling of the government, nay, that they would
be able to make him abundant recompence, fince they mud
either reign themfelves, or be very near to him that fhould
reign. He had a farther ground of hope alfo, that though
Herod fhould have ail the 'u cefs he could wifh for, and mould
return again, he could not contradict his wife in what he de-
fired, for he knew that the king's fondnefs for his wife was
inexpreflible. Thefe were the motives that drew Sohemus to
dilcover what injun6tions had been given him. So Mariam-
ne was greatly difpleafed to hear that there was no end of the
dangers (he was under from Herod, and was greatly uneafy,
at it, and wifhed that he might obtain no favours [from Cze-
far.J and elleemed it almoft an infurportable tail, to live
with him any longer : And this fhe afterward openly declared,
without concealing her refenttnent.
2. And now Herod failed home with joy, at the unexpecl-
cd good fuccefs he had had ; and went firflof all as was prop-
er, to this his wife, and told her, and her only, the good news,
as preferring her before the reft, on account of his fondnefs
for her, and the intimacy there had been between them, and
faluted her ; but fo it happened, that as he told her o( the good
fuccefs he had had, (he was fo far from rejoicing at it, that (he
rather was lorry for it ; nor was fhe able to conceal her refent-
ments, but depending on her dignity, and the nobility of her
birth, in return for his falutations, fhe gave a groan, and de-
clared evidently that (he rather grieved than rejoiced at 1m
fuccefs, and this till Herod was difturbcd at her, as afFoiding
him, not only marks of her fufpicion, but evident ligns of
her diffatisfaction. This much troubled him, to fee that this
furprifing hatred of his wife to him was not concealed, but
open ; and he took this fo ill, and yet was fo unable to bear it,
on account of the fondnefs he had tor her, that he could not
continue long in any one mind, but fometimes was angry at
her, and fometimes reconciled himfelf to her, but by always
changing one paffion for another, he was flill in great uncer-
tainty, and thus was he entangled between hatred and love,
204 ANTIQUITIES OF THE JEWS. [Book XV.
and was frequently difppfed to inflicT: punifhment on her for
her infolence towards him, but being deeply in love with her
in his foul, he was not able to get quit of this woman. In
fliort. as he would gladly have her punifhcd, fo was he afraid
left ere he were aware, he mould, by putting her to death,
bring an heavier punifhment upon himfelt at the fame time.
3- When Herod's fider and mother perceived that he was in
this temper with regard to Mariamne, they thought they had
now got an excellent opportunity to exercife their hatred a-
gaind her, and provoked Herod to wrath by telling him iuch
Jong (lorjes and calumnies about her, as might at once excite
his hatred and his jealoufy. Now, though he willingly e^
nough heard their words, yet had not he courage enough to
do any thing to her, as if he believed them, but dill he be-
came worfe and worfe difpofed to her, and thefe ill paffions
\vere more and more inflamed on both (ides, while (he did not
hide her difpofition towards him, and he turned his love to her
into wrath againft her. But when he was juft going to put
this matter paft all remedy, he heard the news that Casiar was
the viclor in the war, and that Antony and Cleopatra were
both dead, and that he had conquered Egypt, whereupon he
made hafte to go to meet Cefar, and left the affairs ot his fam-
ily in their prefent (late. However, Mariamne recommend-
ed Sohemus to him, as he was fetting out on his journey, and
profeffed that (he owed him thanks tor the care he had taken
of her, and aficed of the king tor him a place in the govern-
ment ; upon which an honourable employment was beilov,-t;d
upon him accordingly. Now, when Herod was con-e into
Egypt, hevas introduced to Caedr withgreat freedom, as al-
ready a friend ot his, and received' very great favours from
him ; for he made him a prefent of thofe four hundred Gala-
tians who had been Cleopatra's guards and reftored that coun-
try to him again, which, by her means, had been taken away
from him. He alfo added to his kingdom, Gadara, Hippos,
and Samaria ; and, befides thofe, the maritime cities, Gaza,
and Anthedon, and Joppa, and Strata's Tower,
'4. Upon thefe new acquifitions, he grew more magnificent,
and conducted Caefar as far as Antioch ; but upon his return,
as much as his profperity was augmented by the foreign ad-
ditions that had been made him, fo much the greater were the
diftreffes that came upon him in his own family, and
chiefly, in the affair ot his wife, wherein he formerly ap-
peared to have been mod of all fortunate ; for the affection he
had for Mariamne was no way inferior to the affections of
j;ich as are on that account celebrated in hidory, and this very
juftly. As tor her, (he was in other refpefclsa chade woman,
and faithful to him, yet had (he fomewhat of a woman, rough
by nature, and treated her hufband imperioufly enough, be-
caufefhe fawhe was fofondof herastobeenflaved to her. She
aidnotalfo corifider feafouably with herfelf that fhe lived under a
Chap. VII.] ANTIQUITIES O? THE JEWS. 2O5
monarchy, and that (he was at another's difpofal, and accord-
ingly would behave herfelf after a faucy manner to him,
which r yet he ufually put off in a jeflingway, and bore with
moderation and good temper. She would alfo expofe his
mother and his fifter openly, on account of the meannefs of
their birth, and would fpeak unkindly of them, infomuch, that
there was before this a dHagreement and unpardonable hatred
among the women, and it was now come to greater reproaches
of one another than formerly, which fufpicions increafed, and
Jafted a whole year after Herod returned from Caefar. How-
ever, thefe misfortunes, which had been kept under fome de-
cency for a great while, burft out all at once upon fuch an
pccalion as was now offered ; as the king was one day about
noon lain down on his bed to reft him, he called for Mariam-
ne, out of the great affettion he had always for h.er. She
came in accordingly, but would not lie down by him : And
when he was very defirous of her company, Ihe (hewed her
contempt of him ; and added by way of reproach, that he had
caufed * her father and ner brother to be fl.iin. And when he
took this injury very unkindly, and was ready to u(e violence
to her, in a precipitate manner, the king's finer Salome obferv-
ing that he was more than ordinarily diflurbed fent in to the
king his cup bearer who had been prepared long before-hand
for kich a delign, and bid him tell the king, how Mariamne
had perfuaded him to give his ailHlance in preparing a love
potion lor him. And if he appear to be greatly concerned,
and to afk what that love potion was ? to tell him. that Ihe had
the potion, and that he was defiled only to give it him : But
that in cafe he did not appear to be much concerned at this
potion,to let the thing drop, and that if he did fo, noharm fhould
thereby come to him. When (he had given him thefe inftrucv
tions, (he fent him in at this time to make fuch a fpeech. So
he went in after a compofed manner, to gain credit to what
he (hould lay, and yet lomewhat haftily, and faid,that " Mar-
iamne had given him prefents, and perfuaded him to give him
a love potion." And when this moved the king, he laid, that
" this love potion was a competition that me had given him,
whofe effects he did not know, which was the reafon of his re.
lolvingtogive him this information's the fafeftcourfe he could
take, both for himfelf and for the king." When Herod heard
what he faid, and was in an ill difpofition before, his indigna-
tion grew more violent ; and he ordered that eunuch of Mar-
iamne's who was moft faithful to her, to be brought to torture
about this potion, as well knowing it was not poffible that any
* Whereas Mariamne is here reprefl-nted as reproaching Herod with the mur-
der of htr father [Alexander, J as woil as her brother [Arillobulus.] while it was
her grandfather Hyrcanus, ana not her father Alexand.-r, whom he caufed to be
{tan, (as Jofephus himfelf informs us, ch. vi. ^ 2.), we mult either take Zonora's
reading, which is here gra^dfatker^ightly, orelfe we muft, as before, ch. i. ^ i.
allow a flip of Jofephus's pen or memory in the place before us.
206 ANTIQUITIES OF THE JEWS. [Book XV.
thing fmall or great could be done without him. And when
the man was under the utmoft agonies, he could lay nothing
concerning the thing he was tortured about, but fo far he
knew, that Mariamne's hatred againft him was occafioned by
ibmewhat that Sohemus had faid to her. Now, as he was fay-
ing this, Herod cried out aloud and faid, that ''Sohemus,
who had been at all other times raoft faithful to him, and to his
government, would not have betrayed what injunctions he
had given him unlefs he had had a nearer converfation than
ordinary with Mariamne." So he gave order that Sohemus
fhould be feized on and (lain immediately ; but he allowed his
wife to take her trial : And got together thofe that were moft
faithful to him, and laid an elaborate accufation againft her for
this love potion and compofition, which had been charged up-
on her by way of "calumny only. However, he kept no tem-
per in what he faid, and was in too great a paffion for judging
well about this matter. Accordingly, when the court was at
length fatisfied that he was fo refolved, they paffed the fentence
of death upon her : But when the fentence was paffed upon
her, this temper was fuggefled by himfelf, and by fome oth-
ers ot the court, that (he mould not be thus haftily put to death,
but be laid in prifon in one of the fortrefTes belonging to the
kingdom ; but Salome and her party laboured hard to have
the woman put to death ; and they prevailed with the king to
do fo, and advifed this out of caution, left the multitude fhould
be tumultuous if fhe were fuffered to live : And thus was
Mariamne led to execution.
5. When Alexandra obferved how things went, and that
there were fmall hopes that fhe herfelf fhoufd efcape the like
treatment from Herod, (he changed her behaviour to quite the
reverfe of whit might have been expecled from her former
boldnefs, and this after a very indecent manner ; for out of
her defire to fhew how entirely ignorant fhe was of the crimes
laid againft Mariamne. fhe leaped out of her place, and re-
proached her daughter, in the hearing of all people ; and cri-
ed out, That " fhe had been an ill woman, and ungrateful to
herhufband, and that her punifhment came juftly upon her,
for fuch her infolent behaviour, for that fhe had not made prop,
er returns to him who had been their common benefactor."
And when fhe had fome time afted after this hypocritical man-
ner, and been fo 'outrageous as to tear her hair, this indecent and
diffembling behaviour, as was to be expefted, was greatly con.
demned by the reft of the fpeftators, as it was principally by
the poor woman who was to fuffer; for at the firft fhe gave
her not a word, nor was difcompofed at her peevifhnefs, and
only looked at her, yet did fhe out of a greatnefs of foul
difcover her concern for her mother's and efpecially for her
expofing herfelf in a manner fo unbecoming her ; but as for
herfelf, fhe went to her death with an unfhaken firmnefs of
mind, and without changing the colour of her face, and there-
Chap. VII.] ANTIQUITIES OF THE JEWS. 2O?
by evidently difcovered the nobility of her defcent to the
fpectators, even in the laft moments of her life.
6. And thus died Mariamne ; a woman of an excellent char-
after, both for chaftity, and greatnefs of foul ; but (he wanted
moderation, and had too much of contention in her nature,
yet had fhe all that can be faid in the beauty of her body, and
her majeftic appearance in converlation : And thence arofe
the greateft part of the occafions why fhe did not prove fo a-
greeable to the king nor live fo pleafantly with him, as fhe
might otherwife have done ; for while fhe was moft indulgent-
ly ufed by the king, out of his fondnefs tOgher, and did not
expecl that he eould do any hard thing to her, fhe took
too unbounded a liberty. Moreover, that which moft afflict-
ed her was, what he had done to her relations, and fhe ven-
tured to fpeak of all they had fuffered by him, and at laft
greatly provoked both the king's mother, and fitter, till they
became enemies to her ; and even he himfelt alfo did the
fame, on whom alone fhe depended for her expectations of ef-
caping the laft of punifhments.
7. But when fhe was once dead, the king's affections for her
were kindled in a more outrageous manner than before, whofe
old paffion for her we have already defcribed ; for his love to
her was not of a calm nature, nor fuch as we ufually meet
with among other hufbands, for at its commencement it was
ctanenthufiaflic kind, nor was it by their longcohabitationand
free conversation together, brought underhis power to manage;
but at this time his love to Mariamne feemed to feize him in fuch
a peculiar manner, as looked like divine vengeance upon him,
for the taking away her life, for he would frequently call for her,
andfrequently lamentforher,inamoftindecent manner. More-
over he bethought him of every thing he eould make ufe of to di-
vert his mind from thinking of her, and contrived feafts, and af-
femblies, for that purpofe, but nothing would fuffice ; he
therefore laid afide the adminiftration of public affairs, and
was fo far conquered by his paffion, that be would order his
fervants to call for Mariamne, as if fhe were ftill alive, and
could ftill hear them. And when he was in this way, there
arofe apedilential difeafe, and carried off the greateft part
of the multitude, and of his beft and moft efteemed friends,
and made all men fufpe6lthat this was brought upon them by
the anger of God, for the injuftice that had been done to Ma-
riamne. This eircumftance affected the king ftill more, till
at length he forced himfelt to go into defert places, and there,
under pretence of going a hunting bitterly afflicled himfelf ;
yet had he not borne his grief there many days before he fell
into a moft dangerous diltemper himfelt : He had an inflam-
mation upon him, and a pain in the hinder part of his head,
joined with madnefs ; and for the remedies that were ufed,
they did him no good at all, but proved contrary to his cafe,
and fo at length brought him to defpair. All the phyficiau*
7.0$ ANTIQUITIES OF THE JEWS. [Book. XV.
alfj that were about him, partly becaufe the medicines they
brought for his recovery could not all conquer the difeafe, and
partly becaufe his diet could br no other than what his difeafe
inclined him to, defired him to eat whatever he had a mind to,
and fo left the fmall hopes they had ot his recovery in the pow-
er of that diet, and committed him to fortune. And thus did
pis dillemper go on, while he was at Samaria, now called &e-
bajle.
8. Now Alexandra abode at this time at Jerufalem, and be-
ing informed what condition Herod was in. (he endeavoured to
get pofleflion of Unfortified places that were about the city, which
were two, the one belonging to the city itfelf, the other be-
longing to the temple j and thofe that could get them into their
hands had the whole nation under their power, for without the
command of them it was not poflible to offer their facrifices :
And to think ot: leaving off thofefacrifices, is to every Jew plain-
ly impoffible, who are ftill more ready to lofe theirlives than
to leave off that divine worfhip which they have been wont
to pay unto God. Alexandra, therefore, difcourfed with thofe
that had the keeping of thefe ftrong holds, that it was proper
for them to deliver the fame to her, and to Herod's fons,
left, upon his death, any other perfon fhould feize, upon the
government ; and that upon his recovery none could keep them
more fately for him than thofe of his own family. Thefe words
were not by them at all taken in good part ; and as they had been
informer times faithful [to Herod |, they refolved to continue
fo now more than ever, both becaule they hated Alexandra,
and becaufe they thought it a fort of impiety to delpair ot
Herod's recovery while he was yet alive, for they had been
his old friends ; and one of them whole name was Achiabus,
was his coufingerman. They fent me ffengers therefore to ac-
quaint him with Alexandra's defign ; fo he made no longer
delay, but gave orders to have her (lain ; yet was it ftill with
difficulty, and after he had endured great pain, that he got clear
of his diftemper. He was ftill forely afflifted both in mind
and body, and made very uneafy, and readier than ever upon
all occafions to inflift punifhment upon thofe that fell under
his hand. He alfo flew the moft intimate of his friends Cof-
tobarus, and Lyfimachus, and Gadias who was alfo called
Antipater ; as alfo Dofuheus, and that upon the following oc-
cafion.
9. Coftobarus was an Idumean by birth, and one of princi-
pal dignity among them, and one whofe anceftors had been
priefts to the Koze. whom the Idumeans had [formerly] ef-
teemed as a god; but after Hyrcanus had made a change in
their political government, and made them receive the Jewifh
cuftoms and law. Herod made Coftobarus governor ot Idu-
meaand Gaza, and gave him his fitter Salome to wife; and
this was upon his Daughter of [his uncle] Jofeph, who had
that government before, as we nave related already. Whea
Chap. VII.] ANTIQUITIES OF THE JEWS.
Coflobarus had gotten to be fo highly advanced, it pleafed
him, and was more than he hoped tor, and he was more and
more puffed up by his good fuccefs, and in a little while he
exceeded all bounds, and did not think fit to obey what Her-
od, as their ruler, commanded him, or that the Idumeans
fhould make ufe of the Jewifh cuftoms, or be fubjeclto them.
He therefore fent to Cleopatra, and informed her that the Idu-
means had been always under his progenitors, and that for the
lame reafon it was but juft that (he mould defire that country
for him of Antony, forthat he was ready to transfer his friend--
(hip to her : And' this he did, not becaufe he was better pleaf-
ed to be under Cleopatra's government, but becaufe he tho't
that, upon the diminution ol Herod's power, it would not be
difficult for him to obtain himfelf the entire government over
the Idumeans, and fomewhat more alfo ; for he raifed his
hopes Itill higher, as having no fmall pretences, both by his
birth, and by thefe riches, which he had gotten by his conftant
attention to filthy lucre ; and accordingly it was not a fmall
matter that he aimed at. So Cleopatra defired this country ot
Antony, but failed of her purpofe. An account ot this was
brought to Herod, who was thereupon ready to kil! Cpftoba-
rus, yet, upon the entreaties o! his filter and mother, he forgave
him, and vouchsafed to pardon him entirely, though he ftill
had a fufpicion of him afterward tor this his attempt.
10. But fome time afterward, when Salome happened to
quarrel with Coflobarus, (he * fent him a bill of divorce, and
difloived her marriage with him, though this was not accord-
ing to the Jewifh laws ; for with us it is lawful for an hufband
to do fo, but a wife, it me departs from her hufband, cannot
of herfelf be married to another, unlefs her former hufband
put her away. However, Salome chofe to follow not the law
of her country, but the law of her authority, and fo renounc-
ed her wedlock ; and told her brother Herod, that fhe lett her
hufband out of her good will to him, becaufe (he perceived
that he, with Antipater and Lyfimachus, and Dofitheus, were
* Here is a plain example of a Jewifh lady giving a bill of divorce to her huf-
band, though in the days of Jofephus it was not efteemed lawful for a wom*n fa*
to do. Seethe like among the Parthians, Antiq. K. XVIII. ch. ix. 6. How-
ever, the Chriftian law, when it allowed divorce for adultery, Matt. v. 32. allowad
the innocent wife to divorce her guiity husband, as well as the innocent husband U>
divorce his guilty wife, as we learn from the (hcpherd of Hermas, Mand. K. IV.
and from the fecond. apology of Juftin Martyr, where a periecution was brought
upon the Chriltians upon fuch a divorce : And I think the Roman laws permitted
it at that time, as well as the laws ot Chriftianity. Now this Babas, who was one
of the race of the Afamoneans or Maccabees, as the latter end of this feftion informs
us, is related by the Jews, as Dr. Hudlon here remarks, to have been io eminently
religious in the Jewifh way, that, except the day following the 10th of Tifri, th
great day ot atonement, when he kern's to have iuppoled all his fins entirely forgiv~
en, he uftd every day of the whele year to offer a facrifice for his fins of ignorance,
or fuch as he Iuppoled he had been guilty of, but did not diftinctly remember.
See fomewhat like it of Agrippa the Great, Antiq. B. XIX. ch. iii. $ 3. vol. 11.
and Job. i. 4, 5,
VOL. II C c
210 ANTIQUITIES OF THE JEWS. [BookXV.
railing a fedition againfl him : As an evidence whereof, file
alleged the cafe of the fons of Babas, that they had been by
him prelerved alive already for the interval of twelve years ;
which proved to be true. But when Herod thus unexpected-
ly heard of it, he was greatly furprifed at it, and was the more
furpriled, becaufe the relation appeared incredible to him.
As for the fa6i relating to thefe fons of Babas, Herod had for-
merly taken great pains to bring them to punHhment, as being
enemies to his government, but they were now forgotten by
him, on account of the length ot time [fince he had ordered
them to be (lain.] Now, the caufe oi his ill will ar>d hatred to
them arofc hence, that while Antigonus was king, Herod, with
his army, befieged the city ot jerufalern, where the diftrefs
and mileries which the befieged endured, were fo prefling,
that the greater number of them invited Herod into the city,
and already placed their hopes on him. Now, the fons ot Ba-
bas were of great dignity, and had power among the multitude,
and were faithful to Antigonus, and were always raifmg ca-
lumnies againfl Herod, and encouraged the people topreferve
the government to that royal family which held it by inherit-
ance. So thefe men acted thus politically, and, as they tho't,
lor their own advantage ; but when the city was taken, and
Herod had gotten the government into his hands, and Coflo-
barus was appointed to hinder men from paffing out at the
gates, and to guard the city, that thofe citizens that were guil-
ty, and of the party oppofite to the king, might not get out of
it, Coftobarus being fenfible that the fons of Babas were had
in relpefcl and honour by the whole multitude, and fuppofing
that their prefervation might be of great advantage to him in
the changes of government afterward, he fet them by them-
felves, and concealed them in his own farms ; and when the
thing was fufpecled, he allured Herod upon oath that he really
knew nothing ot that matter, and fo overcame the fufpicions
that lay upon him ; nay, after that, when the king had pub-
licly propofed a reward for the difcovery, and had put in
praftice all forts of methods for fearching out this matter, he
would not confefsit, but being perfuaded that when he had at
iirft denied it, it the men were found, he fhould not efcape un-
purii med, he was forced to keep them fecret, not only out of
his good will to them, but out of aneceflary regard to his own
pxefervation alfo : But when the king knew the thing, by his-
filter's information, he fent men to the places where he had
the intimation they were concealed, and ordered both them,
and thofe that were accufed as guilty with them, to be flain,
infomuch that there were now none at all lett of the kindred of
Hyrcanus, and the kingdom was entirely in Herod's own pow-
er and there was nobody remaining of fuch dignity as could
put a flop to what he did againlt the Jewifh laws.
Chap. VIII.] ANTIQUITIES F THE JEWS. 211
CHAP. VIII.
How ten Men of the Citizens \ofjerufalem~] made a Conspiracy a~
gainft Herod, for the Foreign practices he had introduced,
which was a TranfgreJJion of the Laws of their Country.
Concerning the Building of Sebajle and Cefarea, and other
of Hered.
I. /~\N this account it was that Herod revolted from the
\^J faws of his country, and corrupted their ancient
conftitution, by the introduction oi foreign practices, which
con dilution yet ought to have been preferved inviolable ; by
which means we became guilty oi great wickednefs afterward,
while thofe religious obfervances which ufed to lead the mul-
titude to piety, were now neglefcted : For, in the firfi place,
he appointed folernn games to be celebrated every fifth year,
in honour of Caefar, and built a theatre at Jei ufalem, as alfo a
very great amphitheatre in the plain. Both of them were in-
deed coftly works, but oppofne to the Jewifh cuiloms ; for we
have had no !uch fhows delivered down to us as fit to be ufed or
exhibited by us ; yet did he celebrate thefe games every five
years, in the moll folemn and fplendid manner. He alfo made
proclamation to the neighbouring countries, and called men
together out of every nation. The wredlers alfo, and the relt
ot thofe that {trove ior the prizes in fuch games, were invited
out ot every land, both by the hopes of the rewards there to
be bellowed, and by the glory of victory to be there gained.
So the principal perfons that were the mod eminent in thefe
forts ot exercifes, were gotten together, tor there 'vere very
great rewards tor victory propofed, not only to thole that per-
formed their exercifes naked, but to thofe that played the mu-
ficians alfo, and were called Thymelici ; and he fpared no pains
to induce all perfons, the molt famous for fuch exercifes, to
come to this conteft tor viilory. He alfo propofed no fmall
rewards to thofe who ran for the prizes in chariot races when
they were drawn by two, or three, or four pair of horles. He
alfo imitated every thing, though never fo coltly or magnif-
icent, in other nations, out of an ambition that he might give
moft public demonftration ot his grandeur. Inlcriptions alfo
of the great a&ions ot Cgefar, and trophies of thole nations
which he had conquered in his wars, and all made of the pur-
eit gold and filver, encompaffed the theatre itfelf : Nor was
there any thing that could be fubfervient to his defign, wheth-
er it were precious-garments, or precious (tones fet in order,
xvhich was not alfo expofed to fight in thefe games. He had
alfo made a great preparation of wild beads, and of lions them-
felves in great abundance, and ot fuch other beads as were
either of uncommon ftrength, or of fuch a fort as were rarely
ieen, Thele were prepared either to fight with one another,
412 ANTIQUITIES OF THE JEWS. [EooVi XV.
or that men who were condemned to death, were to fight with
them. And truly foreigners were greatly furprifed and de-
lighted at the vaftnefs ot the expences here exhibited, and at
the great dangers that were here feen ; * but to natural Jews,
this was no better than a diffolution of thofe cuftoms for which
they had fo great a veneration. It appeared alfo no better than
an inftance of barefaced impiety, to throw men to wild beafts,
for the offering delight to the fpeftators ; and it appeared an
initance of no lefs impiety, to change their own laws lor fuch
foreign exercifes : But above ali the reit, the trophies gave
moft diflafte to the Jews, tor as they imagined them to be im-
ages, included within the armour that hung round about them,
they were forely difpleafed at them, becaule it was not the cuf-
tom of their country to pay honours to fuch images.
2. Nor was Herod unacquainted with the difturbance they
were under ; and as he thought it unfeafonable to ufe violence
with them, fo he fpake to fome of them by way of confola-
tion, and in order to free them from that fuperftitious fear
they were under ; yet could not he fatisfy them, but they cri-
ed out with one accord, out of their great uneafinels at the of-
fences they thought he had been guilty of, that although they
fhould think of bearing all the reft, yet would they never bear
images of men in their city, meaning the trophies, becaufethis
was difagreeable to the laws of their country. Now when
Herod faw them in fuch adiforder, and that they would not
eafily change their refolution unlefs they received fatistaclion
in this point, he called to him the moft eminent men among
them, and brought them upon the theatre, and fhewed them
the trophies, and afked them, what fort of things they took
thefe trophies to be ? And when they cried out, that they were
the images ot men, he g ive order that they fhould be ftnpped
of thefe outward ornaments which were about them, and (hew-
ed them the naked pieces of wood, now without any orna-
ment, became matter of great fport and laughter to them be-
caufe they had before always had the ornaments ot images
themfelves in derifion.
3. When therefore Herod had thus got clear of the multi-
tude, and had diffipated thevehemency of paffion under which
they had been, the greateft part of the people were difpofed to
change their conduct, and not to be difpleafed at him any long-
er ; but ftill fome ot them continued in theil* difpleafure a-
gainft him, for his introduction ot new cuftoms, and efteem-
* Thefe grand plays, and fhows, and thymelici, or mufic meetings, and chariot
rices, when the chariots were drawn by two, three, or four pair oi horfes, &. in-
ftituted by Herod in his theatres, were Rill, as we fee here, looktd on by the fober
Jews as heathenifh fports, and tending to corrupt the manners of the Jewish nation,
smd to bring them to love xvith Paganish idolatry, and Paganish conduct of life,
but to the diffolution of the law of Mofes, and accordingly were greatly and juftly
condemned by them, as appears here and every where elfe in Jofephus. Nor is the
cafe of our modern ma Iquerades, plays, operas and the like ptmfu anJ va.h&<.! </
this wicked world, of any better tendency under Chriftianity.
Chap. VIII.] ANTIQUITIES OF THE JEWS. 213
ed the violation of the laws of their country as likely to be
the origin of very great mifchiefs to them, fo that they deem-
ed it an inftance ot piety rather to hazard themfelves [to be
put to death], than to feem as it they took no notice of Her-
od, who, upon the change he had made in their government,
introduced fuch cuiloms. and that in a violent manner, which
they had never been ufed to before as indeed in pretence a
king, but in reality one that (hewedhimfelt an enemy to their
whole nation ; on which account ten men that were citizens
[ot Jerufalem j, confpired together againft him, and fware to.
one another to undergo any dangers in the attempt, and took
daggers with them under their garmeats, [tor the purpofe of
killing Herodj. Now there was a certain blind man among
thofe confpirators, who had thus fworn to one another, on ac-
count of the indignation he had againit what he heard to have
been done ; he was not indeed able to afford the reft any affif-
tance inthe undertaking, but was ready to undergo any fuffer-
ing with them, if fo be they fhould come to any harm, info-
much, that he became a very great encourager of the reft of
the undertakers.
4. When they had taken this refolution, arid that by com-
mon confent, they went into the theatre, hoping that, in the
firft place, Herod him fell could not efcape them, as they
fhould tall upon him fo unexpectedly ; and iuppofing, howe-
ver, that it they miffed him, they ihould kul a great many of
thofe that were about him ; and this refolution they took
though they fbould die tor it, in order to fuggeft to the king,
what injuries he had done to the multitude. Thefe conipt-
rators, therefore, ftanding thus prepared before hand, went a-
bout their defign with great alacrity ; but there was one of
thofe fpies. of Herod's that were appointed tor fuch purpofcs,
to fifh out and intorm him ot any conlpiiacies that (hould be
made againft him, who found out the whole affair, and told
the king of it, as he was about to go into the theatre. So when
he reflected on the hatred which he knew the greateft part of
the people bore him, and on the clift urbane es that arofe upon
every occaflon, he thought this plot againft him not to be im-
probable. Accordingly he retired into his palace, and called
thofe that were accufed ot this confpiracy before him by their
feveral names ; and as upon the guards tailing upon them,
they were caught in the very fact, and knew they could not
efcape, they prepared themfelves for their ends with all the
decency they could, and fo as not at all to recede from their
refolute behaviour, for they (hewed no fhame lor what they
were about nor denied it, but when they were feized, they
(hewed their daggers, and profeffed, that " the confpiracy
they had fworn to was an holy and a pious aftion ; that what
they intended to do was not for gain, or out of any indul-
gence to their paffions, but principally tor thofe common cuf-
toms ot their country, which all the Jews were obliged to ob-
ierve, or to die tor them." This was what thefe men faid.
214 ANTIQUITIES OF THE JEWS. [Book XV.
out of their undaunted courage in this confpiracy. So they
were led away to execution by the king's guards that flood a-
bout them, and patiently underwent all the torments inflicled
on them till they died. Nor was it long before that fpy who
had difcovered them, was feized on by fome ot the people,
out ot the hatred they bore to him, and was not only flain by
them, but pulled to pieces limb from limb, and given to the
dogs. This execution was feen by many of the citizens, yet
would not one of them dilcover the doers of it, till upon
Herod's making a ftrift fcrutiny after them, by bitter and fe-
vere tortures, certain women that were tortured contefled
what they had feen done ; Authors ot which fa6t were Jo
terribly punifhed by the icing, that their entire families were
deftroyed, for this their ralh attempt, yet did not the obftina-
cy of the people, and that undaunted conftancy they fhewed
in the defence of their laws, make Herod any eafier to them,
but he ftill ilrengthened himfelf after a more fecure manner,
and refolved to encompafs the multitude every way, left fuch
innovations fhould end in an open rebellion.
5. Since, therefore, he had now the city fortified by the
palace in which he lived, and by the temple which "had a
itrong fortrefs by it, called Antonia, and was re-built by him-
felt, he contrived to make Samaria a fortrefs for hirnfelt alfo
againft all the people, and called it Sebafte, fuppofing that
this place would be a ftrong hold againft the country, not in-
ferior to the former. So he fortified that place, which was a
day's journey diftant from Jerufalem, and which would'be
ufual to him in common, to keep both the country and the
city in awe. He alfo built another fortrefs for the whole na-
tion ; it was of old called Strato's Tower, but was by him na-
med Cefarea. Moi cover, he chofe out fome feleft horfemen,
and placed^ them in the great plain; and built [for them] a
place in Galilee, called Gaba, with Hefebonitis, in Perea,
Andthefe were the places which he particularly built, while
he always inventing fomewhat farther tor his own fecurity,
and encpmpaflnig the whole nation with guards, that they
might by no means get from under his power, nor tall into tu-
mults, which they did continually upon any frnall commo-
tion ; and that it they did make any commotions he might
know of it while fome of his fpies might be upon them from
the neighbourhood, and might both be able to know what they
were attempting, and to prevent it. And when he went about
building the wall of Samaria, he contrived to bring thither
many of thofe that had been afli fling to him in his wars, and
many of the people in that neighbourhood alfo, whom he
made fellow-citizens with the reft. This he did out of an
amfntious defire of building a temple and out of a defire to
make the city more eminent than it had been before, but prin-
cipally becaufe he contrived that it might at once be for his
own fecurity, and a monument of his magnificence. He also
Chap. IX.] ANTIQUITIES OF THE JEWS.
changed its name, and called it Sebafte. Moreover he parted
the adjoining country, which was excellent in its kind, among
the inhabitants of Samaria, that they might be in an happy
condition, upon their firft coming to inhabit. Befides all
which, he encompafled the city with a wall of great ftrength,
and made ufe of the acclivity of the place for making its for-
tifications ftronger ; nor was the compafs of the place made
now fo frnall as it had been before, but was fuch as rendered it
not inferior to the moft famous cities ; tor it was twenty fur-
longs in circumference. Now within, and about the middle
of it he built a facred place, of a furlong and an half [in cir-
cuit,] and adorned it with all forts of decorations, and therein
erected a temple, which was illuflrious on account of both its
largenefsand beauty. And as to the feveral parts of the city,
he adorned them with decorations of all forts alfo ; and as to
what was neceflary to provide for his own fecurity, he made
the walls very ftrong tor that purpofe, and made it for the
greateft part, a citadel ; and as to the elegance of the build-
ings, it was taken care ot alfo, that he might leave monu-
ments of the finsnefs of his tafte, and ot his beneficence to iu-
ture ages.
CHAP. IX.
Concerning the Famine that happened in Judea and Syria : And
how Herod, after he had Married another Wife, rebuilt Cc-
farea, and other Grecian Cities.
i. "^fOW on this very year, which was the thirteenth year
JL^\ of the reign ot Herod, very great calamities came
upon the country : Whether they were derived from the an-
ger of God, or * whether this mifery return again naturally
in certain periods of time ; for, in the firft place, there were
perpetual droughts, and tor that reafon the ground wasbarreni
and did not bring forth the fame quantity of fruits that it ufed
to produce ; and atter this barrennefs of the foil, that change
of food which the want of corn occafioned, produced diftem-
pers in the bodies ot men, and a peftilential difeafe prevailed,
one mifery following upon the back of another : And thefe
circumftancesthat they were diftitute both of methods of cure,
and ot food, made the peftilential diftemper, which began at-
ter a violent manner, the more tailing. The deilrufction ot
men alfo after fuch a manner deprived thofe that furvived of
* Here we have an eminent example of the language of Jcvephus in his writing
to Gentiles, different from that when he wrote to jews : Ir his writing to whom
he ftill derives all inch judgments from the an^er ol Ood ; hut becaule he knew
many of the Gentiles thought th;y ini^ht naturally core in certain period*,
he coznplirs with them in the following lenience. Sec ;h<? jr>w on the. W*r, 3. I,
h. xxxiii. 2. Vol. J IT.
tl6 ANTIQUITIES OF THE JEWS. [Book. XV.
ail their courage, becaufe they had no way to provide reme-
dies fufficierit tor the diltreifes they were in. When therefore
the iruits of tnat year were Spoiled, and whatfoever they had
laid up beforehand was fpent, there was no foundation ot hope
ior relief remaining, hut the rriifery, contrary to what they
expected, (till increafed upon them ; and this, not only on that
year, while they had nothing tor themfelves left [at the end of
it.j but what feed they had {own periihed alfo, by reafon of
the ground not yielding its fruits on the * fecond year. This
diflrefs they were in made them alfo out ot neceflity to eat
many things that did not ufe to be eaten : Nor was the king
him felt tree from this diftrefs any more than other men, as be-
ing deprived of that tribute he ufed to have from the fruits ol
the ground, and having already expended what money he had
in his liberality to thofe whofe cities he had built ; nor had he
any people that were worthy of his affiftance, fince this mifer-
able ftate of things had procured him the hatred of his fubjefts,
tor it is a conftant rule, that misfortunes are ftill laid to the ac-
count of thofe that govern.
2; In thefe circumftances he confidered with himfelf how
to procure iome leafonable help ; but this was a hard thing to
be done, while their neighbours had no food to fell them, and
their money alfo was gone had it been poffible to purchafe a
little food at a great price. However, he thought it his beft
way, by all means, not to leave off his endeavours to affift
his people ; fo he cut off the rich furniture that was in his pal-
ace, both of filver and gold, inlomuch that he did not fpare the
finefl veffels he had, or thofe that were made with the moft ela-
borate fkill of the artificers, but fent the money to Petronius,
who had been made preiefct ot Egypt by Caefar ; and as not a
iew had already fled to him under their neceflities, and as he
was particularly a friend to Herod, and defirous to have his
fubjech preferved, he gave leave to them, in the firfl place, to
export corn, and affifted them every way, both in purchafing
arid exporting the fame, fo that he was the principal, if not the
only perfon who afforded them what help they had. And
Herod taking care the people (hould underftand that this help
came from himfelt, did thereby not only remove trom him the
ill opinion of thofe that formerly hated him, but gave them the
* This famine for two years that affeflrd Judea and Syria the 13th and i^th years
of Hercd, which are the 23d and 2^th years before the Chriftian era, feems to have
been more terrible during this time than was that in the days of Jacob, Gen. xli.
xlii. And what makes the companion the more remarkable is this, that now, as
Well' as then, the relief they haii was from Egypt alfo, then from Jolephthe gover-
nor of Egypt, under Pharaoh King of Egypt, and now from Petronius the prefeft of
Egypt, under Auguflus the Roman Emperor. Seealmofl thelikecafe, Antiq B.A'A.
ch. ii. 5) 6. Vol. II It is alfo well worth our obfervation here, that thefe two years
Chap. IX.] ANTIQUITIES OF THE JEWS. il?
greateflf^emonftration poflible of his good will to them, and
care of them ; for, in the firfl place, as for thofe who were
able to provide their own food, he difrributed to them their
proportion of corn in the exaftefl manner, but for thofe many
that were not able, either by reafon of their old age. or any-
other infirmity, to provide food for themfelves, he made this
provifion for them, that the bakers mould make their bread
ready for them. He al(o took care that they might not be
hurt by the dangers of winter fince they were in great want
of clothing alfo, by reafon of the utter deilruftion and con-
fumption of their (beep and goats, till they had no wool to
make life of, nor any thing elfe to cover themfelves withal.
And when he had procured thefe things for his own fubjecls,
he went farther, in order to provide neceflaries for their
neighbours, and gave feed to the Syrians, which thing turn-
ed greatly to his own advantage alfo, this charitable alliitance
being afforded moft feafonably to their fruitful foil, fo that
every one had now a plentiful provifion of food. Upon the
whole, when the harveft of the land was approaching, he fent
no fewer than fifty thoufand men whom he had fuftamed, in-
io the country ; by which means he both repaired the afflift-
. v d condition of his own kingdom with great generofity and
diligence, and lightened the afflictions of his neighbours, who
were under the fame calamities, for there was nobody who
had been in want that was left deftitue of a fuitable afliftance
by him : Nay, farther, there were neither any people, nor
any cities, nor any private men, who were to make provifion
for the multitudes, and on that account were in want of fup-
port, and had recourfe to him, but received what they ftood
in need of, infomuch, that it apppeared upon a computation,
that the number of coriof wheat, of ten attick medknni a
piece, that were given to foreigners, amounted to ten thou-
fand, and the number that was given in his own kingdom
was about fourfcore thoufand. Now it happened that this
care of his, and this feafonable benefaftion, had fuch influ-
e,nce on the Jews, and was fo cried up among other nations,
as to- wipe off that old hatred which his violation of fome of
their cuftoms, during his reign, had procured him among all
the nation, and that this liberality of his afliftance in this their
jreatett neceflity was full fatisfaftion for all that he had done
of that nature, as it alfo procured him great fame among for-
eigners ; and it looked as if thefe calamities that afflicted hi>
land to a degree plainly incredible, came in order to raife his
glory, and to be to his great advantage, for the greatnefs of
his liberality in thele diftrefles, which he now demonftrated
beyond all expectation, did fo change the difpofition of the
multitude towards him, that they were ready to fuppofe he
had been from the beginning not fuch an one as they had found
Vim to be by experience, but fuch an one as the care he had tak-
en on them in lupplying their neceflities proved him now to be,
VOL. II. D d
2*$ ANTIQUITIES OF THE JEWS. [Book XV,
3. About this time it was that he fent five hundred chofen
men out of the guards of his body as auxiliaries to Caefar,
whom * ^Elius Gailus led to the Red Sea, and who were of
great fervice to him there. When therefore his affairs were
thus improved, and were again in a flourifhing condition, he
built himfelf a palace in the upper city, railing the rooms to
a very great height, and adorning them with the moft coflly
furniture of gold, and marble feats, and beds, and thefe were
fo large, that they could contain very many companies of
men. Thefe apartments were alfo of diftincl magnitudes, and
had particular names given them, for one apartment was call-
ed Caefar's. anotner Agrippa's. He alfo fell in love again,
and married anoiher wife, not fufFering his icafon to hinder
him from living as he pleafed. The occafion of this his mar-
riage was as follows : There was one Si?non, a citizen of Je-
rufalem, the fon of one Boethus, a citizen of Alexandria, and
a prieft of great note there : This man had a daughter,
who was efteemed the moft beautiful woman of that time:
and when the people of Jerufalem began to fpeak much in
her commendation, it happened that Herod was much affeft-
ed with whr-J was faid of her : And when he faw the damfel,
he was fmitten with- her beauty, yet did he entirely reje6t the
thoughts of ufmg his authority to abufe her, as believing,
what was the truth, that by fo doing he mould be fligmatized
for violence and tyranny, fo he thought it beft to take the dam-
fel to wife. And while Simon was of a dignity too inferior
to be allied to him, but ftill top confiderable to be defpifed.
he governed his inclinations after the moft prudent manner,
by augmenting the dignity of the family, and making them
more honourable ; fo he immediately deprived Jefus, the fon
of Phabet, of the high priefthood; and conferred that digni-
ty on Simon, and lo joined in affinity with him [by marrying
his daughter. 1
4. When this wedding was over, he built another citadel in
that place where he had conquered the Jews when he was
driven out of his government, and Antigonns enjoyed it.
This citadel is diftant from JerufaJem about threefcore fur-
longs. It was ftrong by nature, and fit for fuch a building.
It is a fort of a moderate hill, railed to a farther height by the
hand of man, till it was of the fhape of a woman's breaft. It
is encompaffed with circular towers, and hath a flrait afcent
up to it, which afcent is compofed of fteps of polifhed ftones,
in number two hundred. Within it are royal and very rich
apartments, of a ftrufture that provided both for fecurity and
for beauty. About the bottom there are habitations of fuch a
Ifruclure as are well worth feeing, both on other accounts, and
* This JElius fetms to be no other than that Aelius Largus whom Dio fpeaks
of as conducing an expedition that was about this time made into Arabia Felix,
according to Petavius, who is here cited by Spanheim. Sec a iull account of this
expedition in Frideaux at the years 23 and 2 4,
Chap. IX.] ANTIQUITIES OF THE JEWS.
alfo on account of the water which is brought thither from a
great way off, and at vafl: expences, for the place itfelt is def-
titute ot water. The plain that is about this citadel is full of
edifices, not inferior to any city in largeneis, and having the
lull above it in the nature of a caflle.
5. And now, when all Herod's defigns had fucceeded ac-
cording to his hopes, he hid not the lead fufpicion that any
trouble could arife in his kingdom, becaufe he kept his peo-
ple obedient, as well by the fear they flood in ot him, for he
was implacable in the inflitHon ot his punifhrrents, as by the
provident care he had (hewed towards them, after the moft
magnanirapus manner, when they were under their diilreffes :
But dill he took care to have external fecurity for his gov-
ernment as a fortrefs againft his fubjefts ; for the orations he
made to the cities were very fine, and full ot kindnefs ; and
he cultivated a feafonable good underftanding with their
governors, and bellowed prelents on every one of them, in-
ducing them thereby to be more friendly to him, and ufing
iiis magnificent difpofition, lo as his kingdom might be the
better fecured to him, and this till ali his affairs were every
way more and more augmented. But then, this magnificent
temper of his, and that fubmiffive behaviour and liberality
which he exercifed towards Casfar, and the moft powerful meu
of Rome, obliged him to tranfgrefs the cuftoms of his nation,
and to fet afide many of their laws, and by building cities af-
ter an extravagant manner, and erefcling temples ; * not in
Judea indeed, for that would not have been borne, it being
forbidden to us to pay any honour to images, or reprefenta-
tions of animals after the manner of the Greeks, but ftill he
<lid thus in the country [properlyj out of our bonds, and in
die cities thereof. The apology which he made to the Jews
* One may here take notice, that how tyrannical and extravagant ioever Herod
were in himielf, and in his Grecian cities, as to thole plays, and shews, and tem-
ples for idolatry, mentioned above ch. viii. i> i. and here alfo., yet durft even he
introduce very few of them into the cities of the Jews, who, as Jofephus here notes
would not even then have borne them, ib zealous were they ftill for many of the
laws of Mofes, even under fo tyrannical a government as this was of Herod the
Great ; which tyrannical government puts me naturally in mind of Dean Pri-
deaux's hont.-ft reflection upon the like ambition after inch tyrannical power in
Pompey and C-efar : " One of theie, ['.ays he, at the year 6oJ, could not bear arj
equal, nor the other a fuperior ; and through this ambitious humour and thiril af-
ter more power in thefe two men, the whole Roman empire being divided into
two oppofite faftions, there was produced hereby, the moil deftru&tve war that ever
affli&edit; and the like foily too much reigns in all other places. Could about
thirty men be perfuaded to live at hoir.e in peace without enterprizing upon ths
right of each other, for the vain glory of r.onqueft, and the enlargement of power,
the whole world might be at quiet ; but their ambition, their follies, and their hu-
mour, leading them conftantly to encroach upon and quarrel with each other, they
involve all that are under them in the mi tchiefs thereof ; and many tbouiands are
,tbey which yearly perifli by it ; fo that it may almoft raife a doubt, whether the
benefit which the world receives from government be lufScient to make amends foi
the calamities which it mfFers from the follies, miftakes, and mal-admmiftrr..
of thofe that manage it,' 1
220 ANTIQUITIES OF THE JEWS. [Book XV.
for thefe things was this, that all was done, not out of his own
inclinations, but by the commands and injunftions of the oth*
ers, in order to pleafe Caefar, and the Romans, as though he
had not the Jewifh cuiloms fo much in his eye as he had the
honour of th$(e Romans, while yet he had himlelt entirely in
view all the while, and indeed was very ambitious to leave
great monuments of his government to pofterity ; whence it
was that he was fo zealous in building fuch fine cities, and
fpent fuch vaft fums of money upon them.
6. Now upon his obfervation of a place near the fea, which
was very proper for containing a city, and was before called
Strato's Tower, he fet about getting a plan for a magnificent
city there, and creeled many edifices with great diligence all
over it, and this of white (tone. He alfo adorned it with mod
fumptuous palaces, and large edifices for containing the peo-
ple ; and what was the greateft and moft laborious work of
all, he adorned it with an haven, that was always free from
the waves of the fea. Its largenefs was not lefs than the Py-
raeum fat Athens,] and had towards the city a double Ration
for the fhips. It was of excellent workmanfhip ; and this
was the more remarkable for its being built in a place that of
itfelf was not fuitable to fuch noble ftruclures, but was to be
brought to perfeftion by materials from other places, and at
very great expences. This city is fituate in Phenicia, in the
paffage by 4ea to Egypt between Joppaand Dora, which ?.re
leffer maritime cities and not fit for havens, on account of
the impetuous fouth winds that beat upon them, which rqjl-
jng the fands that come from the fea againft the (hores, do not
admit of fhips lying in their ftation, but the merchants are
generally there forced to ride at their anchors in the fea itfelr,
o Herod endeavoured to recYify this inconvenience, and laid
out fuch a compafs towards the land as might be fufficient for
an haven, wherein the great fhips might He in fafety ; and
this he effected by letting down vaft ftones oi above fi*ty feet
in length, not lefs than eighteen in breadth, and nine in depth,
into twenty fathom deep, and as fome were leffer, fo were
others bigger than thofe dimenfions. This mole which he
built by the iea fide was two hundred feet wide, the half of
which was oppofed to the current of the waves, fo as. to keep
off thofe waves which were to break upon them, and fo was
called Procymatia, or the firft breaker ot the waves, but the
other half had upon it a wall, with feveral towers, the largeft
of which was named Drufus, and was a work of very great
excellence, and had its name from Drufus, the fon-in-law of
Casfar, who died young. There were alfo a great number of
arches where the mariners dwelt. There was alfo before them
a key [or landing-place,] which ran round the entire haven,
and was a moft agreeable walk to fuch as had a mind to that ex-
ercife ; but the entrance or mouth of the port was made on
the north quarter, on which fide was the ftillefl of the winds
Chap. X.] ANTIQUITIES OF THE JEWS. 221
of all in this place : And the bafis of the whole circuit on the
left hand, as you enter the port, fapported a round turret,
which was made very ftrong, in order to refift the greateft
waves, while on the right hand, as you enter flood two vaft
ilones, and thofe each of them larger than the turret, which
were over againft them : Thefe flood upright, and were join-
ed together. Now there was edifices all along the circular
haven, made ot the politeft ftone, with a certain elevation,
whereon was erefted a temple, that was feen a great way off
by thofe that were failing for that haven, and had in it two
ftatutes the one ot Rome, the other ot CaeUr. As the city
itfelf was called Cefarea, which was alfo itfelf built of fine
materials, and was of a fine ftrufture ; nay, the very fubter-
ranean vaults and cellars had no lefs of architecture bellowed
on them than had the building above ground. Some of thefe
Vaults carried things at even diftances to the haven and to the
fea, but one of them ran obliquely, and bound all the reft to-
gether, that both the rain and the filth ot the citizens were to-
gether carried off with eafe and the fea itfelt, upon the flux
of the tide from without, came into the city and warned it all
clean. Herod alfo built therein a theatre of ftone ; and on
the fouth quarter, behind the port, an amphitheatre alfo, ca-
pable ot holding a vaft number of men, and conveniently fit-
uated for a prolpecl: to the fea. So this city was thus fimlhed
in * twelve years ; during wiiichtime the king did not fail to
go on both with the work, and to pay the charges that were
neceffary.
CHAP. X.
How Herod fent his Sons to Rome ; how alfo he was accufed by
Zenodorus. and the Gadarens, but was cleared of what they
accufed him of, and withal gained to himfelf the good will of
C<zfar. Concerning the Pharife.es the LJ}?ns> and Manahem.
^ ' \X7^^^ Herod was engaged in fuch matters, and
VV when he had already re edified Sebafte [Samaria,]
he refolved to fend his fons Alexander and Ariftobulus to
Rome, to enjoy the company ot Caefar ; who, when they came
thither, lodged at the houfe of i Pollio who was very tond of
Herod's triendmip : And they had leave to lodge in Caefar's
own palace, for he received thele fons ot Herod with all hu-
* Cefarea being here fa : d to be rebuilt and adorned in twelve years, and foon
afterwards in ten years, Antiq B. XVI ch. v. ^ i thero muft be a miftake in one
of the places as to the true number, but which of them it is hard pofitively to de-
termine.
f This Pollio, with -vhom Herod's fons Iwed at Rome, was not Pollio the
Pharifee, already mentioned by Jofephus, ch. i. ^ i and ag;iin prefently after this,
ch. x. ^. but Afmius Pollio the Roman, as Spanheim here obierves.
ANTIQUITIEIPOr THE JEWS. [Book. XV.
inanity, and gave Herod .leave to give his kingdom to which
ot his fons he pleafed ; and befidesall this, he bellowed on him
Trachon and Batanea, and Auranitis, which he gave hira on
the'occafion following : One * Zenodorus had hired what wac
called the houfe ot Lyfanias, who, as he was not fatisfied with,
its revenues, became a partner with the robbers that inhabited
the Trachones, and To procured hirnfelf a regular income, for
the inhabitants of thofe places lived in a mad way, and pillag-
ed the country of the Damafcenes, while Zenodorus did not
reftrain them, but partook of the prey they acquired. Now,
as the neighbouring people were hereby great lufferers, they
complained to Varro, who was then prefident [of SyriaJ and
entreated him to write to Caefar about this injuftice of Zeno-
dorus, When thefe matters were laid before Caefa>", he wrote
back to Varro to deilroy thofe nefts of robbers, and to give
the land to Herod, that fo by his care the neighbouring coun-
tries might be no longer diflurbed with thefe doings of the Tra-
chonites, for it was notaneafy thing to reftrain them, fincethis
way of robbery had been their ufual praftice, and they had no
other way to get their Jiving, becaufe they had neither any ci-
ty ot their own, nor lands in their pofTeffion, but only fome
receptacles and dens in the earth, and there they and their cat-
tle lived in common together : However, they had made con-
trivances to get pools of water, and laid up corn in granaries
for themfelves, and were able to make great refiftance, by if-
fuing out on the fudden againft any that attacked them ; for the
entrances of their caves were narrow, in which but one could
come in at a time, and the places within incredibly large, and
made very wide ; but the ground over their habitations was
not very high, but rather on a plain, while the rocks are alto-
gether hard and difficult to be entered upon, unlefs any one
gets into the plain road by the guidance of another, for thefe
roads are not llrait, but have feveral revolutions. But when
thefe men are hindered from their wicked preying upon their
neighbours, their cufiom is to prey one upon another, info^
much that no fort of injuflice comes amifs to them. But
when Herod had received this grant from Caefar, and was
come into this country, he procured fkiltul guides, and put a
{lop to their wicked robberies, and procured peace and quiet-
nefs to the neighbouring people.
2. Hereupon Zenodorus was grieved, in the firft place, be-
caufe his principality was taken away from him, and ftill more
fo, becaufe he envied Herod, who had gotten it ; fo he went
up to Rome to accufe him. but returned back again without
fucrefs. Now Agrippa was [about this time] fent to fucceed
Caefar in the government of the countries beyond the Ionian
* Thecharafter of this Zenodorus is fo like that of a famous robber of the
&me name in Strabo, anri that about this very country, and about this very time
alfo, that I think Dr Hudfon hardly need to have put a pcrkflps to his determina-
tion that they were the lame.
Chap. X.] ANTIQUITIES OF THE JEWSi
fea, upon whom Herod light when he was wintering about
Mitylene, for he had been his particular friend and compan-
ion, and then returned into Judea again. However, fome of
the Gaclarens came to Agrippa, and accufed Herod, whom he
fent back bound to the king, without giving them the hearing :
But ftillthe Arabians, who of old bare ill will to Herod's gov-
ernment, were nettled, and at that time attempted to raife a fe-
dition in his dominions, and, as they thought upon a more juf-
tifiable occafion ; for Zenodorus, defpairing already of fuc-
cefs, as to his own affairs, prevented [his enemies,] by felling
to thofe Arabians a part of his principality, called Auranitis,
for the value of fifty talents ; but as this was included in the
donations of Caefar, they contefted the point with Herod, as
unjuitly deprived of what they had bought. Sometimes they
did this by making incurfions upon him, and fometimes by
attempting force againft him, and fometimes by going to law
with him. Moreover, they perfuaded the poorer foldiers to
help them, and were troublefome to him, out of a conftant
hope that they mould reduce the people to raife a fedition ; in
which defigns thofe that are in the moft miferable circumftan-
ees of life, are Hill the moft earneft : And although Herod had
been a great while apprifed of thefe attempts-, yet did not he
indulge any feverity to them, but by rational methods aimed
to mitigate things, as not willing to give any handle for tu-
mults.
3. Now when Herod had already reigned feventeen years, Cae-
far came into Syria ; at which time the greateft part ohhe inhab-
itants of Gadara clamoured againft Herod, as one that was
heavy in his injunctions, and tyrannical. Thefe reproaches
they mainly ventured upon by the encouragement of Zeno-
dorus, who took his oath that he would never leave Herod till
he had procured that they fhould be fevered from Herod's
kingdom, and joined to Caefar's province. The Gadarens
were induced hereby, and made no fmall cry againft him, and
that the more boldly, becaufe thofe that had been delivered
up by Agrippa were not puniflied by Herod, who let them
go, and did them no harm, for indeed he was the principal
man in the world who appeared almoft inexorable*in punifh-
ing crimes in his own family, but very generous in remitting
the offences that were committed elfewhere. And while they*
accufed Herod ot injuries, and plunderings, and fubverfions
ot temples, he Rood unconcerned, and was ready to make his
defence. However, Caefar gave him his right hand, and re-
mitted nothing, of his kindnefs to him, upon this difturbance
by the multitude : And indeed thefe things were alleged the
lirft day, but the hearing proceeded no farther ; for as the
Gadarens law the inclination of Caefar and of his affelTors, and
expected, as they had reafon to do, that they (hould be deliv-
ered up to die king, fome ot them, out of a dread of the tor-
ments they might undergo, cut their own throats in the night
324 ANTIQUITIES OF THE JEWS. [Book XV*
time, and fome of them threw themfelvcs down precipices,
and others of them caft themfelves into the river, and deftroy-
ed themfelves of their own accord ; which accidents feemed
a fufficient condemnation ot the rafhnefs and crimes they had
been guilty of : Whereupon Caefar made no longer delay, but
cleared Herod from the crimes he was accufed of. Another
happy accident there was, which was a farther great advan-
tage to Herod at this time ; for Zenodorus's belly burft, and a
great quantity of blood iffued from him in his ficknefs, and
he thereby departed this life at Antioch in Syria : So Caefar
beflowed his country, which was no (mall one, upon Herod ;
it lay between Trachon and Galilee, and contained Ulatha
and Paneas and the country round about. He alfo made him
one of the procurators of Syria, and commanded that they
fhould do every thing with his approbation ; and, in fhort, he
arrived at that pitch o f felicity, that whereas there were but
two men that governed the vaft Roman empire, firft Caefar,
and then Agrippa, who was his principal favourite, Caefar pre-
ferred no one to Herod befides Agrippa, and Agrippa made
no one his greater friend than Herod befides Caefar. And
when he had acquired fuch freedom, he begged of Caefar a
tetrarchy * for his brother Pheroras, while he did himfelf be-
flow upon him a revenue of an hundred talents out ot his own
kingdom, that in cafe he came to any harm himfelf his broth-
er might be in fafety, and that his fons might not have domin-
ion over him. So when he had conducted Caefar to the fea,
and was returned home, he built him amoft beautiful temple,
of the whiteft ftone, in Zenodorus's country, near the place
called Panium. This is a very fine cave in a mountain, un-
der which there is a great cavity in the earth, and the cavern
is abrupt, and prodigioufly deep, and full of a ftiil water:
Over it hangs a vaft mountain ; and under the caverns arife
the fprings of the river Jordan. Herod adorned this place,
which was already a very remarkable one, ftill farther, by the
ereftion of this temple, which he dedicated to Caefar.
4. At which time Herod releafed to his fubjefts the third
part of their taxes, under pretence indeed ot relieving them,
after the dearth they had had : but the main reafon was, to
recover their good will, which he now wanted, for they were
uneafy at him, becaufe of the innovations he had introduced
in their practices, of the didblution of their religion, and of
the difufe of their own cuftoms ; and the people every where
talked againft him, like thofe that were ftill more provoked
and difturbed at his procedure : Againft which difcontcnts he
greatly guarded himfelt, and took away the opportunities
* By tetrarchy properly and originally denoted the fourth part of an entire king-
dom or country, and a tctrarch one that was a ruler of fuch a fourth part, which
always implies fomewhat lefs extent of dominion and power than belonging to a
kingdom and to a king.
Chap. X.] ANTIQUITIES OF THK JEWS. 225
they might have to difturb them, and enjoined them to be al-
ways at work ; nor did he permit the citizens either to meet
together or to walk, or eat together, but watched every thing
they did, and when any were caught, they were feverely pun-
iihed ; and many there were who were brought to the citadel
Hyrcania, both openly and fecretly, and were there put to
death ; and there were fpies fet every where, both in the city,
and in the roads, who watched thofe that met together ; nay,
it is reported, that he did not him felt negleft this part of cau-
tion, but that he would oftentimes himfelf take the habit of a
private man, and mix among the multitude, in the night time,
and make trial what opinion they had ot his government; and
as for thofe that could no way be reduced to acquiefce under
his fcheme of government, he profecuted them all manner of
ways, but for the reft of the multitude, he required that they
Ihould be obliged to take an oath of fidelity to him, and at the
fame time compelled them to fwear that they would bear him
good will, and continue certainly fo to do in his management
of the government ; and indeed a great part of them, either to
pleafe him, or out of fear of him, yielded to what he required
of them, but for fuch as were of a more open and generous
difpofition, and had indignation at the force he ufed to them,
he by one means or other made way with them. He endeav-
oured alfo to perfuade Pollio the Pharifee, and Sameas, and
the greatelt part of their fcholars, to take the oath ; but thofe
would neither fubmit fo to do, nor were they punifhed togeth-
er with the reft, out of the reverence he bore to Pollio. The
Effens alfo, as we call a fel of ours, were excufed from this
impofition. Thefe men live the fame kind of life as do thofe
whom the Greeks call Pythagoreans, concerning whom I fhall
difcourfe more fully elfewhere. However, it is but fit to fet
down here the reasons wherefore Herod had thefe Effens in
fuch honours, and thought higher of them than their mortal
nature required ; nor will this account be unfuitabletothe na-
ture of this hiftory, as it will fhew the opinion men had of
thefe Effens.
Now there was one of thefe Effens, whofe name was Mana-
hem, who had this teftimony, that he not only conduced his
lite alter an excellent manner, but had the foreknowledge ot"
future events given him by God alfo. This man once faw
Herod when he was a child, and going to fchool, and ialuted
him as king of the Jews ; but he thinking that either he did
not know him, or that he was in jeft, put him in mind that he
was but a private man, but Manahem fmiled to himfelf, and
clapped him on his backfide with his hand, and faid, " How-
ever that be, thou wilt be king, and wilt begin thy reign hap-
pily, for God finds thee worthy of it. And do thou remem-
ber the blows that Manahem hath given thee, as being a fignal
of the change of thy fortune. And truly this will be the rea-
foning ior thee, that thou love jullice, [towards men,] and pi-.
VOL. II Ee
226 ANTIQUITIES Or THE JEWS. [Book XV,
ety towards God, and clemency towards thy citizens ; yet da
I know how thy whole conduct will be, that thou wilt not be
fuch an one, for thr.u wilt excel !I men in happinefs, and ob-
tain an everlafcirg reputation, hut wilt torget piety and right-
coufnefs ; and thefe crimes will not be concealed' from God,
at the couc'ufion of thy life, when thou wilt find that he will
be mindful or them and punifh thee for them." Now at that
time Herod did not at all attend to what Manahem faid, as hav-
ing no hopes of fuch advancement ; but a little afterward.
when he was fo fortunate as to be advanced to the dignity of
king, and was in the height of his dominion, hefent for Maria-
hem, and afked him, how long he fhould reign ? Manahem.
did not tell him the full length of his reign, wherefore, upon
that filence of his, he afked him farther, Whether he fhould
reign ten years or not ? he replied. " Yes, twenty, nay, thirty
years," but did not aflign the jwli determinate limit of his
reign. Herod was fatisfied with thefe replies, and gave Man;>-
iiem his hand and difmiffcd him, and from that time he con-
tinued to honour all the Effens. We have thought it proper
to relate thefe lacls to our readers, how ftrange foever they be,
and to declare uhat hath happened among us, becaufe many
of the Effens have by their excellent virtue, been thought
worthy of this knowledge of divine revelations.
C H A P. XI.
How Herod rebuift the Temple, and raifed it higher, and made
it more magnificent than it was before ; and alfo concerning
that Tower which he called Antonia,
9 * A NB now Herod, in the eighteenth year of his reign,
XA and alter the a6ts already mentioned, undertook a
very great work, that is, to build of himfelf the * temple of
God, and made it larger in compafs, and lo raife it to a moft
magnificent altitude, as efteeming it to be the moft glorious o-f
all his actions, as it really was, ty bring it to perfection, and
that this would be fufficient for an everlafting memorial of
him ; but as he knew the multitude were not ready nor willing
to aflift him in fo vait a defign, he thought to prepare them full
We rnny here obferv?, th?.t the fancy of the moclern >-ws in calling this tern-
pie, which was it-ally ihe thh,i -,f their u-ir , inple, followed u>
long by later Clirirtiaiis, items to be without any \<,]'... [..a.iri.iriun. The reafort
why the Chriitians here follow the jews, is, becjaC," the prophecy of Hsggai ii.
6 9 -which they expound of the M-j S5 ij:rs tomir- ,o the iecond or Zorobabel's
temple, of which they fuppofe thi^ of Heri'l's to be only a continuation, which is
ir.rant, I think, of his corning to the/WM and kjl temple, or to that future lar,
tfl and moft glorious one defcribed by E/.ekiel : Whence I take the former no-
tion, how general Ibevcr, to be a great miftakc. tec Li:. Acconm. O f proph
0. 4.
Chap. XL] ANTIQUITIES OF THE JEWS. 2^7
tiy making a fpeech to them and then fet about the work it-
felf ; fo he called them together, and fpake thus to them : " I
think I need not fpeak to you, my countrymen, about fuel)
other works as I have done finer I came to the kingdom, al-
though 1 may fay tlvv !i ive been performed in fuch a man-
ner as to bring more iecurity to you than glory to my felt; tor
1 have neither been negligent in thernofl difficult times about
what tended to cafe your ncccllities, nor have the buildings 1
have made been fo proper to prcferve me as yourfelvei Irom
injuries ; and 1 imagine that, with God's afii fiance, I have ad.
vanced the nation ot the Jews to a degree ot happinefs which
they never had before ; and tor the particular edifices belong-
ing to your own country, and your own cities that we have
lately acquired, which we have erected, and greatly adorned,
and thereby augmented the- dignity of your nation, it feems to
me a neediefs ta& to enumerate them to you, fince you well
know them yourfelves ; but as to that undertaking which I
have a mind to fet about at prefent, and which will be a work,
ot the greateft piety, and excellence that can pofhbly be un-
dertaken by us, I will now declare it to you. Our tathers, in-
deed, when they were returned from Bab) Ion. built this tem-
ple to God Almighty, yet does it want fixry cubits of its large -
nels in altitude ; tor fo much did that firft temple which Solo-
mon built exceed this temple ; nor let any one condemn our
fathers for their negligence or want ot piety herein, tor it w^>>
not their fault that the temple was no higher ; tor they were
Cyrus, and Danus the fon ot Hyftaipes, who determined the
rneafures for its rebuilding ; and it ha.h been by reafon ot the
fubjection of thofe lathers ot ours to them and to their pofleru
ty, and atter them to the Macedonians, that they had not the
opportunity to follow the original model ot this pious edifice,
nor could raiie it to its ancient altitude ; but fince I am now
by God's will, your governor, and I have had peace a long
time, and have gained great riches, and large revenues, ana
what is the principal thing ot all, I am at amity witn, and well
regarded by the Romans, who, it I may fo fay, are the rulers
ot the whole world, 1 will do my endeavour to correct that im-
perfection, which hath arifen from the neceility of our affairs,
and the flavery we have been under formerly, and to make a
thankful return atter the molt pious 77ianner, to God for what
bleffings I have received from him, by giving me this king-
dom, and that by rendering l\is temple as complete as I am a-
ble."
2. And this was the fpeech which Herod made to them ; but
ftill this fpeech affrighted many ot the people, as being unex-
pected by them, and becaufe it feemed incredible, it did not
encourage them, but put a damp upon them, for they were a-
iraid that he would pull down the whole edifice, and not be
able to bring his intentions to perfection for its rebuilding ;
and this danger appeared to them to be very great, and the
228 ANTIQUITIES UF THE JEWS. [Book XV.
vaftnefs of the undertaking to be fuch as could hardly be ac-
complifhed. But while they were in this difpofition, the king
encouraged them, and told them, " He would not pull down
their temple till all things were gotten ready for building it
up entirely again/' And as he promifed them this betore
hand, fo he did not break his vord with them, but got ready a
thoufand waggons, that were to bring {tones tor the building,
and chofe out ten thoufand of the moft fkiltul workmen, and
bought a thoufand facerdotal garments for as many ot the
prieits, and had fome of them taught the arts of ftone-cutters,
and others of carpenters, and then began to build, but this not
till every thing was well prepared for the work.
3. So Herod took away the old foundations, and laid oth-
ers, and creeled the temple upon them, being in length an
hundred cubits, and in height twenty additional cubits, which
[[twenty], upon the * finking ot their foundations, fell down ;
and this part it was that we refolved to raife again in the days
of Nero. Now the temple was built ot ftonesthat were white
and ftrong, and each of their length was twenty-five cubits,
their height was eight, and their breadth about twelve ; and
the whole flrufture, as was alfo the flrutture ot the royal
cloifter, was on each fide much lower, but the middle was
much higher, till they were vitible to thofe that dwelt in the
country for a great many furlongs, but chiefly to fuch as
lived over againil them, and thofe that approached to them.
The temple had doors a(fo at the entrance, and lintels over
them, of the fame height with the temple itfelf. They were
adorned with embroidered vails with their flowers of purple,
and pillars interwoven ; and over thefe, but under the crown-
work, was fpread out a golden vine, with its branches hang-
ing down from a great height, the largenefs and fine work-
nianmip of which was a furprifing fight to the fpettators, to
ice what vaft materials there were, and with what great fkill
the workmanfhip was done. He alfo encompaffed the entire
lemple with very large cloifters, contriving them to be in a
due proportion thereto; and he laid out larger turns of money
upon them than had been done betore him, till it feemed that
* Some of our modern ftudents in archite&urebave made a flrange blunder here,
when they imagine that Jofephus affirms the entire foundations ot the temple or
hly houle funk down into the rocky mountain on which it Hood no lefs than 20
cubits, whereas he is clear that they were the foundations of the additional 20 cu-
biti only above the hundred, (made perhaps weak on purpole, and only f<
;md grandeur) th;it funk or fell down, as Dr. Hudfon rightly underftands him :
Nor \\ the thing itfelf possible in the other fenfe. Agripp^'s preparation fe:
ing the im:er parts of the temple 20 cubits higher, (hiftory of the War, B V. ch.
i. fj 5.) mutt in all probability refer to this matter, lince Jofephus (ays licre. that
this which had fallen down was defigned to be raikd up again under, Nero, un-
der whom Agrippa made that preparation. But what Jofephus fays prei'ently,
that Solomon was the fidl King of the Jews, appears by the parallel place, Aritiq.
B. XX. ch. ix. '-; 7. Vo! II. and other places, to be meant only the firil ot Da-
vid's poilsrity, aud the firfl builder of the temple.
Chap. XL] ANTIQUITIES OP THE JEWS.
no one elfe had fo greatly adorned the temple as he had done.
There was a large wall to both the cloifters, which wall was
idelfthe moft prodigious work that was ever heard of by man.
The hill was a rocky alcent, that declined by degrees towards
the eafl parts ot the city, till it came to an elevated level. This
hill it was which Solomon, who was the firft of our kings, by
divine revelation encompaffed with a wall ; it was oi excel-
lent workmanfhip upwards, and round the top of it. He alfo
built a wall belowj beginning at the bottom, which was en-
compafled by a deep valley ; and at the fouth fide he laid
rocks together, and bound them one to another with lead, and
included fome of the inner parts, till it proceeded to a great
height, and till both the largenefs ot the fquare edifice, and
its altitude, were itnmenfe, and tril the vaftnefs of the Hones in
the front were plainly vifible on the putfide, yet fo that the
inward parts were faftened together with iron, and preferved
the joints immoveable for all future times. When this work
f for the foundation] was done in this manner, and joined to-
gether as part of the hill itfelf to the very top ot it, he wrought*
it all into one outward lurface, and rilled up the hollow pla-
ces which were about the wall, and made it a level on the ex-
ternal upper iurface, and a fmooth level alfo. This hill was
walled all round, and in compafs tour furlongs, [the diftance
of] each angle containing in length a furlong : But within this
wall, and on the very top of all, there ran another wall ot Hone
alfo, having, on theeaft quarter, a double cloifter, ot the fame
length with the wall ; in the midfl ot which was the temple
it felt. This cloifter looked to che gates of the temple ; and
it had been adorned by many kings in former times : And
round about the entire temple were fixed the fpoils taken from
barbarous nations ; allthefe had been dedicated to the temple
by Herod, with the addition ot thofe he had taken trorn the
Arabians.
4. Now on the north fide [of the temple] was built a cita-
del whofe walls were fquare, and ftrong, and ot extraordinary
firmnefs. This citadel was built by the kings of the Afarno-
nean race, who were alfo high-priefts before Herod, and they
called it the Tower, in which were repofited the veilments of
the high-prieft, which the high-prieft only put on at the time
when he was to offer facrifice. Thefe veflments king Herod
kept in that place ; and after his death they were under the
power of the Romans, until the time of Tiberius Casfar ; un-
der whofe reign Yitellius, the prefident of Syria, when he
once came to jerufalem, and had been moft magnificently re-
ceived by the multitude, he had a mind to make them fome
requital for the kindnefs they had {hewed him, fo, upon their
petition to have thofe holy veftments in their own power, he
wrote about them to Tiberius Caefar, who granted his requeit :
And this their power over the facerdotal veftments continued
with the Jews till the death of king Agrippa ; but after that,.
230 . ANTIQUITIES OF THE JEWS. [Book. XV.
Caffius Longinus, who was prefident of Syria, and Cufpius
Fadus, who was procurator of Judea, enjoined the Jews to re-
pofit thofe veftments in the tower of Antonia, for that they
ought to have them in their power, as they formerly had.
However, the Jews lent ambalfa lors to Claudius Ca:far, to in-
tercede with him for them ; upon whofe coming, king Agrip-
pa jun. being then at Rome, afked for and obtained the power
over them from the emperor, who gave command to Vitelli-
T.IS, who was then commander in Syria, to give it them accor-
dingly. Before that time they were kept under the feal of
the high-prieft, and of the treafures of the temple ; which treaf-
ures.the day hefore a feftival, went up to the Roman captain
of the temple guards, and viewed their own feal, and received
the veftments ; and again, when the feftival was over, they
brought it to the fame place, and ihewed the captain of the
temple guards their feal which corrcfponded with his feal,
and repofited them there. And that thefe things were fo, the
afflictions that happened to us afterward [about them! are fuf-
ficient evidence : But for the tower itfelf, when Herod the
king of the Jews had fortified it more firmly than before, in
order to fecure and guard the. temple, he gratified Antonius,
\vho was his friend, and the Roman ruler, and then gave it the
name of the Tower of Antonia.
5. Now in the weflern quarters of the inclofure of the tem-
ple there were four gates ; the firft led to the kings palace,
and went to a paffage over the intermediate valley, two more
Jed to the fuburbs of the city, and the lait led to the other city,
\vhere the road defrcnded d-jwu into the valley by a great
number of fteps,and thence up again by the afcent, for the
city lay overagainfi the temple in the manner of a theatre, and
was encompatled with a deep valley along the entire fouth
quarter, bu-tthe fourth front of the temple, which was fouth-
ward, had indeed itfelf gates in its middle, as alfo it had the
royal closers with three walks which reached in length
from the eaft valley unto that on the weft, for it was impolii-
ble it mould reach any farther: And this cloift:r d,eferves to
be mentioned better than any other under the fun ; for while
the valley was very deep, and its bottom could not be feen,
if you looked from above into the depth, this farther vaflly
high elevation of the cloifter flood upon that height, infomuch,
that if any one looked down from the top o\ the battlements,
or down both thofe altitudes he would be giddy, while his
iight could not reach to fuch aa immenfe depth. This cloif-
ter had pillars that flood in four rows one over againft the
other all along, for the fourth row was interwoven into the
wall, which L^llo was built of ftonej ; and the thicknefs ot
each pillar was fuch, that three men might, with their arms
extended, fathom it round, and join their hands again, while;
its length wis twenty- (even feet, with a double fpiral at its
ha.Cs ; and the number of all the pillars [in that court] was
Chap. XI.] ANTIQUITIES OF THE JEWS. 2JJ
an hundred and fixty-two. Their chapiters were made witht
fculptures after the Corinthian order, and caufed an amaze-
ment [to the fpeclatorsj. by reafon of the grandeur of the
whole. Thefe four rows of pillars included three intervals
for walking in the middle of this cioifter ; two of which walks
were made parallel to each other and were contrived after the
fame manner ; the breadth oi each of them was thirty feet,
the length was a furlong, and the height fifty feet, but the
breadth of the middle part of the cioifter was one and an half
of the other, and the height was double, for it was much high-
er than thole on each fide ; but the roofs were adorned with
deep fculptures in wood, reprefenting many forts of figures?
The middle was much higher than the relt, and the wall o
the front was adorned with beams, reiting upon pillars, that
were interwoven into it, and that front was all of polifhed
Hone, infomuch, that its finenefs, to fuch as had not feen it
was greatly amazing. Thus was the firft inclofure. In the
midit of which, and not iar from it, was the fecond, to be
gone up to by a few Heps : This was encompaffed'by a flone
\vall for a partition, with an iniciiption, which forbade any
foreigner to go in under pain of death. Now, this inner in-
clofure had on its iouthern and northern quarters three gates
("equally J dittant one from another ; but on the call quarter,
towards the fun rifing, there was one large gate, through
which fuch as were pure came in, together with their wives,
but the temple farther inward in that gate was not allowed to
the women ; but flill more inward was there a third [court ot
the] temple, whereinto it was not lawful for any but the
prieils alone to enter.^The temple itfelf was within this ;
and before that templ<Avas the altar, upon which we offer
our Sacrifices and burnt-offerings to God. Into * none of
thefe three did king Herod enter, for he was forbidden, be-
caufe he was not a prieft. However, he took care of the
cloiilers, and the outer inclofures, and thefe he built in eight
years.
6. But the temple itfelf was built by the priefts in a year and
fix months : Upon which all the people were full of joy ; and
prefently they returned thanks in the firft place, to God, and
in the next place, for the alacrity, the king had fhewed. They
feafted, and celebrated this rebuilding ot the temple : And fox'
the king, he facrificed three hundred oxen to God, as did the
rell every one according to his ability : The number of which
facrifices is not poffible to fet down, for it cannot be that we
ihould truly relate it ; for at the fame time with this celebra-
Into none of thefe three did King Herod enter, \. c. i. not into the court of the
priefts ; 2. nor into the holy hou'e itleif ; 3. nor into the feperate place belonging
to the altar, as the words followin ; imply, for none but pnefts, or their attendants
the Lcvites, might come into any ot them. See Antiq. B. A'V I ch. iv. ^ 6. when
Herod goes into the temple, and makes a i'pctch in it to the people, but that could
only be Lito the court of Urael, v/hetlcc the people could come to hear him
<2J2 ANTIQUITIES OF THE JEWS. [Book XV.
tion for the work about ihe temple fell alfo the day of the
king's inauguration, which he kept of an old cuftom as a fefti-
val, and it now coincided with the other, which coincidence
of them both made the feftival moft iiluftrious.
7. There was alfo an occult pafTage built for the king : It
led from Antonia to the inner temple, at its eaftern gate ; over
which he alfo erefted for himfelf a tower, that he might have
the opportunity of a fubterraneous afcent to the temple, in or-
der to guard againft any fedition which might be made by the
people againft their kings. It is alfo * reported that during
the time that the temple was building, it did not rain in the day -
time, but that the fliowers fell in the nights, fo that the work
was not hindered. And this our fathers have delivered to us ;
nor is it incredible, if any one have regard to the manifefta-
tions of God* And thus was performed the work of the re-
building of the temple.
* This tradition which Jofephus here mentions, as delivered down from fathers
to their children, of this particular remarkable circumftance relating to the building
of Herod's temple, is a demonftration that inch its building was a known thing in
Judea in his time. He was born but 46 years after it is related to have been fiuifli-
ed, and might himfelf have feen and fpoken with fome of the builders themfelves,
and with a great number of thofs that had feen it building. The doubt therefore
sbout the truth of this hiftory, of the pulling down and rebuilding of this temple
by Herod, which fome weak people have indulged, was not then much greater
than it foon may be, whether or not our St. Paul's church in London was burnt
down in the fire of London A. D. 1666, and rebuilt by Sir Chriftopher Wrea
* little afterward.
Chap. I.] ANTIQUITIES OF THE JEWS.
BOOK XVI.
Containing the interval of twelve years.
thefinifning of the Temple by HEROD, to the Death oj
ALEXANDER and ARISTOBULUS.]
CHAP. I.
A law of Herod's about Thieves. Salome and Pheroras calum-
niate Alexander and Anjlobulus, upon their return from
Rome, for whom yet Herod provides Wives.
$ I. AS king Herod was very zealous in the adminiftration
f~\ of his entire government, and defirous to put a (top
to particular afts of injuftice which were done by criminals a-
bout the city and country, he made a law, no way like our
original laws, and which he enacled oi himfelf, to expofe
houle-breakers to be ejefted out of his kingdom ; which pun-
iftiment was not only grievous to be borne by the offenders,
but contained in it a diffolution of the cuftoms of our forefath-
ers, for this flavery to foreigners, and fuch as did not live af-
ter the manner of Jews, and this neceffity that they were un-
der to do whatfoever fuch men mould command, was an of-
fence againft our religious fettlement, rather than a punifhment
to fuch as were found to have offended, fuch a punifhment
being avoided in our original laws; for thofe laws ordain, that
the thief fhall reftore fourfold : And that if he have not fo
much, he (hall be fold indeed, but not to foreigners, nor fo
that he be under perpetual flavery, for he muft have been re-
leafed after fix years. But this law, thus enafted, in order to
introduce a fevere and illegal punifhment, feemed to be a piece
of infolence in Herod, when he did not aft as a king but as a
tyrant, and thus contemptuoufly, and withou^ any regard to
his fubjefts did he venture to introduce fuch a punifhment.
Now this penalty, thus brought into pracHce, was like Herod's
other aftions, and became a part of his accufation, and an oc-
cafian of the hatred he lay under.
2. Now at this time it was that he failed to Italy, as very de-
firous to meet with Caefar, and to fee his fons who lived at
Rome : And Catlar was not only very obliging to him in
other refpecls, but delivered him his fons again that he might
take them home with him, as having already completed thera-
felves in the fciences ; but as foon as the young men wer-
come from I'aly, the multitude were very defirous to fee them,
VOL. II. F i
5J4 ANTIQUITIES OF THE JEWS. [Book XVI.
and they became confpicuous among them all, as adorned with
great bleffings of fortune, and having the countenances of per-
fons of royal dignity. So they foon appeared to be the ob-
j.->h of envy to Salome, the king's (ifter, and to fuch as had
JVM fed calumnies againft Mariamne ; for they were fufpicious,
that when thefe came to the government, they Ihould be pun-
iflied for the wickednefs they had been guilty of againft their
mother ; fo they made this very fear of theirs a motive to raife
calumnies againft them alfo. They gave it out that they were
not p leafed with their father's company, becaufe he had put
their mother to death, as it it were not agreeable to piety to
appear to converfe with their mother's murderer. Now, by
carrying thefe ftories. that had indeed a true foundation [in
the fatr, | hut V'ere only built on probabilities, as to the pref-
ent accufation, they were able to do them mifchief, and to
make Herod take away that kindnefs from his fons which he
had before borne to them, for they did not fay thefe things to
him openly, but featured abroad fuch words among the reft
ot the multitude ; from which words, when carried to Herod,
he was induced [at laftj to hate them, and which natural af-
feftion itielf, even in length ot time, was not able to overcome ;
yet was the king at that time in a condition to prefer the nat-
ural affeclion oi a lather before all the fufpicions and calum-
nies his fons lay under : So he refpefted them as he ought to
do, and married them to wives, now they w^-re ot an age, fuit-
ahle thereto. To Ariftobulus he gave for a wife Bernice, Sa-
lome's daughter, and to Alexander, Glaphyra, the daughter of
Archelaus, king ot Cappadocia.
CHAP. II.
How Herod twice failed to Agrippa ; and how, upon the com-
plaint oj the Jews in Ionia, againjl the Greeks, Agrippa con*
firmed the Laws of the Jews to them.
$ I- TJlT^kN Herod had difpatched thefe affairs, and he
VV underftood that Marcus Agrippa had failed again
out of Italy into Afia, he madehafte to him, and be/ought him
to come to him into his kingdom, and to partake ot what he
might juftly expeB from one that had been his gueft, and was
his friend. This requeft he greatly preffed, and to it Agrippa
agreed, and came into Judea ; whereupon Herod omitted no-
thing that might pleafe him. He entertained him in his new-
built cities, and (hewed him the edifices he had built, and pro-
vided all forts of the beft and moft coftly dainties tor him and
his friends, and that at Sebafte and Cefarea, about that port
lhat he had built, and at the iortreffes which he had erefted at
Kreat expences, Alexandrium and Herodium, and Hyrcania.
He alfo conduced him to the city Jerufalem, where all the
Chap. IL] ANTIQUITIES OF THE JEWS. 235
people met him in their feftival garments.and received him with
acclamations. Agnppa alfo offered an hecatomb ot facrifices
to God ; and fealted tfie people, without omitting any of the
greatefl dainties that could be gotten. He alfo took fo much
pleafure there, that he abode many days with him, and would
willingly have ibid longer, hut that the feafon of the year
made him make haite away ; for, as winter was coming on, he
thought it not faFe to go to fea later, and yet he was ot necef-
fity to return again to Ionia.
2. So Agrippa went away, when Herod had bellowed on
him, and on the principal ot thofe that were with him, many
prefents ; but king Herod, when he had parTed the winter ia
his own dominions, made hafte to get to him again in the
fpring, when he knew he defigned to go to a campaign at the
Bofphorus. So when he had failed by Rhodes, and by Cos,
he touched at Lefbos, as thinking he (hould have overtaken
Agrippa there, but he was taken (hurt here by a north wind,
which hindered his ihip from going to the fhore ; fo he con-
tinued many days at Chins, and there he kindly treated a great
many that came to him, and obliged them by giving them
royal gifts. And when he faw that the portico of the city was
fallen down, which, as it was overthrown in the Mithridaic
war, and was a very large and fine building, fo was it not fo
eafy to rebuild that as it was the reft, yet did he furniih a fum
not only large enough for that purpofe, but what was more
than fuihcient to fimfh the building ; and ordered them not to
overlook that portico, but to rebuild it quickly, that fo the
city might recover its proper ornaments. And when the high
winds were laid, he failed to Mitylenc, and thence to Byzan-
tium ; and when he heard that Agrippa was failed beyond the
Cyanean rocks, he made all the hafte poflibleto overtake him,
and came up with him about Sinope, in Pontus. He was leeu
failing by the fhipinen moft unexpectedly, but appeared to
their great joy ; and many friendly falutations there were be-
tween them, infomuch that Agrippa thought he had received
the greateft marks of the king's kindnefs and humanity to-
wards him poffible, fince the king had come fo long a voyage,
and at a very proper feafon for his aflifbnce, and had left the
government of his own dominions, and thought it more worth
his while to come to him. Accordingly Herod was all in all
to Agrippa, in the management of the war, and a great aflill-
ant in civil affairs, and in giving him counfel as to particular
matters. He was alfo apleafant companion tor him when he
relaxed himfelf, and a joint partaker with him in all things ;
in troubles becaufe ot his kindnefs, and in profperity becaule
ot the refpeft Agrippa had tor him. Now as foon as thofe af-
fairs of Pontus werefinilhcd, for whofe fake Agrippa was fent
thither, they did not think fit to return by fea-, but patted thro'
Paphlagoma and Cappadocia ; they then travelled thence o-
ver great Phrygia, and came to Ephefus, and then they failed
336 ANTIQUITIES OF THE JEWS. [Book XVI.
from Ephefus to Samos. And indeed the king beflowed a
great many benefits on every city that he came to, according
as they flood in need of them ; for as for thofe that wanted
cither money or kind treatmtffit, he was not wanting to them ;
but he fupplied the former himfelf out of his own expences :
He alfo became an interceflbr with Agrippa for all fuch as
fought after his favour, and he brought things fo about, that
the petitioners tailed in none of their fuits to him, Agrippa
being himfelf of a good difpofition, and of great generofity,
and ready to grant all fiK h requells as might be advantageous
to the petitioners, provided they were not to the detriment of
others. The inclination of the king was of great weight alfo,
aud ftill excited Agrippa, who was himfelf ready to do good ;
for he made a reconciliation between the people of Ilium, at
'.vhom he was angry, and paid what money the people of Chi-
us owed Caefar's procurators, and difcharged them of their
tributes ; and helped all others, according as their feveral ne.
ceflities required.
3. But now, when Agrippa and Herod were in Ionia, a
great multitude of Jews, who dwelt in their cities, came to
them, and laying hold ol the opportunity and the liberty now
given them, laid before them the injuries which they fuffer-
ed, while they were not permitted to life their own \-\-.vs, but
were compelled to profecute their law fuits, by the ill nfage
of the judges, upon their holy days and were deprived of the
money they ufed to lay up at Jerufalem, and were forced in-
to the army, and upon fuch other offices as obliged them to
fpenci their facred money; from which burdens they always
ufed to be freed by the Romans, who had flill permitted them
to live according to their own laws. When this clamour
was made, the king deflred of Agrippa that he would hoar
their caufe, and affigned Nicolaus, one of his friends to
plead for thofe their privileges. Accordingly, when A-
grippahad called the principal of the Romans, and fuch o{
the kings and rulers as were there to be his affellors, Nico-
laus flood up, and pleaded for the Jews, as follows : ' It
k of neceflity incumbent on fuch as are in dillrefs to have re-
conrfe to thole that have it in their power to free them
from thofe injuries they lie under ; and for thofe that now are
complainants, they approach you with great afTurance ; for as
they have formerly often obtained your favour, fo far as they
have even wifhed to. have it, they now only entreat that you,
%vho have been the donors, will take caie that thofe favours
you have already granted them may not be taken away from
them. We have received thefe favours from you, who alone
have power to grant them, but have them taken from us by
fuch as are no greater than ourfelves, and by fuch as we
know are as much fubjefts as we are ; and certainly, if we
have been vouchfafed great favours, it is to our commen-
dation, who have obtained them, as having been found cic-
Chap. II.] ANTIQUITIES OF THE JEWS. 237
ferving ot fuch great favours ; and if thofe favours bis but
fmall ones, it would be barbarous for the donors not to con-
firm them to us : And for thofe that are the hinderance of the
Jews, and u(e them reproachfully, it is evident that they af-
front both the receivers, while they will not allow thofe to be
worthy men to whom their excellent rulers themfelves have
borne their teftimony, and the donors, while they defire thofe
favours already granted may be abrogated. Now if any one
fhould afk thefe Gentiles themfelves, which o! the two things
they would choofe to part with, their lives, or the cuftoms
of their forefathers, their folemnities, their facrifices, their
fefKvals, which they celebrated in honour ot thofe they fup-
pofe to be gods ? I know very well that they would choofe
to fufTer any thing whatfoever rather than a diffolution ot any
of the cuiloms : of their forefathers ; for a great many of
them have rather chofen to go to war on that account, as very
folicitous not to tranfgrefs in thofe matters : And indeed we
take an eftirnate of that happinefs which all mankind do now
enjoy by your means from this very thing, that we are allo>V'
ed every one to worlhip as our own inftitutions require, and
yet to live [in peace] ; and although they would not be thus
treated themfelves, yet do they endeavour to compel others
to comply with them, as if it were not as great an initance ot
impiety, profanely to diflblve the religious folemnities of a-
ny others, as to be negligent in the obfervation of their own
toward their gods. And let us now confider the one of thefe
practices : Is there any people or city, or community of men,
to whom your government and the Roman power does not
appear to be the greatefl bleffing ? Is there any one that can
defire to make void the favours they have granted ? No one
is certainly fo mad ; for there are no men but fuch as have
been partakers of their favours, both public and private ; and
indeed thofe that take away what you have granted, can have
no affurance, but every one of their own grants made them
by you may be taken from them alfo ; which grants of yours
can yet never be fufficiently valued ; for if they confider the
old governments under kings, together with your prefent gov-
ernment, befides the great number of benefits which this gov-
ernment hath beftowed on them in order to their happinefs,
this is inffead of all the reft, that they appear to be no longer
in a ffate ot ilavery, but ot freedom. Now the privileges we
defire, even when we are in the bed circumftances, are not
fuch as deferve to be envied, tor we are indeed in a profper-
ous ftate by your means but this is only iu common with
others ; and it is no more than this which we defire, to pre*
ferve our religion without any prohibition, which, as it ap-
pears not in itfelf a privilege to be envied us, fo it is for the
advantage of thofe that grant it to us : For if the divinity de-
lights in being honoured, it muft delight in thofe that permit
them to be honoured ; And there are none of our cuftoms
238 ANTIQUITIES OF THE JEWS. [Book XVI.
which are inhuman, but all tending to piety, and devoted to
the prefervation of juftice ; nor do we conceal thofe injunc-
tions of ours, by which we govern our lives, they being me-
morials of piety, and of a tnendly converfation among men :
And * the fevent.h day we fet apart for labour ; it is dedicat-
ed to the learning of our cuftorns and laws, we thinking it
proper to refleft on them, as well as on any [good] thing elfe,
in order to our avoiding ot fin. If any one therefore exam-
ine into our observances, he will find they are good in them-
felves, and that they are ancient alfo, though fome think oth-
erwife, infomuch, that thofe who have received them, cannot
eafily be brought to depart from them, out of that honour
they pay to the length of time they have religioufly enjoyed
them, and obferved them. Now our adverfaries take thefe
our privileges away in the way of injuflice : They violently
feize upon that money ot ours which is offered to God, and
called iacred money, and this openly, after a facrilegious
manner; and they impofe tributes upon us, and bring us be-
fore tribunals on holy days, and then require other like debts
ot us, not bscaufe the contracts require it, and for their own
advantage, but becaule they would put an affront on our re-
ligion, of which they are confcious as well as we ; and have
indulged themfelves in an unjuft, and, to them, involuntary
hatred, for your government over all is one, tending to the
eftablifhing of benevolence, and abolifhing o-f ill will among
fuch as are difpofed to it. This is therefore what we implore
irom thee, moft excellent Agrippa, that we may not be ill
treated ; that we may not be abufed ; that we may not be
hindered from making u(e of our own cufloms ; nor be dif-
poiled of our goods ; nor be forced by thefe men to do what
we ourfelves force nobody to do, for thefe privileges of ours
are not only according to juftice but have formerly been
granted us by you : And we are able to read to you many de-
crees of the ienate. and the tables that contain them, which
are ftill extant in the capitol, concerning thefe things, which
it is evident were granted after you had experience ot our fi-
delity towards you, which ought to be valued, though no
fuch fidelity had been ; for you have hitherto preferved what
people were in pofleffion of, not to us only, but almoft to all
men, and have added greater advantages than they could have
hoped for, and thereby your government is become a great
advantage to them. And it any one were able to enumerate
the profperity you have conferred on every nation, which
they poffefs by your means, he could never put an end to his
difcourfe ; but that we may demonilrate that we are not un-
* We may here oblerve the ancient praftice of the Jews, of dedicating the Sab-
bath-day not to id lenefs, br.t to the learning their facred rites and religious cuf-
toms, and to the meditation on the law of Moies. The like to which we me
with clfcwhefe in jolephus alib agsiaft Apion, B. I. 22.
Chap. II.] ANTIQUITIES OF THE JEWS. JJJJ
worthy of all thofe advantages we have obtained, it will be
fufficient for us to fay nothing of other things, but to fpeak
freely of this king who now governs us, and is now one of
thy affeifors : And indeed in what inftan eot good-will, as to
your houfe, hath he been deficient ? What mark of fidelity
to it hath he omitted ? What token of honour hath he not de-
vifed ? What occafion for his affiftance of you hath he not
regarded at the very firft ? What hindereth, therefore, but
that your kindneffes may be as numerous as his fo great bene-
fits to you have been. It may alfo perhaps be fit not here to
pafs over in filence the valour of his father Antipater, who,
when Casfar made an expedition into Egypt, aflifted him with
two thoufand armed men, and proved inferior to none, nei-
ther in the battles on land, nor in the management of the na-
vy ; and what need I fay any thing of how great weight thofe
foldiers were at that juntture ? or how many, and how great
prefents they were vouchfafed by C^efar ? And truly I ought
before now to have mentioned the epiftles which Csefar wrote
to the fenate ; and how Antipater had honours, and the free-
dom of the city of Rome, beftowed upon him, for thefe are
demonftrations both that we have received thefe favours
by our own deferts, and do on that account petition thee
for thy confirmation of them, from whom we had reafon to
hope for them, though they had not been given us before, both
out of regard to our king's difpofition towards you, and your
difpofition towards him. And farther, we have been inform-
ed by thofe Jews that were there, with what kindnefs thou
came into our country, and how thou offered the moftperfeft
facrifices to God, and honoured him with remarkable vows,
and how thou gave the people a feaft, and accepted of their
own hofpitable prefents to thee. We ought to efteem all thefe
kind entertainments made both by our nation and our city, to a
man who is the ruler and manager of fo much of the public af-
fairs, as indications of that triendfliip which thou haft returned
to the Jewifh nation, and which hath been procured them by
the family of Herod. So we put thee in mind oi thefe things
in the prefenceoftheking, now fitting by thee, and make our
requeft for no more but this, that what you have given us
yourfejves, you will not fee taken away by others from us."
5. When Nicolaus had made this fpeech, there was no op-
pofmonmadetoit by the Greeks, for this was not an inquiry
.made, as in a court of juftice, but an interceffion to prevent vi-
olence to be offered to the Jews any longer ; nor did the Greeks
make any defence of themfelves, or deny what it was fuppof-
ed they had done. Their pretence was no more than this,
that while the Jews inhabited in their country they were en-
tirely unjuft to them, [in not joining in their worfhip] but
they demonflrated their generofity in this, that though they
worfbipped according to their own inftitutions they did no-
thing that ought to grieve them. So when Agrippa perceived
24- ANTIQUITIES OF THE JEWS. [Book. XVI.
that they had been oppreffed by violence, he made this anfwer :
" That on account of Herod's good will and friendfhip, he was
ready to grant the Jews whatsoever they fhould afkhim.and
that their requefts Teemed to him in themfelves juft ; and that if
they requefted any thing farther he fhould not fcruple to grant
it them, provided they were no way to the detriment of the Ro-
man government ; but that, while their requeft was no more than
this, that what privileges they had already given them might not
be abrogated, he confirmed this to them, that they might con-
tinue in the obfervation of their own cufloms without any one's
offering them the leaft injury," And when he had faid thus,
he diflblved the affembly : Upon which Herod flood up, and
faluted him, and gave him thanks for the kind difpofition he
(hewed to them. Agrippa alfo took this in a very obliging
manner, and faluted him again, embraced him in his arms ; after
which he went away from Lefbos, but the King determined to
fail from Samos to his own country ; and when he had taken his
leave of Agrippa, he purfued his voyage, and landed at Cefarea
in a few day's time as having favourable winds; from whence
he went to Jerufalem, and there gathered all the people together
to an aflfembly, not a few being there out of the country alfo.
So he came to them, and gave them a particular account of all
his journey, and of the affairs of all the Jews in Afia how by
his means they would live without injurious treatment for the
time to come. He alfo told them of the entire good fortune he
had met with, and how he had adminiftered the government,
and had not neglecled any thing which was for their advantage :
And as he was very joy ful, he now remitted to them the fourth
part of their taxes for the laft year. Accordingly they were fa
pleaTed with his favour and fpeech to them, that they went their
ways with great gladnefs, and wiflied the King all manner of
happinefs.
CHAP. Ilf.
How great Difturbances arofe in Herod's Family on his prefer-
ring Antipater, his Eldejl Son t before the reft, till Alexander
took that Injury very heinoujly.
now the affairs in Herod's family were in more
diforder, and became more fevere upon him, by the
hatred of Salome to the young men [Alexander and Ariftobu-
lus]. which defcended as it were by inheritance [from their
mother MariamneJ : And as fhe fully had fucceeded againft
their irother fo fhe proceeded to that degree of madnefs and in-
folence, as to endeavour that none of her poflerity might be
left alive, who mi^ht have it in their power to revenge her death.
The young men had alfo fomewhat of a bold and uneafy difpo-
fition towards their father, occafioned by the remembrance of
Chap. III.] ANTIQUITIES OF TUB JEWS. 2^
\vhat their mother had unjuftly differed, and by their own
affefcration of dominion The old grudge was alfo renewed ;
and they cafl reproaches on Salome and Pheroras, who re-
quited the young men with malicious defigns and actually
laid treacherous inares for them. Now, as for this hatred, it
was equal on both (ides, hut the manner of exerting that hat-
red was different : For, as for the young men they were ram,
reproaching and affronting the others openly, and were unex-
perienced enough to think it the moft generous to declare
their minds in that undaunted manner ; but the others did not
take that method, but made ufe of calumnies after a fubtils
and a fpiteful manner, ftill provoking the young men, and
imagining that their boldnefs might in time turn to the offer-
ing violence to their father, for inafmuch as they were not
afhamed of the pretended crimes of their mother, nor thought
fhe luffered jultly, thefe fuppofed that might at length exceed
all bounds and induce them to think they ought to be aveng-
ed on their father, though it were but difpatchihg him with
their own hands. At length it came to this, that the whole
city was full of thefe difcourfes, and, as is ufual in fuch Con-
tefls, the unfkilfulnefs of the young men was pitied, but the
contrivance of Salome was too hard for them, and what im-
putations (he laid upon them came to be believed, by means
of their own conduct, for they who were fo deeply affected
with the death of their mother, that while they faid both fhe
and themfelves were in a miferable cafe, they vehemently-
complained of her pitiable end which indeed was truly fuch,
and faid that they were ttiemfelves in a pitiable cafe alfo, be-
caufe they were forced to live with thofe that had been her
murderers, and to be partakers with them. .
2. Thefe difordersmcreafed greatly, and the king's abfence
abroad had afforded a fit opportunity for that increafe ; but
as foon as Herod was returned, and had made the fore-men-
tioned fpeech to the multitude, Pheroras and Salome let fall
words immediately as if he were in great danger, and as it
the young men openly threatened that they would not fpare
him any longer, but revenge their mother's death upon him.
They alfo added another circumftance, that their hopes were
fixed on Archelaus, the king of Cappadocia that they ihould
be able by his means to come to Casiar, and accufe their fa-
ther. Upon hearing fuch things^ Herod was immediately
difturbed j and indeed was the more aftonifhed, becaufe the
fame things were related to him by fome others alfo. He then
called to mind his former calamity, and confidered that the
diforders in his family had hindered him from enjoying any
comfort from thofe that were deareft to him, or from his wife
whom he loved fo well ; and fufpecting that his future troubles
would foon be heavier and greater than thofe that were paft,
he was in great confufionof mind, for divine providence had
in reality conferred upon him a great many outward advantan
VOL. II. G g
14- ANTIQUITIES OF THE JEWS. [Book XV I,
ges for his happinefs, even beyond his hopes, but the troub-
les he had at home were fuch as he never expecied to have
met with and rendered him unfortunate ; nay, Loth forts came
upon him to fuch a degree as no one could nragine an') made
it a doubtful queftion, whether, upon the comparifon of both,
he ought to have exchanged fo great a fuc < e's ol < utward good
things for fo great misfortunes at home, or whether he ought
not to have --hoien to avoid the calamities relating to his fam-
ily, though he had for a compen^aion, never been poffelled
of the admired grandeur of a kingdom.
3. As he was thus difturbed and afflifted. in order to deprefs
thefe young men, he Brought to court another ot his
that was born to him when he was a private w.an : His name
was Antipater ; yet did he not then ii.uulge him as he did af-
terwards when he was quite overcome by him, and let him
do every thing as hepleafed, but rather with a defign o' cle-
prefling the infok'nce oi the fons of Mariamne, and ir.anaging
this elevation of his fo that it might be for a warning to them,
lor this bold behaviour ot theirs [he thoughtj wouiii not be fo
freat, if they were once perluaded, that the fucceffion to the
in'jdom did not appertain to them alone, or muff o' m cefiity
come to them. So he introduced Antipater as their aniago-
nift, and imagined that he made a good provifion for difccur-
agirg their pride, and that after this was dtnc- to the y< in<g
men, there might he a proper feafon for expecting tht le to
be of a better diipofitioH : But the event proved others iie
than he intended, tor the young men thought he did them a
very great injury ; and 3s Antipater was a ihrewd man, when
he had once obtained this degree of freedom, and began to
expeft greater things tllan he had before hoped for, he had but
one fingle defign in his head, and that vas to diflrefs hii breth-
ren, and not at all to yield to them the pre-eminence, but to
keep clofe to his father, who was already alienated from them
by the calumnies he had heard about them, and ready to be
wrought upon in any way his zeal againft them fhould advife
him to'purfue, that he might be continually more and more
fevere againft them. Accordingly all the reports that ueie
fpread abroad came from him, while he avoided himieli the
iuipicion as if thofe discoveries proceeded from him but he
rather chofe to make ufe of thofe perlons for his affifiants ihat
were unfu'pe6ied, and fuch as might he believed to fpeak
truth by realon of the good will lie bore to the king ; and in-
deed there were already not a ew ho cultivated a triendihip
with Antipater in hopes of gaining (omewhat by him, and
thefe were the men who moil of alt peiiuaded Herod becaufe
they appeared to fpeak thus cut of their good will to him:
And while thefe joint arcufations. which from various foun-
dations lupported one another's veracity, the young men
themfelves afforded farther oci afioi.s to Antipater alfo : For
they were obferved to Ihed tears otteu, on account ot" the in~
Chap. IV.] ANTIQUITIES OF THE JEWS. 2^
jury that was offered them, and had their mother in their
m iu as, and among their friends they ventured to reproach
their father, as not atling juftly by them ! All which things
were with an evil intention referved in memory by Antipater
againft a proper opportunity ; and when they were told to
Hero 1, with aggravations, increafed the diiorders io much,
that it bruught a great tumult into the family ; tor while the
king was very angry at the imputations tiiat were laid upon
the irms "f Mjyidiane, and was defirous to humble them, he
.ci"afe;t the honour that he had bellowed on Antipater ;
an i was at laft fo overcome by hisperfuafions, that he brought
his mother to court aifo. He a lib wrote frequently to Caviar
in favour of him, and more earneftly recommended him to
his care particularly. And when Agrippa was returning to
R;>ir,: j after he had finiihed his ten * years government in
Alia, Herod failed from Judea ; and when he met with him,
he had none with him hut Antipater, whom he delivered to
Agrippa, that he might take him along with him, together
with many prefenfs, that fo he might become Caefar's tiiend,
infoKju h, that things already looked as if he had all his fa*
thei's favour, and that the young men were entirely rejette4
from any hopes ot the kingdom.
CHAP. IV.
ffora during Antipater 's abode at Rome, Herod brought Altx-
ander and Anjlobulus be] ore Cajar and Accufed them. Al-
exander s De/ence oj himfelj before Ca/ar, and Reconcilia-
tion to Ins Father.
$ i. A NO now what happened during Antipater's abfence
x\ augmented the honour to winch he had ba j n pro-
moted, and ins apparent eminence above his brethren, for he
had made a great figure in Rome, becatife Herod had fent
recommendations of him to all his friends there, only he was
grieved that he was not at home, nor had proper opportuni-
ties of perpetually calumniating his brethren ; and his chief
tear was, left his father Ihould alter his mind, and entertain a
mod favourable opinion of the ions of Mariainne ; and as he
had this in his mind, he did not defift from his purpoie, but
continually fent from Rome any fuch (tones as he hoped
might gneve and irritate his father againft his brethren, un-
der pretence indeed of a deep concern tor his prefervation,
but in truth, inch as his malicious minfl diftated, in order to
purchafe a greater hope of the fuccellion, which yet was al-
* This interval of ten years for the duration of Marcus Agrippa's government
in Afia, feems to be true, aod agreeable to the Roman hiftory. iiee Ufher's An?
aals at A. M. 330,2 .
244 ANTIQUITIES OF THE JEWS. [BookXVl.
ready great in itfelf : And thus he did till he had excited fuch
a degree of anger in Herod, that he was already become very
ill difpofed towards the young men ; but (till, while he de-
layed to exercsfe fo violent a difguft agaii-ft them, and that
he might not either be too remifs, or too raih, and fb offend,
he thought it bell to fail to Rome, ami there accule his fons
before Cefar. and not indulge himfelf in any mcli crime as
might be heinous enough to be fufpected ot impiety ; but as
he was going up to Rome, it happened that he made fuch
hafte as to meet with Cefar at the * ciiy Aquilei : So when
Le came to the fpeech ot C^efar, lie afked for a tune for hear-
ing this great caufe, wherein he thought himielt very miler-
able, and preferited his fons there, and accufed them ot"
their mad actions, and of their attempts againit him : That
*' they were enemies to him ; and by all the means the) were
able, aid their endeavours to (hew their hatred to their own fa-
ther, and would take away his Hie, and fo obtain his kingdom,
after the moft barbarous manner ; that he had power Iroin CiE-
far to difpofe of it, not by neceffity but by choice, to him
who mail exercife the greatest piety towards him, while ihde
my fons are not fo defirous of ruling, as they are, upon a tuf-
appointment thereof, to expofe their own life, if lo be they
may >>ut deprive their father of his life, lo wild and polluted
is their mind by time become out of their hatred to him ; that
whereas he had a long time borne this his misfortune, he wiis
now compelled to lay it before Cae/ar, and to pollute his ears
with fuch language while he himfelf wants to know what it-
verity they have ever iuffered from him ? Or wnat hardiLips
he hath ever laid upon them to make them complain o\ him ?
And how they can think it juft that lie Ihould not be lord oi
tint kingdom, which he in a long time, and with great dan-
gers had gained, and not allow him to keep it and difpofe oi"
it to him who Ihould deferve heft ? And tins with other advan-
tages, he propoies as a reward for the piety ot fuch an one as
will hereafter imitate the caie he hath taken of it, and that
fuch an one may gain lo great a requital as that is : And tr.at
it is an impious thing tor them to preieud to meddle with it be-
ioie hand, lor he who hath ever the kingdom in his view, at
the iame time reckons upon procuring the death of his father,
becaufe otherwife he cannot come at the government ; that as
f r himfelf, he had hitherto given them all that he was able,
and what was agreeable to fuch as are lubject to the royal au-
* Although Herod met Auguftus at Aquilei, yet was this accufationof i
deferred till they came to Ro tie, as ^ gaflurei us, and as we are particularly ii,_
formed in the hiftory of the War, B. 1. ch xxiii. ^3 vol. III. though what I:c
here lavs belonged diihnftly to Alexander the eider brother, I mean his being
brought to Rome, is here juftly extended to bolh the brothers, and that not only i;
our copies, but in that of Zoriiras alio ; 2Jor is there leaion to doubt but they were
both at this Iblemri hearing by Auguflus, although the defence were made by A.
Jtxander a'toue, -who wai ihe eldcil brciLer, and ouc ifct could fpcak very well.
Chap. IV.] ANTIQUITIES OF THE JEWS. 24$
thority, and the Tons of a king ; what ornaments they wanted,
with fervants and delicate fare, and had married them into the
m ft iliuftrious families, the one [Anftobulus] to his (liter's
daughter, but Alexander to the daughter of king Archelaus :
And what was the greateft favour of all, when their crimes
were fo very bad and he had authority to puni(h them, yet
had he not made ufe of it againfl them, but had brought them
before Caefar their common benefactor, and had not ufed the
feverity which either as a father who had been impioufly a-
bufed, or as king who had been affaulted treacheroufly, he
might have done, he made them ftand upon the level with him
in judgment ; that, however, it was neceffary that all this fhould
not ue patted over without punilhment, nor himfelf live in the
greateft fears ; nay, that it was not for their own advantage
to fee the light of the fun after wnat they have done, although
they fhouid efcape at this time, fince they had done the vileft
things, and would certainly fuffer the greateft punifhments
that ever were known among mankind."
2. Thefe were the accufations which Herod laid with great
vehemency againft his fons before Caefar. Now, the young
men. both while he was Ipeaking and chiefly at his conclud-
ing, wept, and were in <onfufion Now, as to themfelves,
they kne.v in their own confcierce they were innocent, but
becaufe they were accufed by their fattier they were fenfible.
as the truth was, that it was hard for them to make their apol-
ogy, 1m e, though they were a,t liberty to fpeak their minds
ireely as the occafion required, and might with force and
earneftnefs refute the accufation, yet was it not now decent
fo to do. There was therefore a difficulty how they Ihould
be able to fpeak, and tears, and at length a deepgioan follow.
ad, while they were afraid, that if they faid nothing, they
fhouid feem to be in this difficulty from a confciouinefs of
guilt, nor had they any defence ready, by reafon of their
youth, and the dilorder they were under ; yet was not ^siar
unapprifed, when he looked upon them in the contufion they
were in, that their delay to make their defence did not ariie
from any confcioufnels of great enormities, but from their
unfkilfulnefs and modefty. They were alfo commiferated by
thofe that were there in particular, and they moved their fa-
ther s affeaions in earneft till he had much ado to conceal
them.
3. But when they faw there was a kind difpofition arifea
both in him and in Caefar, and that every one of the reft did
either fhed tears, or at leaft did all grieve with them, the one
of them, whofe name was Alexander > called to his father, and,
attempted to anfwer his accufation, and faid, " O father, the
benevolence thou haft fhewed to us is evident, even in this
very judicial procedure, for hadft thou had any pernicious
intentions about us thou hadft not produced us here before the
common faviour of ftW, for \\ ms j fl thy power, both as *
246 ANTIQUITIES OF THE JEWS. [Book XVI,
king, and as a father, to punifh the guilty, but by* thus bring-
ing us to Rome, and making Caefar himfelf a witnefsto what
is done, thou mti-nateft that thou intended t > fave us, for no
one that hath a defign to fliy a man will bring him to the tem-
ples, and to the altars ; yet are our circumftances ftill worfe,
for we cannot endure to live ourfelves any longer, ii u be be-
lieved that we have injured fuch a father; nay, perhaps it would
be worfe for us to live with this fufpicion upon us, that we have
injured him, than to die widiout fuch guilt : And if our open
clefenre may be taken to be true \ve lhall be happy, both in
pacifying thee. and in efcaping the danger we are in, but if
this calumny fo prevails, it is more than enough for us that
we have (een the fun this day ; which why (hould we fee, if
this fufpicion be fixed upon us ? Now it is eafy to fay of young
men that they defire to reign ; and to fay farther, that this e-
vil proceeds from the cafe of our unhappy mother. This is
abundantly (ufficient to produce our misfortune out of the
former: But confider well whether fuch an accufation does
not fuit all fuch young men, and may not be faid of them all
promifcuoufly ? For nothing can hinder him that reigns, if
he have children, and their mother be dead, but the father
may have a fufpicion upon all his fons, as intending fome
treachery to him : But a fufpicion is not fufficient to prove
fuch an impious practice. Now let any man fay, whether we
have afckially and infolently attempted any fuch thing, where-
by a^ions otherwife incredible ufe to be made credible ? Can
any body prove that poifon hath been prepared ? Or prove a
confpiracy of our equals, or the corruption of fervants, or
letters written againd thee ? Though indeed there are none of
thofe things but have fometimes been pretended by way of ca-
lumny, when they were never done ; for a royal family that
is at variance with itfelf is a terrible thing ; and that which
thpu called a reward of piety, often becomes, among very
wicked men. fuch a foundation of hope, as makes them leave
no fort of mifchief untried : Nor does any one lay any wick-
ed praftices to our charge ; but as to calumnies, by hearfay,
how can he put an end to them, who will not hear what we
have to fay ? Have we talked with too great freedom ? Yes ;
but not againfi th-e, for that would be unjuft, but againft
thofe that never conceal any thing that is fpoken to them.
Hath either of us lamented our mother ? Yes; but not becaufe
lh" is dead, but becaufe ihe was evil fpoken of by thofe that
had no reafon fo to do. Are we defirous of that dominion
which we know our father is polfelled of ? For what reafon
can we do fo ? If we already have royal honours, as we have,
(hould not we labour in vain ? And if we have them not, yet,
are not we in hopes of them ? Or fuppofuig that we had kill-
ed thee, could we expecl to obtain thy kingdom ? While nei-
ther the earth would let us tread upon it, nor the fea let us fail
upon it, alter fuch an aftion as that : Nay, the religion ot all.
Chap. IV.] ANTIQUITIES OF THE JEWS. 247
your fubjecls, and the piety of the whole nation, would have
prohibited parricides from afluming the government, and 'rom
* entering into that moft holy temple which was built by thee.
But iuppoie we had made light of other dangers Cdn any
murderer go off unpunilhed, while Caefar is alive ? We are
thy ions, and not fo impious, or fo thoughtlefs as that comes
to, though perhaps more unfortunate than is convenient tor
thee. But in cafe thou neither findeft any caufes of com-
plaint, nor any treacherous del-gns, what fuffioent evidence
haft thou to make fuch a wickednefsof ours credible ? Our
mother is dead indeed, but then what beiel her might be an
inftruttion to us to caution and not an incitement to wicked-
nefs. We are willing to make a laiger apology for ourlelves,
but actions never done do not admit ot di.courfe : Nay we
will make this agreement with thee, and that before Ca?far,
the lord of all, who is now a mediator Between us, if thou,
O father, canft bring thyielf, by the evidence of truth, to
have a mind tree from fufpicion concerning us, let us live,
though even then we ihall live in an unhappy way, for to be
aecuied of great acts of wickednels, though falfely, is a ter-
rible thing ; but if thou haft any tear remaining, continue
thou on in thy pious life, we will give this realon for our
own conduct, our lile is not fo deferable to us as to defire to
have it, if it tend to the harm of our father who gave it us."
4 When Alexander had thus fpoken, Caefar, who did not
beiore believe io grofs a calumny, was flili more moved by it,
and looked intently upon Herod, and perceived he was a lit-
tle contounded, the perfons there prefent were under an anx-
iety about the young men. and the fame that was fpread a-
broad made the king hated, for the very inci edibility of the
calumny, and the commiferation which the flower of youth,
the beauty of body, which were in the young men pleaded
for afliitance, and the more fo on this account, that Alexander
had made their defence with dexterity and prudence ; nay,
they did not themf elves any longer continue in their former
countenances, which had been bedewed with tears, and caft
downwards to the ground, but now there arole in them hope
et the belt : And the king lumfelf appeared not to have had
foundation enough to build fuch an accufation upon, he hav-
ing no real evidence wherewith to convii them. Indeed he
* Since iome prejudiced men have indulged a wild fufpicion, as we have fup-
poied already, Antiq ii XV. ch. xi. k 7. tliut Jofcphus's hillory ot Herod's re-
building t^e temple is iio better than a fable, it may iu;f Deamifs to take notice ot
Ihis occalioaal clauic in the ipe-cb of Alexander before his lather Herod, in his
and his brother's vindication, which mentions the temple as kuov>n uy every .-
fo have been built by Herod. See John ii 20 See alto another Jperch of r Herod's
own to the young men that pul.tc ;um tru- ir:;;: oi the
temp;e, wheiv .V UNI-S notice, Hw the building of the temple coil him a vaft
ium ; and thai ihc Alamoneans, in thole 125 years they held the government were
not able to per* rm in . to ihe bououi gf Ccd. as this was." Anti<j
B. XVII. cb,.vi. 3. vol. II.
ANTiq'JITIfcS OF TH JEWS. [Book. XVf;
wanted fnme apology for making theaccufation ; but Czefar,
after feme detay. laid, That " although young men were
thoroughly innocent of that f,>r which thsy were calumniated,
yet had 'hry been fo far to blame, that they had not demeaned
themselves towards their father foas to prevent that fufpiciort
which was fpread abroa.l concerning them. He alfo exhort-
ed Herod to lay al! fuch fu' r picions afide, and to be reconcil-
ed to his fons, for that it was not juft to give any credit to
fuch reports concerning his own children ; and that this re-
pentance on both fides might (till heal thofe breaches that had
happened between them, and might improve that their good
will to one another, whereby thofe on both fides exculing the
ralhnefs of their fufpicions, might refolve to bear a greater
degree of affection towards each other than they had before.
After Caefar had given them this admonition, he beckoned to
the young men. When therefore they were di r pofed to tall
down to make iriferceflion to their father, he took them up and
embraced them, as they were in tears, and took each of them
diftintHy in his arm's, till not one of thole that were prefent,
whether freeman or flave, but was deeply affecled with what
they law,
5. Then did they return thanks to CWar, and went away
together ; and with them went Antipater, with an hypocrit-
ical pretence that he rejoiced at this reconciliation. And in
the laft days they were with Caefar, Herod made him a pref-
ent of three hundred talents, as he was then exhibiting fliows
and largefles to the people of Rome : And Casfar made him
a prefent of half the revenue of the copper mines in Cyprus,
and committed the care of the other halt to him, and honour-
ed him with other gifts and incomes : And as to his own king-
dom, he left it in his own power to appoint which of his
fons he pleated for his fucceflbr, or to diltnbute it in parts to
every one, that the dignity might thereby come to them all.
And when Herod was difpoied to make fuch a fettlement im-
mediately, Caefar faid, " He would not give him leave to de-
prive himfelf, while he was alive, ot the power over his
kingdom, or over his fons "
6. After this Herod returned to Judea again : But during
his abfence no fmall part of his dominions about Trachon had
revolted, whom yet the commanders he left there had van-
quifhed, and compelled to a fubmilTron again. Now, as Her-
od was failing wiih his fons, and was come over agamft Cili-
cia, to | the idand] Eleufa, which hath now changed its name
for Sebaffe, he met with Archelaus, king of Cappadocij,
who received him kindly, as rejoicing that he was reconciled
to his fons, and that the accufation againft Alexander, who
had married his daughter, was at an end. They allo made one
another fuch prefents as it became kings to make. From
thence Herod came to Judea and to the temple, where hemade
a fpeech to the people, concerning what had been done in this
Chap. V.] ANTIQUITIES OF THE JEWS. 249
his journey : " He alfo difcourfed them about Caefar's kind-
nefs to him, and about as many of the particulars he had done,
as he thought it tor his advantage other people mould be ac-
quainted with. At laft he turned his fpeech to the admoni-
tion ot his Tons ; and exhorted thofe that lived at court, and
the multitude, to concord : And informed them, that his fons
were to reign alter him ; Antipater firft, and then Alexander
arid Ariftobulus, the Tons of Mariarnne ; but he defired that at
prefent they (hould all have regard to himftlf, and efteem him
king and lord of all, fince he was not yet hindered by old
age, but was in that period of life when he muft be the molt
fkilful in governing ; and that he was not deficient in other
arts of management that might enable him to govern the king-
dom well, and to rule over his children alfo. He farther told
the rulers under him, and the foldiery, that in cafe they would
look upon him alone, their life would be led in a peaceable
manner, and they would make one another happy." And
when he had faid this, he difmiffed the affembly. Which
fpeech was acceptable to the greateft part of the audience, but
not fo to them all, for the contention among his fons, and the
hopes he had given them, occafioned thoughts and defires pf
innovations among them.
CHAP. V.
How Herod celebrated the Games that were to return every fifth
year, upon tht building of Cefarea ; and how he built and a-
domed many other places after a Magnificent manner ; and
did many other actions glorioujly.
$ i- A BOUT this time it was that Cefarea Sebafte, which
/"\ he had built, was finifhed. The entire building be-
ing accomphfhed in the tenth year, the folemnity of it fell in-
to the twenty-eighth year of Herod's reign, and into the hun-
dred and ninety-fecond olympiad : There was accordingly a
great feftival, and moft fumptuous preparations made prefent-
ly, in order to its dedication ; for he had appointed a conten-
tion in mufic, and games to be performed naked : He had al-
fo gotten ready a great number of thofe that fight fingle com-
bats, and of beafts for the like purpofe ; horfe races alfo, and
the moft chargeable of fuch fports and mows as ufed to be ex-
hibited at Rome, and in other places. He confecrated this
combat to Cielar and ordered it to be celebrated every fifth
year. He alfo fent all forts of ornaments for it out ot his own
furniture, that it might want nothing to make it decent : Nay
Julia, Caefar's wite, lent a great part of her molt valuable fur-
niture [from Rome,] infomuch that he had no want of any
thing : The fum of them all was eftimated at five hundred tal-
ents. Now when a great multitude was come to that city,
VOL. 11. Hh
25-5 ANTIQUITIES OF THE JEWS. [Book XVI,
to fee the (hows, as well as the ambaffadors whom other peo-
ple fent, on account of the benefits they had received [from
Herod,] he entertained them all in the public inns and at pub-
lic tables, and with perpetual teafts, this folemnity having in
the day-time the diverfions of the fights, and in the night- time
fuch merry meetings as coftvaft fums of money, and publicly
demonftrated the generofity of his foul, for in all his under-
takings he was ambitious to exhibit what exceeded whatfoev-
er had been done before of the fame kind. And it is related
that Caeiar and Agrippa often faid, That " the dominions of
Herod were too little for the greatnefs o his foul, for that he
deferved to have both all the kingdom of Syria, and that of
.Egypt alfo."
2. After this folemnity and thefe feftivals were over, H^rocl
creeled another city in the plain called Capharfoba, where he
chofe out a fit place, both for plenty of water, and goodnefs
of foil, and proper tor the production of what was there plant-
ed, where a river encompaffed the city itfelf, and a grove of
the befl trees for magnitude was round about it : This he
ed Antipatris from his father Antipater. He alfo built upon
another fpot of ground above Jericho of the fame name with
his mother, a place of great fecurity, and very pleafant for
habitation, and called it Cypros. He alfo dedicated the fin-
eft monuments to his brother Phafaelus, on account of the
great natural affe6tion there had been between them, by erecl-
ing a tower in the city itfelf, not lefs than the tower of Pharos,
which he named Phafaelus, which was at once a part of the
flrong defences of the city, and a rremorial tor him that was
deceafed, becaufe it bare his name. He alfo built a city of
the fame name in the valley of Jericho, as you go from it
northward, whereby he rendered the neighbouring country-
more fruitful, by the cultivation its inhabitants introduced ;
and this alfo he called Phajadis.
3. But as for his other benefits it is impoffible to reckon
them up, thofe which he bellowed on cities, both in Syria
and in Greece, and in all the places he came to in his
ages ; for he feems to have conferred, and that after a molt
plentiful manner, what would minifter to many neceflities,
and the building of public works and gave them the money
that was neceffary to fuch works as wanted it, to hipport them
upon the failure of their other revenues : But what was the
greateft and moil illuftrious of all his works, he creeled Apol-
lo's temple at Rhodes, at his own expences, and gave them a
great number of talents of filver for the repair ot their fleet.
He alfo built the greateft part of the public edifices for the in-
habitants of * Nicopolis, at Actium : And for the Anlioch-
* Dr. Hudfon here gives us the words of Suetonius concerning this Nicopolis,
when Auguftus rebuilt it : " And that the memory of the viftory at A&ium might
be celebrated the more afterward, he built Nicopolis at Aftium, and appointed
f ublic fliows to be Uwre xhibitd ev^ry fifth year." In Augufl \ i 8.
Chap. V.] ANTIQUITIES OF THE JEWS. 25!
ians, the inhabitants of the principal city ot Syria, where a
broad ftreet cuts through the place lengthways, he built cloif-
ters along it on both fides and laid the open road with polifh-
ed (lone, and was ot very great advantage to the inhabitants.
And as to the olympic games, which were in a very- low con-
dition by reafon ot the failure of their revenues, he recover-
ed their reputation, and appointed revenues for their mainten-
ance, and made that folemn meeting more venerable, as to the
Sacrifices and other ornaments : And by reafon ot this vaft
liberality, he was generally declared in their infcriptions te be
one of the perpetual managers of thofe games.
4. Now fome there are who Hand amazed at the diverfity of
Herod's nature and purpofes ; tor when we have refpe6lto his
magnificence, and the benefits which he beftowed on all man-
kind, there is no poffibility tor even thofe that had the leaft
refpeft tor him, to deny, or not openly to confeis that he had
a nature vaftly beneficent ; but when any one looks upon the
punilhments he iaflicied, and the injuries he did, not only to
his fubjecls, but to his neareft relations, and takes notice ot his
fevere and unrelenting difpofition there, he will be forced to
allow, that it was brutifh, arid a ftranger to all humanity ; in-
fomuch, that thefe men fuppofe his nature to be different, and
fometimes at contradiction with itfeii : But lam myfelf of
another opinion, and imagine that the occasion of both thefe
fort of actions was one and the fame ; tor being a man ambi-
tious ot honour, and quite overcome by that paffion, he was
induced to be magnificent, wherever there appeared any hopes
of a tuture memorial, or of reputation at preient ; and as his
expences were beyond his abilities, he was neceffitated to be
harih to his fubjetts, for the perfons on whom he expended
his money \wre fo many , that they made him a very bad procur-
er ot it : And becanfe he wasconfcious that he was hated by
thofe under him, for the injuries he did then), he thought it
not an eafy thing to amend his offences, tor that was inconven-
ient for his revenue, he therefore ftrove on the other fide to
make their ill will an occafion ot his gains. As to his own
court, therefore, if any one was not very obfequious to uim in
liis language, and would not contcfs himfelf to be his flave, or
but feemed to think ot any innovation in his government, he
was not able to contain himielt, but profecuted his very kin-
dred and friends, and puniihed them as if they were enemies ;
and this wickednefs he undertook out ot a defire that he might
be himfelt alone honoured. Now for this my afTertion about
that paffion of his, we have the greateft evidence, by what he
did to honour Caefar and Agrippa, and his other friends ; for
with what honours he paid his refpecls to them who were his
fuperiors, the fame did he defire to be paid to himfelt ; and
what he thought the moft excellent present he could make
another, he difcovered an inclination to have the like prefent-
ed to himfelt. But now the Jewifli nation is by their law a
252 ANTIQUITIES OF THE JEWS. [Book. XVI.
flranger to all fuch things, and accuftomed to prefer righteouf-
nefs to glory ; tor which reafon that nation was not agreeable
to him, becaufe it was out of their power to flatter the king's
ambition, with ftatutes or temples, or any other fuch perform-
ances. And this feems to me to have been at once the oc-
cafion of Herod's crimes as to his own courtiers and counfel-
lors, and of his benefactions as to foreigners and thole that had
no relation to them.
CHAP. VI.
An embajjage of the Jews in Cyrene and Afia to Catfar, concern-
ing the complaints they had to make againft the Greeks : With
copies of thi epijlks which. Cajar and Agrippa wrote to the
cites J or them.
l- XT OW tne cities ilj "eated the Jews in Afia, and all
-L_\ thole alfo of the fame nation which lived in Libya,
which joins to Cyrene, \vhile the former kings had given
th^rn equal privileges with the otber citizens ; but the Greeks
affronted them at this time, and that fo far as to take away
their facred money, and to do them mifchief on other particu-
lar occafions. When therefore they were thus afflicted, and
found no end of their barbarous treatment they met with a-
mong the Greeks, they fent ambaffadors to Caefar on thofe
accounts ; who gave them the fame privileges as they had be-
iore.and fent letters to the fame purpofe to the governors of
the provinces, copies of which 1 fubjoin here, as teftimonials
of the ancient favourable difpofuion the Roman emperors had
towards us.
2. " Caefar Auguftus, high priefl, and tribune of the peo-
ple, ordains thus : Since the nation of the Jews hath been
iound greatiul to the Roman people, not only at this time,
but m time pail alfo, and chiefly Hyrcanus the high prieft,
under my * father C^efar the emperor, it feemed good to me
and n;y counsellors, according to the fentence and oath of
the people ot Rome, that the Jews have liberty to make ufe
of their own cuffoms, according to the law of their fathers, as
they made ufe of them under Hyrcanus the high prieft of Al-
mighty God ; and that their facred money be not touched,
but be fent to Jerufak-m, and that it be committed to the care
of the receivers at Jerufalem : And that they be not obliged
to go betore any judge on the Sabbath-day, nor on the t day
* AuguRus h re calls Julius Casfar his father, though by birth he was only hia
account of his adoption by him See the fame, Antiq. B. XIV. ch.
xiv. \ 4 .
i i ii. i is authentic evidence, that the Jews, in the days of Anguftus, began to
prepare tor t!.- < ; t imt ; or, o( the Sabbath at the ninth hoar OB Friday, as the Ua-
ditien of the elders did, k leems, then require of them.
Chap. VI.] ANTIQUITIES OF THE JEWS. 253
of the preparation to it, after the ninth hour : But if any one
be caught fteaiing their holy books, or their facred money,
whether it be out of the fynagogue or public fchool, he (hall
be deemed a facrilegous perfon, and his goods (hall be brought
intothe public trealury ot the Romans. And I g<ve order,
that the teftimonials which they have given me, on account of
my regard to that piety which I exercife toward all mankind,
and out of rega'd to Caius Marcus Cenforinus, together with
the prefent decree he propofrd in that moft eminent place which
hath been canfecrated to me by the community of Afia at An-
cyra. And if any one tranfgrefs any part >f" what is above
decreed, he (hall be feverely punfhed." This was infcribed
upon a pillar in the temple of Caefar.
3. " Caefar to Norbanus Flacus, fendeth greeting : Let thofe
Je vs, how many foever they be, who have !>een ufed, accor-
ding to their ancient cuftom, to fend their facred money to
Jerufalemdo the fame freely. "Thefe were thedecreesot Caefar.
4. Agrippa alfo did himfelf write after the manner follow-
ing, on behalf oi the Jews: " Agrippa to the magi ftrates,
fenate and people ot the Ephefians, fendeth greeting ; I >vill
that the care and cuftody of the facred money that is carried
to the temple at Jenifalem be left to the Jews oi Afia, to do
with it according to their ancient cuftom ; and that fuch as
fteal that facred money of the Jews, and fly to a fanctuary,
fhall be taken thence and delivered to the Jews, by the fame
law that facrilegious perfons are taken thence. I have alto
written to Sylvanus the pretor, that no one compel the Jews
to come before a judge on the Sabbath-day.''
5. " Marcus Agrippa, to the magiftrates, fenate, and peo-
ple of Cyrene, fendeth greeting : The Jews of Cyrene have
interceded with me for the performance of what Auguftus
fent orders about to Flavius the then pretor of Libya, and
to the other procurators of that province, that the facred mon-
ey may be fent to Jerufalem freely, as hath been their cuftom
from their forefathers, they complaining that they are abuled
by certain informers, and under pretence of taxes which were
not due, are hindered trom (ending them, which I command
to be reftored without any diminution or difturhance given to
them : And it any ot that facred money in the cities be taken
from their proper receivers, 1 farther enjoin, that the fame be
exaftly returned to the Jews in that place."
6. ' Caius Norbanus Flaccus proconful, to the magiftates
of the Sardians, fendeth greeting ; Caefar hath written tome,
and commanded me not to forbid the Jews, how many foev-
er they be, from aflembling together according to the cuftom.
of their foreiathers nor trom (ending their money to Jerufa-
lem : I have therefore written to you, that you may know that
both Caefar and I would have you act accordingly."
7. Nor did Julius Antonius the proconful write otherwife
To the magiftrates, fenate, and people ot the Ephefians fend*"
2,54 ANTIQUITIES OF THE JEWS. [Book XVI.
ethgreeting; as I was difpenfing juftice at Ephefus, on the
ides of February, the jews that dwell in Afia demonftrated to
me, that Auguftus and Agrippa had permitted them to ufe
their own laws and cuftoms, and to offer thofe their firft fruits
which every one of them freely offers to the Deity on account
oi piety and to carry them in a company together to Jerufa-
lem without difturbance. They alfo petitioned me, that I al-
fo would confirm what had been granted by Auguftus and A-
grippa by my own fanftion. I would therefore have you
take notice, that according to the will ot Auguftus and Agrip.
pa J permit them to uie and do according to the cuitoms of
their forefathers without difturbance."
8. 1 have been obliged to fet down thefe decrees becaufe the
prefent hiftory of our own a6rs will go generally among the
Greeks ; and I have hereby demonftrated to them that we
have formerly been in great elteem, and havt not been prohibited
by thofe governors we were under from keeping any of the laws
oi our forefathers ; nay, that we have been lupported by them,
while we tollowedourown religion, and the worfhip wepayed to
God: And 1 frequently make mention oi thefe decrees, in order
toreconcile other peopletous, and to take away the caufes of that
hatred which unreafonable men bear to us. As tor our * cuf-
toms, their is no nation which always makes ufe of the fame
and in every city almoft we meet with them different irom
one another ; but natural juftice is moft agreeable to the ad-
vantage ot all men equally, boih Greeks and Barbarians, to
which our laws have the greateft regard, and thereby render
us, if we abide in them after a pure manner, benevolent and
friendly to all men : On which account we have reafon toex-
pett the like return from others, and to inform them that they
ought nottoefteem difference of pofitive institutions a fuffi-
cient caule ot alienation, but [join with us in] the purfuit ot
virtue and probity, tor this belongs to all men in common,
and ot itielt alone is fufficient for the prefervation ot humaa
lite. 1 now return to the thread of my hiftory.
CHAP. VII.
How upon Herod's going down into David's fepulchre, thtf edi-
tion in his Jaimly greatly increased.
$ i. A S for Herod, he had fpent vaft fums about the cit-
r\ ies, both without and within his own kingdom :
And as he had before heard that Hyrcanus, who had been king
before him, had opened David's fepuchre, and taken out of it
three thoufand talents of filver, and that there was much great-
* The rem
natural jui
maining part of this chapter is a remarkable one, as juRly diftiriguifliing
.ice, religion, and moraiity, from pofilive inftitiuions m all countries!
Chap. VI.] ANTIQUITIES OF THE JEWS. 2^
er a number left behind, and indeed enough to fuffice all his
wants, he had a great while an intention to make the attempt ;
and at this time he opened that fepulchre by night and went
into it, and endeavoured that it mould not be at all known in
the city, but took only his molt faithful friends with him. As
for any money, he found none, as Hyrcanus had done, but
that furniture of gold, and thoie precious goods that were laid
up there, all which betook away. However, he had a great
defire to make a more diligent fearch, and to go farther in, e-
ven as far as the very bodies of David and Solomon ; where
two of his guards were ilain, by a flame that burft out upon
thofe that went in, as the report was. So he was terribly af-
frighted, and went out, and built a propitiatory monument of
that fright he had been in, and this of white (tone at the mouth
of the fepulchre., and that at great expence alfo. And even
* Nicolaus his hiftoriographer makes mention of this monu-
ment built by Herod, though he does not mention his going
down into the fepulchre, as knowing that aclion to be of ill
repute ; and many other things he treats ot in the fame man-
ner in his book ; for he wrote in Herod's lifetime, and under
his reign, and fo as to pleafe him, and as a fervant to him,
touching upon nothing but what tended to his glory, and o-
penly excufmg many of his notorious crimes, and very dili-
gently concealing them. And as he wasdefirous to put hand-
iome colours on the death of Mariamne, and her fons, which
were barbarous aftions in the king, he tells falfehood-s about
the incontinence of Mariamne, and the treacherous defigns ot
his fons upon him ; and thus he proceeded in his whole work,
making a pompous encomium upon what juft aftions he had
done, but earneftly apologizing for his unjuft ones. Indeed
a man, as I faid, may have a great deal to fay by way of ex-
cufe for Nicolaus ; for he did not fo properly write this as an
hiftory for others, as fomewhat that might be fubfervient to
the king himfelf. As for ourfelves, who come ot a family
nearly relied to the Afmonean kings, and on that account have
an honourable place, which is the priefthood, we think it in- 1
decent to fay any thing that is falfe about them, and accord-
ingly we have defcribed their aftions after an unblemifhed and
upright manner. And although we reverence many of Her-
and evidently preferring the former before the latter, as did the true prophets of
God always under the Old Teftament, and Chrifl and his Apoftles always under
the Xe\v ; whence om leems to have be;n at this time nearer Chriu
than were the Scribes and Pharifces of his age, who, as we know from the New
Teftament, were entirely of a different opinion and pra&ice.
* It is here worth cr.:r obfervation, how careful Jof- phus vasas to the difcovery
f truth in Herod's hiftory, fince we would mitCol.ow Nicolaus of Damalcus him-
felf, fo great an hiftorian, where there was great reafon to fufpeft that he flattered
Herod ; which impartiality in hiftory Jofephus here loiemnly profefTes, and of
which impartiality he has given more demouttrations than almoft any hiftorian
vvhomfoever : Butasio Herod's taking tfreat wealth out of David's fepulchre, the' I
wnnot prove it, yet do I ftrongiy fulptl it from ihis vry biliary.
556 ANTIQUITIES OF THE JEWS. [Book XVI.
od's pofterity, who ftill reign, yet do w pay a greater re-
gar:; to truth lhan to them, and this though it fometimes hap-
pens that we incur their difpleafure by fo doing.
2. And indeed Herod's troubles in his family feemed to be
augmented, by reafon ot this attempi he made upon David's
fepulchre, whether divine vengeance increafed the calamities
he lay under, in order to render them incurable, or whether
fortune made an afTault upon him, in thole cafes, wherein the
feafonablenefs of the cauie made it ftrongly believed that the
calami) ies came upon him for his impiety, for the tumult was
like a civil war in his palace, and their hatred towards one a-
nother was like that where each one ftrove to exceed another
in calumnies. However, Antipater ufed ftratagetns perpetu-
ally againft his brethren, and that very cunningly : While a-
broad he loaded them with accufations. but ftill took upon
him frequently to apologize for them, that this apparent be-
nevolence to them rright make him be believed, and forward
his attempts againft them, by which means he, after various
manners circumvented his father, who believed that all he did
was for his prefervation. Herod alfo recommended Ptolemy,
who was a great direftor ot the affairs of his kingdom to An-
tipater ; and confulted with his mother about the public affairs
alfo. And indeed thefe were all in all and did what they pleaf-
ed, and made the king angry againft any other perfons, as they
thought it might be to their own advantage : But ftill the fons
of Manamne were in a worfe and worfe condition perpetual-
ly arid while they were thraft out, and fet in a more difhon-
ourable rank, who yet by birth, were the moft noble, they
' could not bear the difhonour. And for the women, Glaphy-
ra, Alexander's wi^e, the daughter of Archelaus, hated Salo-
me, both becaufe of her love to her hufband, and becaufe Gla-
phyra feemed to behave herfelf fomewhat infolently towards
Salome's daughter, who was the wife of Afiftobulus, which
equality of hers to herfelf Glaphyra took very impatiently.
3. Now, bcfides this feuond contention that had fallen a-
mong them, neither did the king's brother Pheroras keep him-
iieii out of trouble, but had a particular foundation for fufpi-
cion and hatred ; for he was overcome with the charms of his
wile, to fuch a degree of madnefs that he defpifed the king's
daughter, to whom he had been betroathed, and wholly bent
his mind to the other, who had been but a fervant. Herod
alfo was grieved by the difhonour that was done him, becaufe
he had bellowed many favours upon him, and had advanced
him to that height of power that he was almoil a partner with
him in the kingdom, and faw that he had not made him a due
return tor his favours, and efteemed himfelt unhappy on that
account. So upon Pheroras's unworthy refufal, he gave the
damfel to Phafaelus's fon ; but after fome time, when he tho't
the heat of his brother's affeftions was over, he blamed him for
his former conduct, and defired him to take his lecond daugh-
Chap. VII.] ANTIQUITIES OF THE JEWS. 2,5)
ter, whofe name was Cypros. Ptolemy alfo advifed him to
leave off affronting his brother, and to forfake her whom he
had loved, tor that it was a bafe thing to be fo enamoured o
a fervant, as to deprive himfelf ot the king's good will to him,
and become an occafion of his trouble, and make himfelt
hated by him. Pheroras knew that this advice would be for
his own advantage, particularly becaufe he had been accufed
before, and forgiven ; fo he put his wife away although he
already had a {'on by her, and engaged to the king, that he
would take his fecond daughter, and agreed that the thirtieth
day after mould be the day of marriage ; and fware he would
have no farther converfation with her whom he had put away ;
but when the thirty days were over, he was fuch a flave to
his affections, that he no longer performed any thing he had
promifed, but continued ftill with his former wife. This oo
cafioned Merod to grieve openly, and made him angry, while
the king dropped one word or other againft Pheroras perpetu-
ally ; and many made the king's anger an opportunity for
raifing calumnies againft him. Nor had the king any longer
a fingle quiet day or hour, but occafions of one ire(h quarrel
or another arofe among his relations, and thole that were dear-
eft to him ; for Salome was ot an harm temper, and ill-natured
to Mariamne's fons ; nor would (he fufier her own daughter,
who was the wife of Ariftobulus, one ot thofe young men ta
bear a good will to her hufband, but perfuaded her to tell her>
it he (aid any thing to her in private, and when any mifun-
derftandings happened, as is common, (he raifed a great ma-
ny fufpicions outof it : By which means (he learned all their
concerns, and made the damfel ill-natured to the young man*
Andinorderto gratity her mother, fhe often aid, that the
young men ufed to mention Mariamne when they were by
themfrives ; and that they hated their father, and were contin-
ually threatening, that if they had once got the kingdom, they
would make Herod's fons by his other wives country fchool-
mailers, for that the prefent education which was given them,
and their diligence in learning, fitted them tor fuch an em-
ployment. And as for the women, whenever they faw them
adorned with their mother's clothes, they threatened, that in-
flcad ot their prefent gaudy apparel, they (hould be clothed
in fackeloth, and confined fo clofely that they Ihould not fea
the light of the fun. Thefe {lories were preiently carried by
Salome to the king, who was troubled to hear them, and en-
deavoured to make up matters : But thefe fulpicions affli&ed
him, and becoming more and more uneafy, he believed every-
body againft every body. However, upon his rebuking hfs-
fons, and hearing the defence they made for themfelves, he
was eafier for a while, though a little afterwards much.worfe
accidents came upon him.
4. For Pheroras came to Alexander, thehufband of Glaphy-
ra, who was the daughter ot Archelaus, as we haVe already
VOL, II. Ii
*5& ANTfOUITISS OP THE JEWS. [Book XV!,,
told you, arid faid, that he had heard from Salome, 'hat Herod-
was enamoured on Glaphyra. and that his r^ffion fi;r her was
incurable. When Alexander heard that, he was all on fire,
from his youth and jealonfv ; --ind he interpreted the inflances-
of Herod's obliging behaviour to her, which were very fre-
quent, for the worfe, which came from thofe fufpicions he
had on account of: that word which fell from Pheroras ; nor
eould he conceal his grief at the thing, but informed him
what words Pheroras had faid. Upon which Herod was in a
greater diforder than ever ; and not hearing fuch a falfe calum-
ny, which was to his fhame, was much difturbed at it: And!
often did he lament the wickednefs of his domeftics, and how
good he had been to them, and how ill requitals they had
made him. 5>o he fent for Pheroras, and reproached him,
and faid.. " Thou vileft of all men ! art thou come to that un-
meafurable and extravagant degree of ingratitude, as not only
to fuppofe fuch things of me, but to fpeak of them ? I now
indeed perceive what thy intentions are : It is not thy only
aim to reproach me, when thou ufeft fuch words to my fon r
but thereby to perfuade him to plot againft me, and get me
deftroyed by poifon. And who is there r if he had not a good!
'genius at his elbow, as hath my fon, but would not bear fuch
a fufpicion of his father, but would revenge himfeH upon him ?
Doftthou fuppofe that thou haft only dropped a word for him:
to think of, and not rather haft put a fword into his hand to
flay his father ? And what doft thou mean, when thou really
hateft both him and his brother, to pretend kindnefs to them,
only in order to raife a reproach againft me, and talk of fuch
ihings as no one but fuch an impious wretch as thou art could
either devife in their mind, or declare in their words. Be
gone, thou art fuch a plague to thy benefactor, and thy broth-
er, and may that evil conscience of thine go along with thee
while I ftill overcome my relations by kindnefs, and am f>- far
from avenging myfelf of them, as they deferve, that I beftow
greater benefits upon them than they are worthy of."
5. Thus did the king fpeak. Whereupon Pheroras, who
was caught in the very aft of his villany, faid. That " it was
Salome who was the framer of this plot, and that the words
came from her." But as foon as fhe heard that, for fhe was at
hand, fhe cried out, like one that would be believed, that no
iuch thing ever came out of her mouth: That they all car-
neftly endeavoured to make the king hate her, and to make
her away, becaufe of the good will fne bore to Herod, and
becaufe Jhe was always forefeeing the dangers that were com-
ing upon him, and that at prefent there were more plots againft
him than ufual ; for while fhe was the only perfon who per-
fuaded her brother to put away the wife he now had, and to
take the king's daughter, it was no wonder if (he were hated
By him. As (he faid this, and often tore her hair, and ottert
beat her breait, her countenance made her denial to be be*
Chap. VII.] ANTIQUITIES OP THE JEWS. 25$
Keved, but the perverfenefs of her manners declared at the
fame time her diffimulation in thefe proceedings : But Phe-
roras was caught between them, and had nothing plaufible to
offer in his own defence, while he conlefTed th.it he had faid
what was charged upon him, but was not believed when he
faid he had heard it from Salome : So the confufion among
them was increafed, and their quarrelfome words one to
another. At laft the king, out of his hatred to his brother
and fifter, fent tnem both away ; and when he had commend-
ed the moderation of his fan. and (hat he had himfelf told him
of the report, he went in the evening to retreih himfelf. .' f-
ter fuel] a conceit as this had fallen out among them, Salome'*
reputation fuffered greatly fince (he was fuppofed to have firft
railed the calumny ; and the king's wives were grieved at her,
as knowing fhe was a very ill naturcd woman, and would
lometimes be a friend, and (ornetimes an enemy at different
feafons : So they perpetually faid one thing or another againft
her, and fomewhat that now fell out made them the bolder in
fpeaking againft her.
6. There was one Obodus, king of Arabia, an inaftive and
flothful man in his nature ; but Sylleus managed moft ot his
Affairs to him. He was a fhrewd man, although he were but
youiig and was handfome withal. This Sylleus, upon fome
OCcafion coming to Herod, ana Tupping with him, faw Salome,
and fet his heart upon her ; and understanding that (he was a
widow he difcourfed witii her. Now becaule Salome was at
this time lefs in favour with her brother, fhe looked upon
Sylieus witn fome paifi ;n, and was very earneit to be marri-
ed to him ; and on tne days following there appeared many,
and thofe very great indications ot their agreement together.
Now the women carried this news to the king, and laughed at
the indecency ot it ; whereupon Herod enquired about it
iarther of Plieroras, and deli red him to obferve them at fup-
per, how their behaviour was one toward another ; who told
him, that oy the figiuls which came from their heads and their
eyes, they both were evidently in love. After this Sylleus
the Arabian being fulpeoted, went away, but came again two
or three months afterwards, as it were on that very dcfign,
and ipake to Herod about it, and defied that Salome might
be given him to wife, for that his affinity might not be difad-
vamageous to his affairs, by an union with Arabia, the gov-
ernment ot which country was already in efTeft under his
power, and more evidently would he his hereafter. Accor-
dingly when Herod difcourfed with his fifter about it, and
afked her, whether fhe were difpofed to this match ? She im-
mediately agreed to it. But when Sy ileus was defired to come
over to the jewifh religion, and then he -fliould marry her,
and that it was impofhble to do it on any orher terms he would
not bear that propofal, and went his way ; for he faid tint it
he flaould do lo, he (hould be Honed by the Arabs. Then did
ANTIQUITIES OF THE JEWS. [Book XVI.
Phero^as reproach Salome for her incontinency, as did the
women much more; and faid, that Sylleus had debauched her.
As for that damfel, which the king had betrothed to his bro-
ther Pheroras, but he had not taken her, as I have before re-
lated, becaufehe was enamoured on his former wife, Salome
defired of Herod (he might be given to her fon by Coflob i us ;
which match he was very willing to, but was difluaded trotrT
it by Pheroras, who pleaded, that this young man would not
be kind to her, fince nis father had been flain by him, and
that it was more juft that his fon, who was to be his fucccffor
in the tetrarchy, fhould have her : So he begged his pardon,
and perfuaded him to do fo. Accordingly the damfel, upon
this change of her efpoufals, was difpoled of to this young
man, the fon of Pheroras, the king giving for her portion 3H
hundred talents.
CHAP. VIII.
How Herod took up Alexander, and bound him ; whom yet
Archelaus, King of Cappadocia, reconciled to his father
Herod again.
I. "D UT Hill the affairs of Herod's family were no better,
JC) but perpetually more troublefome. Now this acci
dent happened, which arofe Irom no decent occafion, but pro-
ceeded fo far as to bring great difficulties upon him. There
was certain eunuchs which the king had, and on account t
their beauty was very fond of them ; and the care of bringing
him drink was entrufted to one of them, of bringing his iup-
per to another, and of putting him to bed to the third, who
alfo managed the principal affairs of the government : And
there was one told the king that thefe eunuchs were corrupt-
ed by Alexander the king's Ton, with great fums of money :
And when they were afked, whether Alexander had had crim-
inal converfation with them ? They confeffed it, but /aid they
Jknew of no farther mifchief of his againlt his father ; but
when they were more feverely tortured, and were in the urmoil
extremity, and the tormentors, out of compliance with An-
tipater, ftretched the rack to the very utmoll, they faid, that
Alexander baregreat ill-will and innate hatred to his father; and
that he told them, that Herod defpaired to live much longer ;
and that in order to cover his great age. he coloured his hair
black, and endeavoured to conceal what would difcover how
old he was ; but that if he would apply himfelf to him, when
he fhould attain the kingdom, which, in fpite of his father,
could come to no one eHe, he fhould quickly have the firft
place in that kingdom under him, for that he was now ready
to take the kingdom, not only as his birth-right, but by the
preparations he had made for obtaining it, becaufe a great raa-
Chap. VIII.] ANTIQUITIES OF THE JEWS. a$i
ny of the rulers, and a great many of his friends, were of his
fide, and thofe no ill men neither, ready both to do and to ful-
ler whatfoever fliould come on that account.
2. When Herod heard this confeffion, he was all over an-
ger and tear, fome parts feeming to him reproachful, and fome
made him fufpicious of dangers that attended him, infomuch,
that on both accounts he was provoked, and bitterly afraid
left fome more heavy plot was laid againft him than heftiouid
be then able to efcape trom ; whereupon he did not now make
an open fearch. but lent about fpies to watch fuch as he fuf..
pelted, for he was now over-run with fuipicion and hatred a*
gainft all about him ; and indulging abundance ot thofe fuf.
picions, in order to bis preservation, he continued to fufpecl
thofe that were guiltlels ; Nor did he fet any bounds to him-
felf . but fuppofing that thofe who ftaid with him had the moft
power to hurt him, they were to him very frightful ; and tor
thofe that did not ufe to come to him, it feemed enough to
name them | to make them fufpefted.j and he thought himfelf
iatcr when they were deftroyed : And at laft his domeftics
were come to that pa!s, that being no way fecure of efcaping
themfelves, they tell to accufing one another, and imagining
that he who firft accufed another was moft likely to lave him-
felf ; yet, when any had overthrown others tney were hated,
and they were thought to luffer juftly, who unjuftly accufed
others, and they only thereby prevented their own accufa-
tion ; nay, they now executed their own private enmities by this
means, and when they were caught, they were punifhed in
the fame way. Thus thefe men contrived to make ufeot this
opportunity as an inftrument arid a fnare againft their enesnies,
yet when they tried it, were themfelves caught alfo in the
fame fnare which they laid for others : And the king foon re-
pented ot what he had done, becaufe he had no clear evidence
of the guilt oi thofe whom he had flain ; and yet what was
ftill more fevere in him, he did not make ufe ot his repent-
ance, in order to leave off doing the like again, but in order
to inflift the fame punilament upon their accufers.
3. And in this ftate ot diforder were the affairs of the palace :
And he had already told many ot his friends direfcily, that they
ought not to appear before him, nor to come into the palace ;
and the reafon ot this injunction was, that [when they were
there] he had lefs freedom of a&ing. or a greater reftramt on
himfell on their account : For at this time it was that he ex-
pelled Andromachus and Gemellus,men who had of old been
his friends, *and been very ufcful to him in the affairs of his
kingdom, and been of advantage to his family, by their am-
baffages and counfels ; and had been tutors to his Ions, and
had in a manner the firft degree of freedom with him. He
expelled Andromachus, becaufe his fon Demetrius was a
companion to Alexander ; and Gemellus, becaule he knew
that he wifhed him well, which arofe from his having been
*6* ANTIQUITIES OF THE JEWS. [Book. XV I,
with him in his youth, when he was at fchool, and abfent at
.Rome. Thefe he expelled out of his palace, and w^s willing
enough to have done worfe by them ; but that he might not
feem to take fuch liberty againft men of io great reputation,
he contented himlelf with depriving them ot their dignity,
and ot their power to hinder his wicked proceedings.
4. Now it was Antipater, who was the caufe ot all this ;
who when he knew whdt a mad and licentious way ot afchng
his father was in, and had been a great while one of his coun-
fellors, he hurried him on, and then thought he (hould bring
him to do fomewhat to purpofe, when every one that could
oppofe him was taken away. When therefore Andromachus
and his friend* were driven away, and had no diicourfe nor
ireedom with the king any longer, the king, m the firit place,
examined by torture all whom he thought to be faithful to Al-
exander, whether they knew ot any of his attempts again it.
him ; but thefe died without having any thing to lay u aiat
matter which made the king more zealous ("after diu .vents,]
when he rould not find out what evil proceedings ae nif^ect-
ed them of. As for Antipater, he was very lagaaous iu raite
a calumny againft thofe that were really innocent, <>& it their
denial was only their conftancy and fidelity [to AlexanaerJ
and thereupon provoked Herod to diicover by the torture ot
great numbers, what attempts were Uiil concealed. Now there
was a certain perfon among the many that were tortured, who
faid that he knew that the young man had often laid, that
when he was commended as a tall man in his body, and a
fkilful markfman, and that in his commendable ex^rcifes he
exceeded all men, th'-fe quahfications given him by nature,
though good in th.:infelves, wtre not advantageous to mm,
becaufe his father was grieved at them, and envied him tor
them ; and that when he walked along with his father, he en-
deavoured to deprefs and fhorten hitnfelf, that he might not
appear too tall ; and that wiien he (hot any thing as lie was
hunting, when Ins father was by, he miffed ins mark on pur-
pofe, tor he knew how ambitious his father was ot being fu-
perior in iuch exeicifes. 80 when the man was tormented a-
bout this faying, and had cafe given his body after it, he ad-
ded, that he had his brother Ariitobulus for his afliltance, and
contrived to lie in w^it for their father as they were nun- ing,
and kill him ; and when they had done Io, to fly to Rome,
and defire to have the kingdom given them There were alio
letters of the young man found, written to his brother, where-
in he complained, that his father did not act juitiy in givi g
Antipater a country, whofe [yearly] revenues amounixu io
two hundred talents. Upon tbete conteflions Herod pre:. nt-
ly thought he had fomewhat to depend on, in his ownopi iion
as to his fufpicion about his fons : So he took up Alexander
and bound him : Yet did he ftill continue to be uneaiy, an-d
was not quite fatisned oi the truth of vvhat he had heard ; and.
Chap. VIII.] ANTIQUITIES OF THS JEWS.
when he came to' recolleft himfelf, he found that they
had only made juvenile complaints and that it was an incred-
ible thing, that when his fon fhould have flain him he (hould
openly go to Rome [to beg the kingdom ] fo he was defirous
to have fome furermark of his fon'swickednefs.and was very
foliritous about it, that he might not appear to have condemn-
ed him to be put in prifon too ralhly : So he tortured the prin-
cipal of Alexander's friends, and put not a few of them to
death, without getting any of the things out of them which
he fufpefted. And while Herod was very bufy about this
matter, and the palace was full >f terror and trouble, one of
the younger fort, when he was in the utmofl agony, confefT-
ed that Alexander had fent to his friends at Rome, and defir-
ed that he might be quickly invited thither by Czefar, and
that he could difcover a plot againft him, that Mithridates the
king of Parthia, was joined in friendihip with his father a-
gainfl the Romans, and that he had a polfonous potion rea!y
prepared at Afkelon.
5. To thefe accufations Herod gave credit, and enjoyed
hereby, in his miferable cafe fome fort of confolation, in ex-
cufe of his rafhnefs, as flattering himfelf with finding things
in fo bad a condition : But as tor the poifonous potion, which
he laboured to find, he could find none. As for Alexander,
fee was very defirous to aggravate the vaft misfortunes he was
under, fo he pretended not to deny the accufations, but pun-
ifh the rafhnefs of his father with a'greater crime of his own j
and perhaps he was willine to make his father afhamed ot his
eafy belief of fuch calamities : He aimed efpecially if he
could gain belief to his flory to plrigue him, and his whole
kingdom ; for he wrote four letters and fent them to him, that
" he did not need to torture any more perfons, for he had
plotted againft him ; and that he had for his partners Pheroras,
and the moft faithful o! his friends : And that Salome came in
to him by night, and that (he lay with him whether he would
or no ; and that all men were come to be of one mind, to make
away with him as foon as they could, and fo get clear of the
continual fear they were in from him." Among thefe were
accufed Ptolemy, and Sapinnius, who were the moft faithful
friends to the king. And what more can he faid, but that
thofe who betore were the molt intimate friends were become
wild beafts to one another, as it a certain ma-^nefs had fallen
upon them, while there was no room for defence or refuta-
tion, in order to the difcovery of the truth, but all were at
random doomed to deitrucfion ; fo that fome lamented thofe
that were in prifon, fome thofe that were put to death, and
others lamented that they were in the expectation of the fame
rniferies ; and a melancholy lolitude rendered the kingdom
deformed and quite the reverfe to that happy itate it was for-
merly in.^ Herod's own life alfo was entirely di [tut bed ; and
tecaufe he could trull no body, he was foicly puniihcd by
264 ANTIQUITIES O? THE JEXVS; [BookXVl,
the expectation of farther mifery, for he often fancied in hia
imagination, that his fort had fallen upon him, or flood by
him with a fword in his hand ; and thus was his mind night
and day intent upon this thing, and revolved it over and over,
no otherwife than if he were under a diftrattion. And this
was the fad condition Herod was now in.
6. But when Archelaus, king of Cappadocia, heard of the
ftate that Herod was in, and being in great diftrefs about his
daughter, and the young man [her bufbaudj, and grieving
with Herod, as with a man that was his friend, on account of
fo great a difturbance as he was under he came [to Jerufa-
lemj on purpofe to compofe their differences ; and when he
found Herod in such a temper, he thought it wholly unfea.'on-
able to reprove him, or to pretend that he had done any thing
rafhly for that he mould thereby naturally bring him to dit-
pute the point with him, and by flill more and more apologi-
zing for himfelf' to be the more irritated, he went therefore
another way to work, in order to correct the former misfor-
tunes, and appeared angry at the young man, and faid, that
Herod had been fo very mild a man that he had not a6ifed a
rafh part at all. He alfo faid, he would diffplve his daughter's
marriage with Alexander, nor could in juftice fpare his own
daughter, if (he were confcious ot any thing, and did not in-
form Herod of it. When Archelaus appeared to be of this
temper, and otherwile than Herod expected or imagined, and
for the main, took Herod's part, and was angry on his ac-
count, the king abated of his hat fhnefs, and took occafion from
his appearing to have acted juilly hitherto, to come by degrees
to put on the affection of a father, and was on both fides to be
pitied ; for when fome perfons refuted the calumnies that
were laid on the young man he was thrown into t a paflion,
but when Archelaus joined in the accufation, he was diUolved
into tears and forrow after an affectionate manner. According-
fy he defired that he would no,, diflulve his fon's marriage, and
became not fo angry as before for his offences. So when Ar-
chelaus had brought him to a more moderate temper, he trans-
ferred the calumnies upon his friends; and faid, it muft be
owing to them that fo young a man, and one unacquainted
with malice, was corrupted, and he fuppofed that there wa
more realbn to fufpeci the brothei* than the fon. Upon which
Herod was very much difpleafedat Pheroras, who indeed
now had no one that could make a reconciliation between
him and his brother. So when he faw that Archelaus had the
greateft power with Herod, he betook himfelf to him, in the
habit ot a mourner, and like one that had all the figns upcn
him of an undone man. Upon this Archelaus did not over-
look the intcrceffion he made to him, nor yet did he under-
take to change the King's diipofition towards him immediate-
ly ; and he laid, that it was better for him to come himfelt to
the King, and confefs himfelf the occafion ot all, that this
Chap. IX.] ANTIQUITIES OF THE JEWS. 26$
would make the king's anger not to be extravagant towards
him, and that then he would be prefent to affift him. When
he had perfuaded him to this, he gained his point with both ot
them ; and the calumnies raifed againft the young man were,
beyond all expectation, wiped off. And Archelaus, as foon
as he had made the reconciliation, went then away to Cappa-
docia, having proved at this junftureot time the mod accepta-
ble perfon to Herod in the world ; on which account he gave
him the richeft prefents, as tokens of his refpefts to him, and
being on other occafions magnanimous, he efleemed him one
of his deareft fiiends. He alfo made an agreement with him
that he would go to Rome, becaufe he had written to Ca^far
about thele affairs ; fo they went together as far as Antioch,
and there Herod made a reconciliation between Archelaus and
TitHs, the prefident of Syria, who had been greatly at vari-
ance, and fo returned back to Judea.
CHAP. IX.
Concerning the revolt of the Trachonites : How Sy Ileus accufed
Herod before Ccejar : And how Herod, when Ccefar was an*
gry at him, Rejoined to fend Nicolaus to Rome.
I. TX7HEN Herod had been at Rome, and was come
V V back again, a war arofe between him and the Ara-
bians, on the occafion following : The inhabitants of Trach-
onites, after Caefar had taken the country away from Zenodo-
rus, and added it to Herod, had not now power to rob, but
were forced to plough the land, and to live quietly, which
was a thing they did not like : And when they did take that
pains, the ground did not produce much fruit tor them. How-
ever, at the firfl the king would not permit them to rob, and
fo they abftained from that unjuft way of living upon their
neighbours which procured Herod a great reputation for his
care : But when he was failing to Rome, it was at that time
when he went to accufe his fon Alexander, and to commit An-
tipater to Csefar's protection, the Trachonites fpread a report
as if he were dead, and revolted from his dominion, and be-
took themfelves again to their accuftomed way of robbing
their neighbours ; at which time the king's commanders fub-
dued them during his abfence, but about forty of the princi-
pal robbers, being terrified by thofe that had been taken, left
rhe country, and retired into Arabia, Sy Ileus entertaining
them, after he had miffed of marrying Salome, and gave them
a place ot flrength, in which they dwelt. So they overran
not only Judea, but all Celefyria alfo, and carried off the prey,
while Sylleus afforded them places of protection and quiet-
nefs dining their wicked practices. But when Herod came
back from Rome, he perceived that his dominions had greatly
VOL. II. Kk
$66 ANTIQUITIES OF THS JEWS. [Book XVI,
fuffered by them, and fmce he could not reach the robbers
themfelves, becaufe of the fecure retreat they had in that coun-
try, and which the Arabians government afforded them, and
yet being very uneafy at the injuries they had done him he
went all over Trachonites, and flew their relations ; whereup-
on thefe robbers were more angry than before, it being a law
among them to be avenged on the murderers of their relations
by all poflible means, fo they continued to tear and rend every
thing under Herod's dominion with impunity : Then did he
difcourfe about thefe robberies to Saturninusand Volumnius,
and required that they fhoald be punilhed ; upon which oc-
cafion they ftill the more confirmed themlelves in their rob-
beries, and became more numerous ; and made very great dif-
turbances, laying wafte the countries and villages that belong-
ed to Herod's kingdom, and killing thofe men whom they
caught, till thefe unjult proceedings came to be like a real
war, for the robbers were now Become about a thoufand. At
which Herod was fore difpleafed, and required the robbers,
as well as the money which he had lent Obodas, by Sylieus,
which was fixty talents, and fince the time of payment was
now part, he defired to have it paid him ; but Sylieus, who
had laid Obodas afide, and managed all by himfelf, denied that
the* robbers were in Arabia, and put off the payment of the
money ; about which there was an hearing before * Saturnin-
usand Volumnius, who were then the prefidents or Syria.
At lad, he, by their means, agreed that within thirty day'g
time Herod fhould be paid his money, and that each of them
fhould deliver up the others fubjefls reciprocally. Now, as
to Herod, there was not one of the other fubjecls found in
his kingdom, either as doing any injuftice, or on any other
account, but it was proved that the Arabians had the robbers
among them.
2. When this day appointed for payment of the money was
paft, without Sylleus's performing any part oi his agreement,
and he was gone to Rome, Herod demanded the payment oi
the money, and that the robbers that were in Arabia fhould be
delivered up ; and, by the permiffion of Saturninus and Vol-
umnius, executed the judgment himfclt upon thofe that were
rcUatlory. He took an army that he had, and led it into A-
rabia, and in three day's time marched feven manfions ; and
when he came to the garrifon wherein the robbers were, he
made an affault upon them, and took them all, and demolifhed
the place, which was called Raepta, but did no harm to any
others ; but as the Arabians came to their afiiftance, under
Naceb their captain, there enfued a battle, wherein a few of
Herod's foldiers, and Naceb, the captain of the Arabians, and
* Thefe joint prefidents of Syria, Saturninus and Volumnius, were noSrperhaps
f equal authority, but the latter like a procurator under the former, as the very
karoed Noris and Pagi, and with them Dr, Hudibn, determine.
Chap. IX.] ANTIQUITIES OF THE JEWS. 267
about twenty of his foldiers fell, while the reft beijok them-
felves to flight. So when he had brought thefeto punifhment,
he placed three thoufand Idumeans in Trachonitis, and there-
by reiirained the robbers that were there. He alfo Cent an ac-
count to the captains that were about Phenicia, and demon-
ftrated that he had done nothing but what he ought to d;> in
punifhing the refraftory Arabians, which, upon an exafct in-
quiry they found to be no more than what was true.
3. However, rneflengers were halted away to Sylleus to
Rome, and informed him what had been done, and, as is ufual,
aggravated every thing. Now Sylleus had already in (nutated
himfeif into the knowledge of Ceefar, and was then about the
palace : and foon as he heard of thefe things, he changed his
habit into black, and went in, and told C<ciar, That " Ai ibia
was afflicted with war, and that all his kingdom was in great
confufion, upon Herod's laying it waite with his army ; and
he faid, with tears in his eyes, that two thoufand five hundred
of the principal men among the Arabian.-; had been deftroyed,
and that their captain Nacabus, his familiar friend and kinf-
man, was (lain ; ana that the riches that were at Raepta \ven-
carried off; and that Obodas was defpifed, whoie infirm ftate
of body rendered him unfit for war ; on which account nei-
ther he, nor the Arabian army, were prefent." When Sylle-
us faid fo, and added invidioufly, That " he would not him-
feif have come out of the country, unlefs he had believed that
Cielar would have provided that they Ihould all have peace
one with another, and that, had he been there, he would have
taken care that the war Ihould not have been to Herod's ad-
vantage." Caefar was provoked when this was faid ; and afk-
ed no more than this one queftion, both of Herod's friends
that were there, and of his own friends, who were come from
Syria, " Whether Herod had led an army thither ?" and when
they were forced to contefs fo much, Cajfar, without ftaying
to hear for what reafon he did it, and how it was done, grew
very angry, and wrote to Herod fharply. The fum of his e-
piftle was this : That " whereas of old he had uied him as his
friend, he fhould now ufe him as his iubject." Sylleus alfo
wrote an account of this to the Arabians ; who were fo elevat-
ed with it, that they neither delivered up the robbers that had
fled to them, nor payed the money that was due : They re-
tained thofe paftures alfo which they had hired, and kept them
without paying their rent, and all this becauie the king of the
Jews was now in a low condition, by reafon of Caefar's anger
at him. Thofe of Trachonitis alfo made uie of this opportu-
nity, and rofe up againfl the Idumean garrifon, and followed
the fame way of robbing with the Arabians, who had pillaged
their country, and were more rigid in their unjufl proceed-
ings, not only in order to get by it, but by way of, revenge
alio.
4. Now Herod was forced to bear all this, that confidence oi
^68 ANTIQUITIES OF THE JEWS. [Book. XVI.
his being quite gone with which Caefar's favour ufed to in-
fpirehim ; for Csefar would not admit fo much as an ambaf-
fage from him, to make an apology for him : And when they
came again, he fent them away without fuccefs : So he was
call into fadnefs and fear ; and Sy Ileus's circumftances griev-
'ed him exceedingly, who was now believed by Caefar, and
was prefent at Rome, nay iometimes afpiring higher. Now
it came to pals that Obodas was dead : And Eneas, whofe
name was afterward changed to*Aretas, took the govern-
ment, tor Sylleus endeavoured by calumnies to get him turn-
ed out of his principality, that he might himfelf take it ; with
which defign he gave much money to the courtiers, and prom-
ifed much money to Caefar, who indeed was angry that Are-
tas had not fent to hir? fii ft before he took the kingdom, yet
did Eneas fend an epidleand prefents to Caslar, and a golden
crown of the weight ol many talents. Now that epiflle ac-
cufed Sylleus as having been a wicked fervant, and having
killed Obodas by poifon ; and that while he was alive, he had
governed him as he pleafed ; and had alfo debauched the wives
of the Arabians ; and had borrowed money, in order to obtain
the dominion for himfelf; yet did not Caefar give heed to
thefe accufations, but fent his ambafladors back, without re-
ceiving any of his piefents : But in the mean time the affairs
of Judea and Arabia became worfe and worfe, partly becaufe
of the anarchy they were under, and partly becaufe, as bad
us they were nobody had power to govern them, for of the
two kings, the one was not yet confirmed in his kingdom, and
fo had not authority fufficient to reltrain the evil doers ; and as
for Herod, Casiar was immediately angry at him, for having a-
venged himfelf, and fo he was compelled to bear all the injuries
that were offered him. At length, when he faw no end of the
mifchiet which furrounded him he refolved to fend ambafTa-
dors to Rome again, to fee whether his friends had prevailed
to mitigate Caeiar, and toaddrefs themfelves to Cuefar himfelf :
and the ambalfador he fent thither was Nicolaus of Damafcus.
CHAP. X.
How Eurydes falfely accufed Heroes fans ; and how their Fa-
their bound them, and wrctt to Cafar about them. OJ Sylleus ,
and how he was accufed by Nicolaus.
$ i. HPHE diforders about Herod's family and children a-
X bout this time grew much worfe ; for it now appear-
ed certain, nor was it unforefeen before hand, that fortune
* This Aretas was now become fo fflablifhed a name for the kings of Arabia,
[at Petra and Damafcus,] that when the cro \a came to this Eneas, he changed hl
name to Aretas^ as Havercamp here juft'y obferves. See Antiq. B. XIII. ch, xv.
is. vol. II.
Chap. X.] ANTIQUITIES OF THE JEWS. 2.6}
threatened the greateft and moft unfupportable misfortunes
poffible to his kingdom. Its progrefs and augmentation at
this time aroie on the occafion following : One Eurycles, a
Lacedemonian (aperfon of note there, but a man of aperverfe
mind, and fo cunning in his ways of voluptuoufnefs and flat-
tery, as to indulge both, and yet feem to indulge neither of
them), came in his travels to Herod, and made him prefents,
but fo that he received moreprefents from him. Healfo took
fuch proper feafons tor insinuating himfelf into his triendfhip,
that he became one of the'moil intimate of the king's friends.
He had his lodging in Amipater's houfe ; but he had not on-
ly accefs, but free converfation with Alexander as pretend-
ing to him that he was in great favour with Archelaus, the
king of Cappadocia ; whence he pretended much refpeft to
Glaphyra, and, in an occult manner, cultivated a hiendihip
with them all, but always attending to what was faid and done,
that he might be furnifhed with calumnies to prels them all.
In fhort, he behaved himfelf fo to every body inhis converfa-
tion as to appear to be his particular friend, and he made oth-
ers believe that his being any where was for that perfon's ad-
vantage. So he won upon Alexander, who was but young ;
and perfuaded him, that he might open his grievances to him
with adurance, and with nobody elfe. So he declared his
grief to him, how his father was alienated from him. He related
to himalfo the affairs of his mother, and of Antipater; that he
had driven them from their proper dignity, and had the pow-
er over every thing hiinlelt ; that no part of this was tolerable,
lince his father was already come to hate them ; and he added,
that he would neither admit them to his table, nor to his con-
verfation Such were the complaints, as was but natural, of
Alexander about the things that troubled him : And thefe dif-
courfes Eurycles carried to Antipater ; and told him, he did
not inform him of this on his own account, but that being o-
vercome by his kindnefs, the great importance of the thing
obliged him to do it : And he warned him to have a care of
Alexander, for that what he faid was Ipoken with vehemen-
cy, and that, in confequence of what he faid, he would cer-
tainly kill him with his own hand. Whereupon .Antipater,
thinking him to be his friend by this advice, gave him pref-
ents upon all occafions, and at length perfuaded him to inform
Herod of what he had heard. So when he related to the king,
Alexander's ill temper, as difcoyered by the words he had
heard him fpeak, he was cafily believed by him, and he there-
by brought the king to that pafs, turning him about by his
words, and irritating him, till he increafed his hatred to him,
and made him implacable, which he (hewed at that very time,
for he immediately gave Eurycles a prefent of fifty talents ;
who, when he had gotten them, went to Archelaus, king of
Cappadocia, and commended Alexander before him, and
told him that he had been many way* of advantage to him, in
2^0 ANTIQUITIES OF THE J BWS. [Book XVI.
making a reconciliation between him and his father. So he
got money from him alfo, and went away, before his perni-
cious practices were found out : But when Eurycles was re-
turned to Lacedemon, he did not leave off doing mifchief, and
fo, for his many afts of injuilce, he was banimed from hi*
wn country.
2. But as for the king of the Jews, he was not now in the
temper he was in formerly towards Alexander and Ariftobu-
lus, when he had been content withth- hearing their calum-
nies when others told himol them, but he was now come to
that pafs as to hate them himfelf, and to urge men to ipeak a-
gaift them, though they did not do it of th :mfeives. He allo
obferved all that was faid and pu qiu-i'tions, and gave ear to
every one that would but fp<-ak. it they could but fay any
thing againll them, till at length he heard that Euaratusut Cos
was a c jnipiiaror with Alexander ; which thing to Herod was
the moft agreeable and fweeteft news imaginable.
3. But iliil a greater misfortune came upon me young men ;
while the calumnies againft them were continually increafed,
and, as a man may fay, one wouid think it was every one's
endeavour to lay fome grievous thing to their charge, v
might appear to be lor the king's preservation. There were
two guards of Herod's body, who were in great efteem for
their iheagth and tallnefs, Jucundus and Tyranus ; thefe men
had been caft off by Herod, who w<is difpleafed at them ; tht-fe
now ufed to ride along with Alexander and for their fk.il 1 in
their exercifes were in great efteem with him, and had lome
gold and other gifts bellowed on them. Now the king hav-
ing an immediate fufpicion of thofe men, had them tortured;
who endured the torture courageoudy for a long time, but at
laft conteffed, that Alexander would have perfuaded them to
kill Herod, when he was in purfuit of the wild beafts ? that it
might be faid he fell from his horfe,and was ran through with
his own Ipear, for that he had once inch a misfortune former-
ly. They alfo mewed where there was money hidden in the
ftable under ground, and thefe convitied the king's chief hun-
ter, that he had given the young men the royal hunting fpears
and weapons to Alexander's dependents, at Alexander's com-
mand.
4. After thefe the commander of the garrifon of Alexandn-
um was caught and tortured ; for he was accufed to have prora-
ted to receive the young men into his fortrefs, and to fupply
them with that money of the king's which was laid up in that
fortrefs, yet did not he acknowledge any thing of it himfelf ;
but his fon came in, and faid, it was fo, and delivered up the
writing, which, fo far as could begueffed, was in Alexander's
hand. Its contents were thefe : " When we have fimfhed,
by God's help, all that we have propofed to do, we will coine
to you , but do your endeavours, as you have promifed, to
receive us into your fortrefs." After this writing was pro-
Chap. X.] ANTIQUITIES OF THE JEWS. 27!
duced, Herod had no doubt about the treacherous defigns of
his fons againft him. But Alexander faid, that Diophantus
the fcribe, had imitated his hand, and that the paper was ma-
licioufly drawn up by Antipater; for Diophantus appeared
to be very cunning in fuch practices and as he was afterward
convicted of forging other papers, he was put to death for it.
5. So the king produced thofe that had been tortured before
the multitude at Jericho, in order to have them accufe the
young men ; which accufers many of the people ftoned to
death ; and when they were going to kill Alexander and Arif-
tobulus likewife, the king would not permit them to do fo,
but retrained the multitude, by the means ot Ptolemy and
Pheroras. However, the young men were put under a guard,
and kept in cuftody, that no body might come at them; and
all that they did or faid was watched ; and the reproach and
fear they were in was little or nothing different from thofe ot
condemned criminals : And one ot them, who was fo deeply
affe.'-ted, that he brought Salome, who was his aunt, and his
mother-in-law to lament with him for his calamities, and to
hate him who had fuffered things to come to that pafs ; when
he faid to her, " Art not thou in danger of deftruftion alfo,
while the report goes that thou hadft difclofed before hand all
our affairs to Sy Ileus when thou waft in hopes oi being mar-
ried to him ?" But (he immediately carried thofe words to
her brother : Upon this he was out* ot patience, and gave
command to bind him ; and enjoined them both, now they
were kept feparate one from the other, to write down the ill
things they had done againft their father, and bring the writ-
ings to him. So when this was enjoined them, they wrote this,
that they had laid no treacherous defigns, nor made any pre-
parations againft their father, but that they had intended to fly
away ; and that by the diftrefs they were in, their lives being
now uncertain and tedious to them.
6. About this time there came an ambaffador out of Cappa-
docia from Archelaus, whofe name was Melas : He was one
of the principal rulers under him. So Herod being defirous
to (hew Archelaus's ill-will to him, called for Alexander, as
he was in his bonds, and afked him again concerning his flight,
whether and how they had refolved to retire ? Alexander re-
plied, ' To Archelaus, who had promifed to fend them away
to Rome, but that they had no wicked nor mifchievous defigns
againft their father, and that nothing ot that nature which their
adverfaries had charged upon them was true ; and that their
defire was, that he might have examined Tyrannus, and Ju-
cundus more flriaiy, but that they had been fuddenly flair*
by the means of Antipater, who put his own friends among
the multitude [tor that purpofej."
7. When this was faid, Herod commanded that both Alex-
ander and Melas fhould be carried to Glaphyra, Archelau'a
daughter, and that ihe flioiildbe afked, whether me did not
572 ANTIQUITIES OF THE JEWS. [Book XVI,
know fomewhat of Alexander's treacherous defigns again ft
Herod ? Now as foon as they were come to her, and (he law
Alexander in bonds, fhebeat'her head, and,jn a great confter-
nation, gave a deep and a moving groan. The young man al-
fo tell into tears. This was fo miferable a fpeftacle to thofe
prefent. that, for a great while, they were not able to {ay or
to do any thing; but at length Ptolemy, who was ordered to
bring Alexander, bid him fay, whether hi wife were confcious
of his aaions ? He replied, " How is it goffible that (he, whom
J love better than my own foul, and by whom 1 have had
children, mould not know what I do ? Upon which fhe cri-
ed out. That " (he knew of no wicked defigns of his ; but <hat
yet, if her accufing herfelf falfely would tend to his preferva-
tion, (he would confefs it all." Alexander replied, " There
is no fuch wickednefs as thoTe (who ought the leaft of all fo to
do) fufpeft, which either 1 have imagined, orthou knoweftof,
but this only, that we had refolvedto retire to Archelaus, and
from thence to Rome." Which fhe alfo con feiTed. Upon which
Herod, fuppofing that : Archelaus 's ill-will to him was fully
proved, he fent a letter by Olympus and Volummus, and
bid them, as they failed by. to touch at Eleufa of Cilicia, and
gave Archelaus the letter. And that when they had expof-
tula?ed with him, that he had an hand in his fon's treacherous
defign againft him, they (hould from thence fail to Rome ;
and that, in cafe they found Nicolaus had gained any ground,
and that Caefar was no longer difpleafed at him, helhouldgive
his letters, and the proofs which he had ready to fhew againfl
the young men. As to Archelaus, he made this defence for
himfelf, That " he had promifed to receive the young men,
becaufe it was both for their own and their father's advantage
fo to do, left fom too fevere procedure fhould be gone upon in
that anger and diforder they were in on occafionof the prefent
fufpicions; but that ftill he had not promifed to fend them to
Caefar ; and'that he had not promifed any thing elfe to the young
men that could fhew ill-will to him."
8. When thefeambaffadors were come to Rome, they had a
fit opportunity of delivering their letters to Caefar: Becaufe
they found him reconciled to Herod ; for the circumftances of
Nicolaus's ambaffage had been as follows : As foon as he was
corne to Rome, and was about the court, he did not firft of all fet
about what he was come for only, but he thought fit alfo to ac-
cufeSy Ileus. Now the Arabians, even before he came to talk
with them, were quarrel ling one with another; and fomeof them
left Sylleus's party, and joining themfelves to Nicolaus, in-
formed him of all the wicked things that had been done : And
produced to him evident demonftrations of the Daughter of a
great number of Obodas's friends by Sylleus, for when thefe
men left Sylleus they had carried off with them thofe whereby
they could convict him. When Nicolaus faw fuch an oppor-
tunity afforded him, he made ufe of it, in order to gain his own
thap. X.] ANTIQUITIES OF THE JEWS. 273
/
point afterward, and endeavoured immediately to make a
reconciliation between Caefar, and Herod ; for he v/as hilly
fatisfied that it he mould defire to make a defence tor Her-
od direflly, he mould not be allowed that liberty ; but that
if he defired to accufc Sylleus, there would an occafion pre-
fent it elf ot fpeaking on Herod's behalf. So when the caufe
was ready ior a hearing and the day was appointed, Nicolaus.
whik-" Aretas's ambaffadors were prefent, accufcd Sylleus, and
faid, That " he imputed to him the definition of the king
fObodasj, and ot many others ot the Arabians : That he had
borrowed moiiey tor no good delign ; and he proved that he
had been guilty ot adal ery, not only with'the Arabians, but
Rom-m women alfo." And he added, That " above all the
reft he had alienated Caelar from Herod ; and that all that he
had faid about the actions ot Herod were *alfities." When
Nicolaus was come to this topic, Csefar flopped him trom
going on ; and defired him only to fpeak to this affair ot Her-
od's ; and to >hc j w that " he had' not led an army into Arabia,
nor (lain two thou'and five hundred men there, nor taken
prifoners, nor pillaged the country." To which Nicolaus
made this anfwer, " I (hall principally demonftrate that ei-
ther nothing at all, or but a very little ot thofe imputations
are true, ot which thoa halt been informed, for had they been
true, thou mighteit juitly have been fttll more angry at Her-
od." At this itrange aifertion, C^efar was very attentive :
And Nicolaus faid, That " there was a debt due to Herod of
five hundred talents, and a bond, wherein it was written, that
it the time appointed be elapfed, it (hould be law'ul to make
a feizure out of any part of his country. As tor the pietend-
ed army, he faid, it was no army, but a party fent out to re-
quire the juft payment ot the money : That this was not fent
immediately, nor fo foon as the bond allowed, but that Syl-
leus had trequently come before Saturninus, and Volumnius,
the prefidents ot Syria ; and that at laft he had fworn at Bery-
tus, * by the fortune, that he would certainly pay the money
within thirty days, and deliver up the fugitives that were un-
der his dominion. And that when Sylleus had performed no-
thing ot this, Herod came again t.efore the prefidents ; and
upon their permiflion to make a feizure ot his money, he with
difficulty, went out ot his country with a party of foidiers
for that purpoie. And this is all the war which thefe men fo
tragically defcribe ; and this is the affair of the expedition
into Arabia. And how can this be called a war ? When thy
prefidents permitted it ; the covenants allowed it ; and it was
not executed till thy name, O Casfar, as well as that ot ths
other gods, had been profaned. And now I muft fpeak in
order about the captives. There were robbers that dwelt m
* This oath, by the fortune ofC'far, was put to Polycarpj a bithop of Smyrna,
by the Roman governor, to try wheJier he were a Chriftiaa, as they were thea e
ccemed who refufcd tu hvear that oath. Martyr, f^lycarp, $ 9,
VOL. IJ. LI
2'74 ANTIQUITIES OF THE JEWS. [Book. XVL
Tracbonitis : At firft their number was no more than forty,
but they became more afterwards, and they efcaped the pun-
ifhment Herod would have inflicud on them, by making Ara-
bia their refuge. Sylleus received them, and fupported them
with food, that they might be mifehievous to all mankind,
and gave them a country to inhabit, and himfelf received the
gains they made by robbery ; yet did he promrfe that he would
deliver up thefe men, and'that by the fame oaths, and fame
time that he fware and fixed for payment of his debt : Nor
can he by any means fhew (hat any other perfqns have at this-
time been out cf Arabia befides theft-, and indeed not all
thefe neither, but only fo many as could not conceal them-
felves. And thus does the calumny of the captives, which
hath been fo odioufly reprefented appear to be no better
than a fiction and a lie made on purpofe to provoke thy in-
dignation ; tor I venture to- affirm, that when the forces cf
the Arabians came upon us, and one or two of Herod's party
fell, he then only defended himfelf, and there teil Nacebus
their general, and, in all, about twenty -five others, and no
more ; whence Sylleus, by multiplying every fingle foldier
to an hundred, he reckons the flain to have been two thou-
fanci five hundred."
7. This provoked Caefar more than ever : So he turned to
Sylleus full of rage, and afked him how many of the Arabi-
ans were flain ? Hereupon he hefitated, and faid he had been
impofed upon, The covena-nts alfo were read about the mo-
ney he had borrowed, and the letters of the prefidents at
Syria, and the complaints of the feveral cities, fo many as had
been injured by the robbers.- The conclufion was this, that
Sylleus was condemned to die, and that Caefar was reconcil-
ed to Herod, and owed his repentance for what fevere things
he had written to him, occafioned by calumny, infomuch,
that he told Sylleus that he had compelled him, by his lying
account of things, to be guilty oi ingratitude againft a man
that was his friend. At the laft all came to this, Sylleus was
lent away to anfwer Herod's fuit, and to repay the debt that
he owed, and after that to be puniihed fwith death] : But
ftill Caefar was offended with Aretas. that he had taken upon
himfelf the government, without his confent firft obtained,
for he had determined to beftow Arabia upon Herod ; but
that the letters he had fent hindered him from fo doing, tor
Olympus and Volumnius perceiving that Caefar was now be-
come favourable to Herod, thought fit immediately to deliver
him the letters they were commanded by Herod to give him
concerning his fons. When Caefar had read them, he thought
it would not be proper to add another government to him,
now he was old, and in an ill ftate with relation to his fons, fo
he admitted Aretas's ambafladors ; and after he had jutt re-
proved him for his rafhnefs, in not tarrying till he received
the kingdom from him, he accepted of his prefents, and coa-
firmed him in his government.
Chap. XI.] ANTIQUITIES OF THE JEWS.
CHAP. XI.
How Herod, by per mijfion from Cafar, accufed his Sons before,
an Affembly of Judges at Berytus ; and what Ttro fujfered
j^r ujing a boundlefs and military Liberty oj Speech. Con-
cerning alfo the Deatli oj ike Young Men, and tkeir burial at
Alexandra um.
$ I. QO Crcfar was now reconciled to Herod ; and wrote
O thus to him, That " he was grieved for him on ac-
fiount ot his ions ; and that in cafe they had been guilty oi
any profane and mfoient crimes ^gamlt him, it would behove
him to punilh them as parricides, for which he gave him
power accordingly ; but it they had only contrived to fly
away, .he would have him give them an admonition, and not
proceed to extremity with them. He alfo advifed htm to get
an affembly t gether, and to appoint iome place near * Bery-
tus, which is a city belonging to the Romans, and to take the
prcfidents ot Syria, and Archelaus king of Cappadocia, and
as many more as he thought to be iUuttrious, tor their triend-
Ihip to him, and the dignities tiiey were in, and determine
what Ihould be done by their approbation.' 1 Thele were the
directions that Cacfar gave him. Accordingly Herod, when
the letter was brought to hirn was immediately very glad ot
Casfar's reconciliation to him, and very glad alfo that he had
a complete authority given him over His ions. And it Ibange-
Jy came about, that whereas before in his advcrfity, though
he had indeed Ihewed hirafelt ievere, yet had he not been very
rafh, nor hafty in procunng the deftrudion of his Ions, he
now, in his profpenty. took advantage ot this change for the
be'ter, and the freedom he now had, to exercife his hatred
againit them, after an unUeard-ot manner ; he thereiore fent
and called as many as ne thought fit to this aUembly, except-
ing Archelaus, tor as tor him he either hated him, f'o that he
would not invite him, or he thought he would be an obftacle
to Ins defigns.
2 Wnen the prefidents, and the reft that belonged *o the
cities, were come to Berytus he kept his fons in a certain
village belonging to Sidon, called Platana, but near to this
ci'y, that if they were called he might produce them, for he
did not think fit to bring them betore theatfetr.bly : And when
there were one hundred and fifty aflellbrs preient, Herod came
* What Jofephus relates Auguftus to have here faid, that Berytus was a city be-
longing to (he Romans, is confirmed by Spanhcim's notes here. " It was, fays he,
a colony placed there by Auguftus. Whence Ulpian, De cenf. bet. L. T. Xl r Tht
colony pf BtTjtus was rendered famous by the brnefits ofLefar : And th nee it is th^t.
among the coins of Auguftus, we meet with iome having this inicription : Thf
kapfy colony pf Augujlut at er\tus."
276 ANTIQUITIES OF THE JEWS. [Book XVI,
by himfelf alone and accufed his fons, and that in fuch away
as it it were not a melancholy accufation, and not made I ut
out of neceffity, and upon the misfortunes he was under; in-
deed in fuch a way, as was very indecent for a lather to ac-
cufe his fons, tor he was very vehement, and diiordered,
when he came to the demonftration of the crime they were
accufed of, and gave the greateft figns ol paffion and barbari-
ty : Nor would he differ the aileiibrs to, confider of the weight
of the evidence, but aflerted them to be true f >y his own au-
thority, alter a manner moft indecent in a father aeamft his
fons, and read him'elf what they themfelves had written,
wherein there was no conieiFion of any plots or contriv^-ccs
againft him. But only how they had contrived to fly away,
and containing withal certain reproaches againft him, on ac-
count ot the ill-will he bare them ; and when he came to thole
reproaches, he cried out molt oi all, and exaggerated what
they (aid, as if they had confefTed the defign againft him, and
took his oath that he had rather lofe his life than hear fuch re-
proachful words. At laft he faid, That " he had fufficient
authority both by nature, and by Caefar's grant to him [to.
do what he thought fit]. He alio added an allegation oi a law
of their country, which enjoined this. Th.tt it parents laid
their hands on the head of him that was accufed, the {bnders,
by were obliged to caft ftones at him, and thereby to flay him ?
Which though he were ready to do in his own countiy and
kingdom, yet did he wait for their determination, that yet
they came thither not fo much as judges, to condemn them
for fuch manifeft defigns againft him, whereby he hadalmoft
perifhed by his Ion's means, but as perfons that had an oppor-
tunity of (hewing their deteftatjon of fuch practices, ancl de-
claring how unworthy a thing it muft be in any, even the
moft remote, to pafs over fuch treacherous defigns [without
punifhment."j
3. When the king had faid this, and the young men had
rot been produced to make any detence for themfelves, the
affeflbrs perceived there was no room for equity, reconcilia-
tion, fo they confirmed his authority. And in the firit place,
Saturninus, a perfon that had been conful, and one ot great
dignity, pronounced his fentence, but with great moderation,
and trouble ; and faid, That " he condemned Herod's (ons,
but did not think they fliould be put to death. He had fons
ot his own, and to put one's fon to death, is a greater misfor-
tune than any other that could befal him by their means."
After him Saturninus's fons, for he had three fons that follow-
cd him, and were his legates, pronounced the fame fentence
with their father : On the contrary, Volumnius's fentente
was, to inflift death on fuch as had been fo impiotifiy undu-
titul to their father ; and the greateft part of the reft laid the
fame, infomuch that the conclufion feemed to be, that the
young men were condemned to die. Immediately alter thia
Chap. XI.] ANTIQUITIES OF THE JEWS. 2?7
Herod came away from thence, and took his fons to Tyre,
\vhere Nicolaus met him in his voyage from R _>me ; oi whom
he enquired, aiter hehadrelated to him what had palled at Bery-
tus, what his ientiments were about his fons, and what his
friends at Rome thought ot that matter ? His anfwer was,
" That what they had determined to do to thee was impious,
and that thou oughteft to keep them in prilon ; and it thou
thinkeft any thing farther neceilary, thou mayeft indeed fo
puni(h them, that thou mayeft not appear to indulge thy an-
ger more than to govern thyfeli by judgement ; but ii thou
inclined to the milder fide, thou mayeit abfolve them, left
perhaps thy misfortunes be rendered incurable : And this is
the opinion ot the greatelt part ot thy inends at Rome allo."
Whereupon Herod was filent, and in great thoughttulnefs,
and bid Nicolaus fail along with him.
4. Now as they came to Cefarea every body was there talk-
ing ot Herod's Ions, and the kingdom was in fu (pence, and
the people in great expectation ot what would become ot them,
for a terrible tear (eized upon all men, lelt the ancient difor-
ders ot the family mould come to a fad conclulion, and they
were in great trouble about their fufferings ; nor was it with-
out danger to fay any rafh thing about tnis matter, nor even
to hear another faying it, but rnens pity was forced to be ihut
up in themieives, which rendered the.excets of their (arrow
very irkfome, but very filent ; yet was there an old foldier of
Herod's, whofe name was '1'ero, who had a fon.ot the fame
age with Alexander, and his friend, who was fo very free, as
openly to fpcak. out what others (ilently thought about that mati
ter ; and was forced to cry out oilen among the multitude,
and faid, in the molt unguarded manner, " That truth was
periihed, and juftice taken away fro:n men, while lies and ill
will prevailed, and brought fuch a miff before public affairs.
that the offenders were not able to fee the greateft miichiels
that can belal men." And as he was fo bold, he feemed not
to have kept himlelf out of danger, by fpeaking (o freely ;
but the reaionablenefs of what he laid, moved men to regard
him, as having behaved himlelf with great manhood and
this at a proper time allo, tor which reafon every one heard
what he laid with pleafure ; and although they firft took care
of their own iatety, by keeping filent themieives, yet did
they kindly receive the great freedom he took, for the expec-
tation they were in of fo great an affliction, put a force upon
them to fpeak of Tero whatfoever they pleafed.
5. This man had thruft himlelf into the king's prefence with
the greateft freedom, and defiredto fpeak with him by himfelt
alone, which the king permitted him to do, where he laid this :
*' Since I am not able, O king, to bear up under fo great a con-
cern as I am under, 1 have preferred the life of this bold lib-
erty that I now take, which may be for thy advantage, it
thou mind to get any profit by it, belore my own iatety.
7S ANTIQUITIES OP THE JEWS. [Book XVI.
Whither is thy underftanding gone, and left thy foul empty ?
Whither is that extraordinary fagacity of thine gone, where-
by thou haft performed fo many and fuch glorious atf ions ?
Whence comes this folitude, and defertion of thy Iriends and
relations ? OF which I cannot but determine, that they are
neither thy friends nor relations, while they overlook fo hor-
rid wickcdnefs in thy on- p happy kingdom. Doft not tnou
perceive what is doing ? Wilt thou fl,*y theietwo young men,
born of thy queen, who are accoos pi idled with every virtue
in the higheft degree, and leave thvfclf deflitute in thy old
age, but expofed to one fon, who hath very ill managed the
hopes thou haft given him. and to relations, whofe death thou
haft fo often refolved on thyfelf ? Doft not thou take notice
that the very filence of the multitude at once fees the crime,
and a!>hors the fa 61 ? The whole army and the officers have,
<ommiicration on the poor unhappy youths, and hatred to
thofe that are the actors in this nastier." Thcfe worls the
king heard, and for fome time with .good temper. Bu f what
can one fay ? When Tero plainly touched upon the bad be-
havour and perfidioufneTs of his domeftics, he was moved at
it ; but Tero went on iarther, and by degrees ufed an un-
bounded military freedom of fpcech, nor was he (o well dif-
ciplined as to accommoaate himfelf to the time : So Herod
was greatly difturbed, and ieeming to be rather reproached
by this ipeech.than to be hearing what was for his advantage,
while he learned hereby, thu both the folcliers abhorred the
thing he was about and the officers hid indignation at it, he gave
order that all whom Tero had uaraed, and Tero himfelf, ihould
be bound and kept in prilon.
6. When this was over, one Trypho, who was the king's
barber, took the opp j tunity and came and told the king, that
Tero would often have periuaded him, when he trimmed him
vrith a razor, to cut his t.'ir.ur, tor that by this means ne fhould
t>e among the chief of Alexander's friends, and receive groat
rewards irom him. \Vaea he had faid tnis, the king gave
order that Tero, and his fon and the barber, ihould be tortur-
ed, which was done accordingly ; but while Tero bore up
himfelf, his fon, feeing his father already in a fad cafe, and
had no hope of deliverance, and perceiving what would be
the confequence of his terrible fufferings, laid, that " it the
king would free him and his father from thefe torments, for
what he ihould fay he would tell the truth." And when the
king had given his word to do fo, he faid that " there was an
agreement made, that Tero ihould lay violent hands on the
king, becaufe it was eafy for him to come when he was alone;
and that if, when he had done the thing, he thould fuffer death
for it, as was not unlikely, it would be an act of generofity
done in favour of Alexander." This was what 1'ero's fon
faid, and thereby freed his hither from the diitreis ne was in ;
but uncertain it is whether he rrad been thus forced to fpeat
Chap. XL] ANTIQUITIES OF THE JEWS.
what was true, or whether it were a contrivance of his, in or-
der to procure his own and his father's deliverance from their
miferies.
7. As for Herod, if he had before any doubt about the
flaughter of his fons there was now no longer any room left
in his foul for it, but he had banillied away wh.atfoev.er might
afford him the lead fuggeltion of realoning better about this
matter, fo he already msde hafte to bring his purpofe to a
conclufion. He alfo brought out three hundred ot the offi-
ce s that were under an accufaticm, as alfo Tero and his fon,
and the barber that accufed them, before an aflembly, and.
brought an acculation againd them all whom the multitude
ftonned with whatfoevor cimeto hand, and thereby (lew them.'
Alexander alfo aod Ariftobirlus were r^'ight to Sebafte by
their father's command, andthe-- *!.:; -i- hut their dead
bo lies were in t'.ie nig it ti'm- carried to Ale % :andrium, where
their uncle by tite mothf, , : nd the greatell part oi their
anceftors, had been dc; . .
8. * And n w pe> >t feem 'urreufunaMfi to frne,
that fuch an inv fera e 'nitreu might increafe fo much [OP
fides, | as to proceed farther, and overco
may juffly ddierve conuMeration. whether it be to be laid to
the charge of the young men, that they gave fuch an occa-
f; ;u 10 their lather's anger, and led him to do what he did,
and by going on long in the fa-r,e way, put things pafl rem-
edy, and brought him to ufe tiicm fo unmercifully ; or w; a th-
er it be to br laid to the father's charge, that he was (o hard
hearted, and fo very tender in thv- defire of government, and
of other things that would tenxl to his gbry. that he would
take no one into a partnerlhip with him, that fo whatioeverhe
would have done himfelf might continue immoveable; or
indeed, whether fortune have not g--e.iter power than all pru-
dent reafonings : Whence we are porftndcd that human ac-
tions are thereby determined before hand by an inevitable ne-
ceffity, and we call her Fate, bee .1 ufe there is nothing which
is not done by her ; wherefore I luppofe it will be iufficient
to compare this notion with that other, winch attributes fome-
what to to ourfelves, and renders men not unaccountable tor
the different conducts of their lives, which notion is no oth-
er than the philofophical determination of our ancient law.
Accordingly of the two other caufes of this fad event, any-
body may lay the blame on the young m; n, who acted by-
youthful vanity, and pride of their royal birth, that they Ihould
bear to hear the calumnies that were railed ag : iinit their father,
while certainly they were not equitable judges or the actions
of his lile, but ill-natured in fufpecting aaJ intemperate m
* The reader is here to note, that this eighth leftion is ei.fircly wanting in the
old Latin veriion, as Spanhcun truly obkrves ; nor b there u.y othst (CalOB fw
a, I uppoi'e, thaa the great dif;ulty of an maft uanfktwu.
2&0 ANTIQUITIES OF THE JEWS. [Book XVL
{peaking of it, and on both accounts eafily caught by thofe
that obferved them, and revealed them to gain favour ; yet
cannot their father be thought worthy of excufe. as to that
horrid impiety which he was guihy of about them, while he
ventured, without any certain evidence of their treacherous
deiignsagainft him, and without any proofs that they had made
preparation tor luch attempt to kill his own Ions, who were
of very comely bodies, and the great darlings of other men,
and no way deficient in their condutr, whether it wer.e in
hunting, or in warlike exerciles, or in fpeaking upon occa-
iional topics of difcourfe ; tor in all thefe they were fkilfui,
and efpecially Alexander, who was the eldefl ; tor certainly
it had been fufficient, even though he had condemned them,
to have kept them alive in bonds, or to let them live at a dii-
tance from his dominions in baniihment, while he was fur-
rounded by the Roman torces, which were a ftrong fecurity
to him whofe help would prevent his fuffering any thing by a
iudden onfet, or by open force, but for him to kill them on
the fudden, in order togratily a paffion that governed him,
was a demonftrati n of infufferaHle impiety : He alfo was
guilty of fo great a crime in his elder age ; nor will the delays
that he made, and the length of time in which the thing was
done plead at all tor his excu'e; for when a man is on a fud-
den amazed, and in commotion of mind, arid then commits a
wicked aHon, although this be an heavy crime, yet is it a
thing that frequently happens, but to do it upon deliberation,
and aiter frequent attempts, and as frequent puttings off, to
undertake it at laft, and accomplish it, was the attion of a
murderous mind and fuch as was not eafily moved from that
which is evil : And this temper he (hewed in what he did af-
terward, when he did not fpare thofe that feemed to be the
beft beloved of his friends that were left, wherein, though
the juftice of the punifhment caufed thofe that perifhed to be
the lefs pitied, yet was the barbarity of the man here equal, in
that he did not abflain from their (laughter alfo : But of thofe
perfons we fhali haveoccafion to difcourle more hereafter.
Chap. 1.3 ANTIQUITIES OF THE JEWS. 2&I
BOOK XVII.
Containing the interval of fourteen years.
\fromthe death of ALKXANDER and ARISTOBULUS, to
the banijhmtnt oj ARCHELAUS.J
CHAP. I.
How Antipate? war hated by all the nation [of tht Jews] jof
the Jlaughter of his brethren ; and flow, for that reafon, he.
got into peculiar jav our with his friends at Rome, by giving
them many prejents ; as he did aijo with Satuminus the pref-
rdent of Syria, and the governors who were nnder him ; and
concerning Herod's wives and children.
I, "\X7HEN Antipater had thus taken offhis hrethren,
VV and had brought his father. into the higheft degree
of impiety, till he was haunted with furies tor what he had
Hone, his hopes did not fucceed to his mind, as to the reft of
his life ; for, although he was delivered irom the fear of his
brethren being his rivals as to the government, yet did he find
it a very hard thing and almoft impracticable, to come at the
kingdom, becauie the hatred of the nation againft him on that
account was become very great : And, befides this very dif-
agreeable circumftance, the affair of the ibldiery grieved him
ftill more who were alienated from him, from which yet theie
kings derived all the faiety which they had, whenever they
iound the nation defirous of innovation : And all this danger
was drawn upon him by his destruction ot his brethren. How-
ever, he governed the nation jointly with his father, being
indeed no other than a king already ; and he was for that very
reafon trufted, and the more firmly depended on, tor the
which he ought himfelf to have been put to death, as appear-
ing to have betrayed his brethren out ot his concern tor the
preservation of Herod, and not rather out of his ill-will to them,
and, before them, to his father himfelf ; and this was the a< -
curfed ftate he was in. Now, all Antipater's contrivances
tended to make his way to take off Herod, that he might have
nobody to accufe him in the vile practices he was devifing ;
and that Herod might have no refuge, nor any to afford him,
their alTiftance, fince they maft thereby have Antipater for
their open enemy ; infomuch that the very plots he had laid
againft his brethren, were occasioned by the hatred he bore
his father. But at this time he was more than ever fct upon
VOL. II. M m
1%% ANTIQUITIES OF THE JEWS. [Buok XVlI.
tha execution of his attempts againft Herod, becaufe if he
were once dead, the government would now be firmly fecur-
ed to him ;but it he were fuffered to live any longer, he mold
be in danger upon a difcovery of that wickednefs of which he
had been the contriver, and his father would of necefTity then
become his enemy. And on this account it was that he be-
came very bounteful to his father's friends, and beftowed
great fums on feverai of them, in order to furprife men with
his good deeds, and take off their hatred againft him. And he
fent great prefents to his friends at Rome, particularly, to gain
their good will ; and above all the reft to Saturniuns, the
prefident of Syria, He alfo hoped to gain the favour of Satur-
ninus's brother with the large prefents he beftowed on him ; as
alfo he ufed the fame art to [Salornej the king's fifter, who
had married one of Herod's chief friends. And, when he
counterfeited friendfhip to thofe with whom he converfed, he
was very fuhtle in gaining their belief, and very cunning to
hide his hatred againft any that he really did hate. But he
could not impofe upon his aunt, win underftood him of a
longtime, and was a woman not eafily to be deluded; efpe-
cially while (he had already ufed all poflibiy caution in pre-
venting his pernicious defigns. Although Antipater's uncle
by th* mother's fide, were married to her daughter, and this
by his own connivance and management, while (he had be-
fore been married to Ariftobulus, and while Salome's other
daughter by that hufband were married to the fon ot Calleas.
But that marriage was no obftacle to her, who knew how
wicked he was, in her difcovering his defigns, as her former
kindred to him could not prevent her hatred of him. Now
Herod compelled Salome, while (he was in love with Sy Ileus
the Arabian, and had taken a fondnefs for him, to marry Al-
exas ; which match was by her fubrnitted to at the inftance of
Julia, who perfuaded Salome not torefufe it, left (he (hould
herfelf be their open enemy, fince Herod had fworn that he
would never be friends with Salome, if (he would not accept
of Alexas for her hufband ; fo ihe fubrnitted to Julia as being
Caefar's wife, and, beiides that, as (lie adviied her to nothing
hut what was very much lor her own advantage. At this time
alfo it was that Herod fent back king Archelaus's daughter,
who had been Alexander's wife, to her father, returning the
portion he had with her out ot his own eitate,-that there might
be no difpute between them about it.
2. Now Herod brought up his fon's children with great care:
for Alexander had two fons by Glaphyra , and Ariftobulus
had three fons by Bernice Salome's daughter, and two daugh-
ters : And, as his friends were one with him. he prefented the
children before them ; and deploring the hard fortune ot his
own fons, he prayed that no fuchill fortune might befal thefe
Who were their children, but that they might improve in vir-
tue, and obtain what they juftly deierved, and might make
Chap. I.] ANTIQUITIES OF THE JEWS.
him amends for his care of their education. He alfo accufed
them to be betrothed agamftthey {hould come to the proper
age of marriage ; the elder ot Alexander's tons to Pherora's
daughter, and Antipater's daughter to Ariftobulus's elded
fon. He alfo allotted one of Ariltobulus's daughter to Anti-
pater's fon and Ariftobulus's other daughter to Herod, a
fon of his own, who was born to him by the highprieft's
daughter ; for it is the ancient pra6tice among us to have ma-
ny wives at the fame time. Now the king made thefe eipou-
fals tor the children, out of commiferation ot them now they
were tatherlefs, as endeavouring to render Antipater kind to
them by thefe intermarriages. But Antipater did not fail to
bear the fame temper of mind to his brother's children, which
he had borne to his brothers them (elves ; and his father's con-
cern about them provoked his indignation againft them upon
this fuppofal, that they would become greater than ever his
brothers had been ; while Arche'.aus, a king, would fupport
his daughter's Ions and Phcroras, a tetrarch, would accept
ot one ot the daughters as a wife to his fon. What provoked
him alfo was this, that all the multitude would fo commiferate
thefe fatherlefs children, and fo hate him, [for making them
fatherlefs], that all would come out, fince they were no ftran-
gers to his vile difpofition towards his brethren. He contrived
therefore to overturn his father's fettlements, as thinking it a
terribler thing that they mould be fo related to him, and be fo
powerful witha). So Herod yielded to him, and changed his
refolution at his entreaty ; and the determination now was,
that Antipater himfelf ihould many Ariftobulus's daughther,
and Antipater's fon (hould marry Pheroras's daughter. So the
efpoufals tor the marriages were changed after this manner, e-
ven without the king's real approbation.
3. Now Herod the king had at this time nine wives ; one of
them Antipater's mother, and another the highprieft's daugh-
ter, by whom he had a fon of his own name. He had alfo
one who was his broiher s daughter, and another his filler's
daughter ; which two had no children. One of his wives al-
fo was ot the Samaritan nation, whofe fons were Antipas and
Archelaus, and whole daughter was Olympias ; which daugh-
ter was afterward married to Jofeph, the king's brother's fon ;
but Archelaus and Antipas were brought up with a certain
private man at Rome. Herod had alfo to wife Cleopatra of
Jerufalem, and by her he had his fons Herod and Philip ;
which la ft was al(o brought up at Rome: Pallas alfo was one
of his wives which bare him his fon Phafaelus. And befides
thefe, he had for his wives Phedra and Elpis, by whom he
* Thofe who have a mind to know all the family and defendants of Antipater
the Idumean, and of Herod the Great, his ion, and have a memor.y to preltne
them all diftinftly, may coniult Joiepbus, Antiq. B. XVIII. ch. v. ^ 4. vol. II,
and Of the War, B. I. ch xxviii. i 4. vol. Ill, and Noldius in Havercamp's
edition, p. 336. u:d Snanheim, ib . P. 492 405. and Roland, PalefUn. Part J.
p. 175, 976.
284 ANTIQUITIES OP THE JEWS. [BookXVII.
had his daughters Roxana and Salome. As for his elder daugh-
ters by the fame mother with Alexander and Ariftobulus, arid
whom Pheroras negletted to marry, he gave the one in marriage
to Antipater the king's filter's Ion, and the other to Phaiaelus,
his brother's fon. And this was. the pofterity of Herod.
CHAP. II.
Concerning Zamaris, the Babylonian Jew. Concerning the plots
laid by Antipater againjt his father ; andfomtiukat about the
Pharifees.
i. \ ND now it was that Herod, being defirous of fccur*
Y~lL mg himfelt on the lide of the Treachonites, reioiv-
ed to build a village, as large as a city tor the Jews, in the
middle <>t that country, which might make his own country
difficuic to be aflaulted, and whence he might be at hand to
make (allies upon them, and do them amifchiet. According-
ly, when he underftood that there was a man that was a Jew
come out of Babylon with five hundred horfemen, all of
whom could (hoot their arrows as they rode on horfeback, and
with an hundred of his relations, had pafled over Euphrates,
and now abode at Antioch by Daphne of Syria, where Satur-
ninus, who was then prefident had given them a place for hab-
itation, called Valatha. he fent for this man, with the multitude
that followed him, and promifed to give him land in the to-
parchy called Batanca, which country is bounded with Trach-
onites as defirous to make that his habitation a guard to hirrir
felf. He alfo engaged to let him hold the country tree from
tribute and that they fhouid dwell entirely without paying
iuch cultoms as ufcd to be paid, and gave it him tax-free.
2. The Babylonian was induced by thefe offers to come hi-
ther ; fo he took pofleflion of the land and built in itfortrefles
and a village, and named it Bathyra. Whereby this man be-
came a lafeguard to the inhabitans againft the Trachonites, and
preferved thofe Jews who came out o^ Babylon, to offer their
iacrifices at Jerulalem, from being hurt by the Trachonite
robberies ; 10 that a great number came to him from all thofe
parts where the ancient jewifh laws were obferved, and the
country became full ot people, by reafori of their univerfal
ireedom from taxes. This continued during the life of Her-
od ; but when Philip, who was [tetrarch I atter him, took the
government, he made them pay fome fmall taxes, and that for
a little while only ; and Agrippa the Great, and his fon of the
fame name, although they harraffed them greatly, yet would
they not take their liberty away. From whom when the Ro-
mans have" now taken the government into their own hands,
they Hill gave them the privilege of their freedom, but op-
prefs them entirely with the impofition of taxes. Qt which
Chap. II.] ANTIQUITIES OF THE JEWS, 5?5
matter I (hall treat more accurately in the progrefs of this hif-
*.
3. At length Zamaris, the Babylonian, to whom Herod had
given that country tor apoflellion, died ; having lived virtu-
oufly, and lett children ot a good character behind him: One
of which was Jacim, who was famous for his valour, and
taught his Babylonians how to ride their horfes ; and a troop
ot them were guards to the torementioned kings. And when
Jacim was dead in his old age, he lett a ion whofe name was
rhilip, one ot great llrength in his hands, and in other refpecls
alfo more eminent tor his valour than any of his cotempora-
ries ; on which account there was a confidence and firm friend-
Ihip between him and King Agrippa. He had alfo an army,
\vhicu he maintained, as great as that of a King ; which he ex-
erciled and led wherefoever he had occafion to march.
4. When the affairs ot Herod were in the condition I have
delcribed, all the public affairs depended upon Antipater ; and
his p ^wer was fucli, that iie could do good turns to as many
as he pleafed, and this by his father's conceflion, in hopes of
his good will and fidelity to him ; and this tHl he ventured to
ufe his power liiil tanner, becauie his wicked defigns were
concealed from his father, and he made him believe every
thing he faid. He was allo formidable to all, not io much on
account ot the power an 1 authority he had, as for the fhrewd-
nefs of his vile attempts betore-hand ; But he who principal-
ly cultivated a friendship with him was Pheroras, who receiv-
?:! the like marks of his triendlhip ; while Antipater had cun-
ningly encompat'Ied him about by a company ot women,
whom he placed as guardsabout him : For Pheroras was great-
ly enflaved to his wife, and to her mother, and to her filter ;
and this notwithttanding the haired he bare them, for the in-
dignities they had offered to his virgin daughters. Yet he did
hare them, and nothing was to be done without the women,
who had got this man into their circle, and continued ftill to
affiit each other in all things infomuch that Antipater was
entirely addicted to them, both by himfelt, and by his moth-
er ; i'or thefe four women t faid all one and the fame thing ;
but the opinions of Pheroras and Antipater were different in
fotne points ot no confequence. But the king's fifter [Salo-
mej was their antagonilt, who for a good while had looked
about all their affairs, and was apprized that this their friend-
ihip was made in order to do Herod fome mifchief, and was
led to inform the king of it. And fince thefe people
knew that their Iriendfhip was very difagreeable to Herod, as
tending to do him a mifchiet, they contrived that their meet-
ings (hould not be difcovered ; fo they pretended to hate one
another, and to abufe one another when time ferved, and ef-
isnow wanting.
1 !'" . and her itiot'r.er, and filler, and Doris, Antipater's mother,
286 ANTIQUITIES OF THE JEWS. [Book XVII.
pecially when Herod was prefent, or when any one was there
that would tell him ; but ftill their intimacy was firmer than
ever, when they were private. And this was the courfe they
took ; but they could not conceal from Salome neither their
firft contrivance, when they fct about thefe their intentions,
nor when they had made fome progrefs in them : But (lie
fearched out every thing ; and, aggravating the relations to
her brother, declared to him, " As well their fecret affemblies
and compotations, as their counfels taken in a clandeftine
jnanner, which, it they were not in order to deftroy him, they
might well enough have been open and public. But to ap-
pearance, they are at variance, and (peak about one another as
if they intended one another a mifchief, but agree fo well to-
gether when they are out of the light ot the multitude ; for
when they are alone by themfelves they at in concert, and
profefs that they will never leave off their triendfhip, but will
fight againft thofe from whom they conceal their defigns."
And thus did me fearch out thefe things, and get a perfe6l
knowledge of them, and then told her brother ot them, who
underftood alfo of [limfelf a great deal of what Ihe faid, but
ftill durft not depend upon it, becaufe of the fufpicions he had
of his fitter's calumnies. For there was a certain feel oi mea
that were Jews, who valued themfelves highly upon the exaft
fkill they had in the law of their fathers, and made men believe
they were highly favoured by God, by whom this fet of wo-
men were inveighled. Thefe are thofe that are called the feft
of the Pharifees, who were in a capacity ot greatly oppofing
kings. A cunning fei they were, and foon elevated to a pitch
of open fighting, and doing mifchief. Accordingly, when all
the people of the Jews gave affurance of their good-will to
Caefar, and to the king's government, thefe very men did not
fwear. being above fix thoufand ; and when the king impofed
a fine upon them. Pheroras's wife paid their fine for them.
Jn order to requite which kindnefs of her's, fince they were
believed to have the foreknowledge ot things to come by di-
vine inspiration, they foretold how God had decreed, that Her-
od's government fhould ceafe, and his pofterity fhould be de-
prived ot it ; but that the kingdom (hould come to her and
Phemras, and to their children. Thefe piedictions were not
concealed from Salome, but were told the king ; as alfo how
they had perverted fome perfons about the palace itfelf ; fo
the king flew fuch ot the Pharifess as were principally accuf-
ed and Bagoasthe eunuch, and one Carus, who exceeded all
men of that time in comeiinefs, and one that was his catamite.
He flew alfo all tttofe of his own family who had confented
to what the Pharifees foretold : And for Bagoas, he had been
puffed up by them, as though he mould be named the father
and the benela6ior of him who, by the prediftion, was fore-
told to be their appointed king ; for that this king would have
all things in his power, and would nable Bagoas to marry,
and to have children of his own body begotten.
Chap. III.] ANTIQUITIES OF THE JEWS.
CHAP. III.
Concerning the enmity between Herod and Pheroras : How Her-
cd lent Antipater to Cctfar ; and oj the Death of Pheroras.
I. TT7HEN Herod had punifhed thofe Pharif<fes who had
V V been convi6ted of the foregoing crimes, he gathered
anafTembly together of his friends, and accufed Pheroras'sw ;
and alcribing the abufes ot the virgins to the impudence o!
that woman, brought an accufation againfl her for the difhon-
our fhe had brought upon them : That " ilie had ftudioufly in-
troduced a quarrel between him and his brother, and, by her
ill temper, had brought them into a ftate of war, both by her
words and a6tions ; that the fines which he had laid had not
been paid, and the offenders had efcaped punifhment by her
means ; and that nothing which had of late been done had
been done without her : For which reafon Pheroras would do
well, if he would, of his own accord, and by his own com-
mand, and not at my entreaty, or as following my opinion,
put this his wife away, as one that will ftill be the occafion ot"
war between thee and me. And now Pheroras, if thou valu-
eft thy relation to me, put this wife of 'thine away ; for by this
means thou wilt continue to be a brother to me, and wilt abide
in thy love to me." Then faid Pheroras, (although he were
prefled hard by the former words,) that " As he would not do
fo unjuft a thing as to renounce his brotherly relation to him,
fo would he not leave off his affe&ion for his wife : That he
would rather choofe to die than to live, and be deprived of a
wife that was fo dear unto him." Hereupon Herod put off
his anger againft Pheroras on thefe accounts, although he
himfelt thereby underwent a very uneafy punilhment. How-
ever, he forbade Antipater and his mother to have any con-
verfation with Pheroras, and bid them to take care to avoid
the aflemblies of the women : Which they promifed to do ;
but ftill got together when occafion ferved, and both Phero-
ras and Antipater had their own merry meetings. The report
went^alfo, that Antipater had criminal converfation with Phe-
roras's wife ; and that they were brought together by Antipa-
ter's mother.
2. But Antipater had now a fufpicion of his father, and was
afraid that the effe6ls ot his hatred to him might increafe : So
he wrote to his friends at Rome, and bid them to fend to Her-
od, that he would immediately lend Antipater to Caefar ;
which, when it was done, Herod fent Antipater thither, and
fent moft noble prefents along with him ; as alfohis teftament,
wherein Antipater was appointed to be his fuceeflbr : And
that it Antipater fhould die firft, [Herod Philip] fon by the
high-priefl's daughter, Ihc-uld facceed. And, together witb
28& ANTIQUITIES OF THJS JEWS. [Book. XV 11.
Antipater, there went to Rome, Sylieus the Arabian, although
he had done nothing of all that C<eiar had enjoined him. An-
tipater alfo accufed him of the lame crimes of which he had
been formerly accufed by Herod. Sy liens was alfo accufed
by Aretas, that without his confent, he had (lain many of the
chief of the Arabians at Peira ; and particularly Soemus, A
man that deferved to be honoured by ail men, and that he had
flain Fabatus, a fervant of Caefar's, Thele were the things ok
which Sylieus was accufed, and that on the occafion follow-
ing : There was one Corinthus belonging to Herod, of the
guards ot the king's body, and one who was greatly ti lifted by
him. Sylieus had perfuaded this man with the offer of a great
fum of money, to kill Herod ; and he had promiied to do it.
When Fabatus had been acquainted with tnis, for Sylieus hau
himfelf told him of it, he informed the king of it ; who caught
Corinthus and put him to the torture, and thereby got out of
him the whole confpiracy. He alfo caught two other Ara-
bians, who were difcovered by Corinthus ; the one the head
f a tribe, and the other a friend to Sylieus, who both were by
the king brought to the torture, and conieiled, that they were
come to encourage Corinthus not to fail of doing what he had
undertaken to do ; and to affift him with their own hands in
the murder, if need mould require their afliftance. So Satur-
ninus, upon Herod's difcovenng the whole to him, fent them/
to Rome.
3. At this time, Herod commanded Pheroras that fince he
was foobftinate in his affettion for his wife, he mould retire
into his own tetrarchy ; which he did very willingly, and
fware many oaths that he would not come again, till he heard
that Herod was dead. And indeed, when, upon a ficknefs of
the king's, he was defired to come to him belore he died, that
he might intruft him with lomeof his injunctions, he had fuch
a regard to his oath that he would not come to him : Yet did
not Herod fo retain his hatred to Pheroras, but remitted of his
purpofe [not to fee him,J whicn he before had, and that for
fuch great caufes as have been already mentioned : But as
foon as he began to be ill, he came to him, and this without
being fent for ; and when he was dead, he took care ot his
funeral, and had his body brought to Jerufalem and buried
there, and appointed a folemn mourning tor him. This | death
of Pherorasj became the origin ot Antipater's misfortunes,
although he were already iailed for Rome, God now being a-
bout to punifh him for the murder of his brethren. I will ex-
plain the hiftory of this matter very diftinctly, that it may be
for a warning to mankind, that they take care of conducting
their whole hyes by the rules oi virtue.
Chap. IV.] ANTIQUITIES OF THE JEWS.
CHAP. IV.
Pheroras's Wife is accuftd by his Freed Men, as guilty of poi-
foning him ; and how Herod, upon Examination oj the mat-
ter by lorturc, jound the Poifon; but fo that it had been
prepared for himfelf by his fon Antipater : And, upon an
enquiry by Torture, he difcovered the dangerous dejigns of
Antipater,
$ i. AS foon as Pheroras was dead, and his funeral was
-t~\. over, two ot Pheroras's treed men who were much
efteemed by him, came to Herod, and entreated him not to
leave the murder of his brother without avenging it, but to
examine into fuch an unreafonable and unhappy death. When
he was moved with thefe words, tor they feemed to him to be
true, they faid, That " Pheroras fupped with his wife the day
before he fell fick, and that a certain potion was brought him
in fuch a fort of tood as he was not ufed to ea.t ; but that when
he had eaten he died ot it : That this potion was brought out
of Arabia by a woman, under pretence indeed as a love po-
tion, tor that was its name, but in reality to kill Pheroras ;
for that the Arabian women are fkilful in making fuch poifons :
And the woman to whom they aicribe this, was confeffedly a
mofl intimate friend of one ot Sylleus's miflreffes ; and that
both the mother and the fifter of Pheroras's wite had been at
the places where fhe lived, and had perfuaded her to fell them
this potion ; and had come back and brought it with them the
day before that his f up per." Hereupon the king was pro-
voked, and put the women flaves to the torture, and fome
that were free with them : And as the fal did not yet appear,
becaufe none of them would confefs it ; at length one of them,
under her utmofl agonies, faid no more but this, That " fhe
prayed that God would fend the like agonies upon Anti pater's
mother, who had been the occafion of thefe miferies to all of
them." This prayer induced Herod to increafe the women's
tortures, till thereby all was difcovered: " Their merry meet-
ings, their fecret aifemblies, and the difclofing of what he
had faid to his fon alone, unto Pheroras's * women. 1 ' (Now
what Herod had charged Antipater to conceal was, the gjft
of an hundred talents to him not to have any conversation
* His wife, her mother and fitter.
It ieeniito me, by this whole {lory put together, that Pheroras was not himfeif
poiloned, as is commonly fuppoted ; for Antipater had periuaded him to poiioii
Heiod, ch. v. ^ i. which would fall to the ground, if he were himfelf poii'oned ;
nor couid the poifoningof Pheioras ferve any defign that app ars now going foi-
ward, it was only the luppofalof two of his freed men, that this love-potion, or
poifon, which they knew was brought to Phrroras's vife, was made utc of fcr
pollening him ; whereas it appears to have been brought, for her husband to p;-
ion Herod withal, as L:; future examinations dsmoullr4tc.
VOL. II. N n
Itp ANTIQUITIES OF THE JEWS. [Book XVlL
with Pheroras.) " And what hatred he bore to his father ; and;
that he complained to his mother how very icrig his father
lived ; and that he was himfelt almoft an old man, infomiich,
that it the kingdom mould come to him, it would not afford
him any great pleafure ; and that there were a great many ot
his brothers, or brother's children, bringing up, that migh
have hopes of the kingdom as well as himfelt, all which, made
his own hopes of it uncertain ; for that even now if he fhould
himfelt not live, Herod had ordained that the government
fhould be contened not on his fon but rather on a brother. He
alfo had accufed the king of great barbarity, and of the flaugh-
ter of his Ions ; and that it was out of the fear he was under,,
left he fhould do the like to him, that made him contrive this
his journey to Rome, and Pheroras contrive to go to his own
tetrarchy."
^2. Thefe confeffions agreed with what hi* flfler had told
him, and tended greatly to, corroborate her teflimony, and to
free her from the fufpicion of her unfaithfulnefs to him. So
the king having fatisfied himfelt of the fpite which Doris,
Antipater's mother, as well as himfelf, bore to him, took a-
way from her all her fine ornamems, which were worth ma-
ny talents ; and then feni her away, and entered into friend-
fhip with Pheroras's women. But he who moft of all irritated
the king againft his fon. was one Antipater, the procurator of
Antipater the king's fon, who when he was tortured, among
other things faid. That Antipater had prepared a deadly poriou
and given it to Pheroras, with his defire that he would give
it to his father during his abfence, and when he was too remote
to have the leaff fufpicion caft upon him thereto relating ; that
Antiphilus, one ot Antipater's friends brought that potion out
of. Egypt ; and that it was fent to Pheroras by Theudion, the
brother of the mother ot Antipater the king's fon, and by that
means came to Pheroras's wife, her hufband having given it
her tc keep. And when the king afked her about it, fhe con-
ieffed it ; ami as fhe was running to fetch it, fhe threw herfelf
down from the houfe top ; yet did fhe not kill herfelf becaufe
Ihe fell upon her feet : By which means, when the king had
comforted her, and had promifed her and her domeftics par-
don, upr-n condition of their concealing nothing of the truth
from him, but had threatened her with the utmoft miferit-s it
fhe proved ungrateful, [and concealed any thingj ; fo fhe
promifed and I wore that fhe would fpeak out every thing, and
tell after what manner every thing was done ; and faid what
many took to be entirely true, that " the potion was brought
out ot 1-^ypt by Antiphilus ; and that his brother, who was a
phyfician had procured it ; and that when Theudion brought
it us, fhe kept it upon Pheroias's committing it to her ; and
that it was prepared by Antipater for thee. When, therefore,
J J i,ci a vas tallen fick, and thou camedft to him and took.
tfdft care ot him, and when lie faw the Jundnefs thou hadfl io*
I "."] ANTIQUITIES OF THE JEWS. ?.()*,
}> nind was overborne thereby." So he called me to
} . ' o me, " O woman ! Antipater hath circum-
aflair o 1 his father and my brother, by per-
fiuiing me u, have a murderous intention to him, and procur-
ing a potion to e tubfervient thereto : Do thou, therefore, go
an.! fete - ion, (fince my brother appears to have fhll
die id-ne Vina ,us diipofition towards me which he had for-
merly, am. : -) nor expect to live long myfelf, and that I
may ,uot dej/ie my forefathers by the murder of a brother)
an I burn it oe fore my face : That accordingly (he immediate-
ly .r0ught it, and di-1 as her hulband bade her ; and that fhe
burnt the greateft part of tiie potion ; but that a little of it was
left, that it the king, alter Pheroras's death, mould treat her
ill, (he might poilon herfeif, and thereby get cle?ir of her
miferies." Upon her faying thus, )he brought out the potion,
and the box in which it was before them all. Nay, there was
another brother of Antiphilus's, and his mother alfo, who by
the extremity of pain and torture, con felled the fame things,
and owned the box | to be that v/'.nc.n had been brought out of
Kgyptj. The high-prielf's daughter alfo, who was the king's
wife, was accufed to have been confcious of all this, and had
refolved to coneal it ; for which reafon Herod divorced her,
and blotted her fon out of his teilament, wherein he had been
mentioned as one that was to reign after him ; and he took
the high priefthooa away from his iather-m-law, Simeon the
fon of Boethus, and appointed Matthias the fon of Theophi-
lus, who was born at jerufa!em,io he high prieft in his room.
3 While this was doing, $athyilus, alib Antipater's treed-
jtun came from R;>me, and, upon the torture, was found to
have brought another potion, to give it into the hands of An-
tipater's mot'.ier, and of Pheroras, that if the former potion
rivi n t operate upon the king, tins at leaft might carry him
off. These came alfo letters from Herod's 'friends at KG
by the approbation and si thefi^geition ol Antipater to accult
Archeuius and Philip, as it they calumniated their father oi
ycc-iiint of tfie ilauglner of Alexander and Ariffobulus. and as
if they commilera ed their deaths, and HS if, becaule they were
lent tor home, (!or their father had already recalled them),
they concluded they vs ere themfelves allo to be deftroyed.
Theie letters had been procured by great rewards, by Antipa-
ter's fnencis ; bin Antipater himfelf wrote to his father about
them, and laid the heavieft things to their charge ; yet did he
entirely excufe them of any guilt, and faid, they were but
young men, and fo imputed their words to their youth. But
he iaid, that he had himfelf been very bufy in the affair IT
ing to Sylleus, and in getting interelt among the great men ;
and on taat account had bought iplen did ornaments to prek-.nt
them withal, which coft him two hundred talents. Now.
may wonder how it came about, that while fo many accula-
us were laid againft him in Judea during feven months b--
9? ANTIQUITIES OF THE JEWS. [Book. XVIL
fore this time, he was not made acquainted with any of them.
The caufes of which were, that the roads were exactly guard-
ed, and that men hated Antipater ; for there were no body
who would run any hazard himfelf, to gain him any advan-
tages.
CHAP. V,
Antipater 's Navigation jrom Rome to his Father ; and how ht(
was accujed by AicolausoJ Damafcus, and condemned to die
by his Father , and by Quintilius Varus, who was then Preji-
dcnt of Syria ; and how he was then bound till Cajdrjliould.
be informed oj his Caufe..
& I. 1VTOW Herod, upon Antipater's writing to him, that
JJN having done allthat he w-is to do, and this in the
manner he was to do it, he would fuddenly come to him, con-
cealed his anger againfl him, and wrote back to him, and bid
him not delay his journey, left any harm (hould betal himfelf.
in his ahfence. At the lame time alfo he made fome little
complaint about his mother, but promifed. that he would lay
thok- complaints ai.de when he flxould return. He withal ex-
preiled his entire affection for him, as fearing left he Ihould
have iome fufpicion of him, and defer his journey to him ;
and left while he lived at Rome he '{hould lay plots lor the
kingdom, and moreover, do fomewhat againft himfelf. This
letter Antipater met with in Cilicia ; but had received an ac-
count of Pheroras's death beiore at Tarernnm. This laftnews
affefted him deeply ; not out ot any affection for Pheroras,
but becaufe he was dead without having murdered his father,
which he 'had promifed him to do. And when he was at Cel-
endens in Cilicia, he began to deliberate with nimfelt about
his failing home, as being much grieved with the ejection of
his mother. Now fome of his friends advifed him that he
Ihould tarry a while iomewhere,. in expectation ot farther in-
formation. But others advifed him to fail home without de-
lay ; for that if he were once come thither, he would foon
put an end to all acculations, and that nothing afforded any
wvight to his accufers at prefent but his abfence. He was
perluaded by the'fe laft, asd failed on, and landed at the haven
called Sebaft'us which Herod had built at vaft expences in ho-
nour G\ Caefar and called Sebaftus. And now was Antipater
evidently in amilerable condition, while no body came to him
> or (aimed him, as they didat his goingaway, with good wifh-
es or joy titl acclamations ; nor was there now any thing to hin-
der them from entertaining him, on the contrary, wish bitter
rurfes, while they fuppofed he was come to receive his pun-
jthment for the murder of his brethren.
2. Now Quintilius Varus was at this time at Jerufalem, be-
Chap. V.] ANTIQUITIES OF THE JEWS. 293
ing fent tofucceed Saturninus, asprcfident of Syria, and wa$
come as an afleffor to Herod, who had defired his advice in
his prefent affairs ; and as they were fitting together, Antipa-
ter came upon them, without knowing any thing of the mat-
ter ; fo he came into the palace clothed in purple. The port-
ers indeed received him in. but excluded his friends. And
now he was in great diforder, and preiently underftood the
condition he was in, while upon his going to falute his father,
he was repulfed by him, who called him a murderer ot his
brethren, and a plotter of deftrutHon againit himielf, and told
him that Varus fliouldbe his auditor and ins judge ihe very
next day ; fo he found, that what misfortune he now heard of
was already upon him, with the greatnefs ot which he went
away in contufion; upon which his mother and his wife met
him, (which wite was the daughter oi Antigonus who was
king of the Jews before Herodj, from whom he learned all
circumftances which concerned him, and then prepared him-
felt for his trial.
3. On the next day Varus and the king fat together in judg-
ment, and both their friends were alfo called in, as alfo the
king's relations, with his fifter Salome, and as many as could
difcover any thing, and fuch as had been tortured ; and beiides
thefe, (ome flaves of Antipater's mother, who were taken up a
little betore Antipater's coming, and brought with them a writ-
ten letter, the Turn of which was this, that " he (hould not come
back becaufe ail was come to his father's knowledge ; and
that Cieiar was the only refuge he had left to prevent both
his and her delivery into his father's hands." Then did An-
tipater fall down at his tather's feet, and befought him " not to
prejudge his caufe, but that he might be firft heard by his ia-
ther and that his father would keep him Hill unprejudiced."
So Herod ordered him to be brought into the mirtlt, and then
" lamented himfelf about his children, from whom he had fut*
fered iuch great misfortunes ; and becaufe Antipater tell up-
on him in his old age. He alfo reckoned up what mainte-
nance, and what education he had given them ; and what fea-
fonable f applies ot wealth he had afforded them, according to
their own defires, none of which favours had hindered them
from contriving againit him, and from bringing his very life
into danger, in order to gain his kingdom, after an impious
inanner, by taking away his life before the courfe of nature,
their tather's wilhes, or juftice, required that that kingdom
fhould come to them ; and that he wondered what hopes could
elevate Antipater to iuch a pafs as to be hardy enough to at-
tempt fuch things; that he had by his teiiament in writing
declared him his fucceffor in the government ; and" while he
\vas alive he was in no refpect interior to him, either in his
illuftrious dignity, or in power and authority, he having no
lets than fitly talents tor his yearly income, and had receiv-
ed for his journey to Rome no fewer than thirty talents. He
994 'ANTIQUITIES OF THE JEWS. [Book XVII,
alfo objected to him the cafe of his brethren whom he had ac r
cufed ; and it they were guilty, he had imitated their exam-
pie; and it not, he had brought him groundlefs accufations
againft his near relations ; for that he had been acquainted
with all thofe things by him, and by no body elfe, and had
done what was done by his approbation, and whom he now
aofolved from all that was criminal, by becoming the inheri-
tor ot the guilt of luch. their parricide."
4. When Herod had thus fpoken, he fell a weeping, and was
not able to fay any more; but at his defireNicolaus of Damaf-
cu, being the king's friend, and always converfant with him,
and acquainted with whatfoever he did, and with the circum-
itances ot his affairs, proceeded tp what remained, and explain-
ed all that concerned the demonftrations, and evidences oi the
fafts. Upon which Amipater, in order to make his legal de-
fence, turned himfelf to his father, and " enlarged upon the
raany indications he had given of his good will to him; and in-
itanced in the honours that had been done him, which yet had
not been done, had he not deferved them by his virtuous con-
cern about him ; for that he had made provifion tor every
thing that was fit to be torefeen before hand, as to giving him
his wifeft advice ; and whenever there was occafion for the la-
bours ot his own hands, he had not grudged any fuch pains
ior him. And that it was almoft impoffible that he, who had
delivered his lather from fo many treacherous contrivances
laid againft him, Ihould be himfeU in a plot againft him, and
iolofeall the reputation he had gained tor his virtue, by his
\vickednefs which fucceeded it ; and this while he had nothing
to prohibit him, who had already appointed his fucceflbr, to
enjoy the royal honour with his father alfo at prefent, and that
there was no likelihood that a perfon who had the one half of
that authority without any danger, and with a good character,
ihould hunt after the whole infamy and danger, and this when
it was doubtful whether he could obtain it or not ; and when
be faw the fad example of his biethren before him, and was
both the informer and the arcufer againft them, at a time when
they might not otherwife have been discovered ; nay, was the
author ot the puniihment. mflitted on them, when it appeared
evidently that they were guilty of a wicked attempt againft
their^iather; and that even the contentions there were in the
king's family were indications that he had ever managed affairs
out ot the fmcereit affection to his father. And as to what he
had done at Rome, Casfar was a witnefs thereto ; who yet was
no more to be invpofed upon than God himfelf : Of whofe o-
pmions his letters lent hither arefufficient evidence ; and that
it was not reafonable to prefer the calumnies of fuch as pro-
poled to raife difturbam.es, before thofe letters ; the greateft
part of which calumnies had been raifed during his abfence,
which gave (cope to bis enemies to forge them, which they
had not Deen able to do it he had J>een there." Moreover he
Chap. V.] ANTIQUITIES OF THE JEWS. 295
fhewed the weaknefs of the evidence obtained by torture,
which was commonly falfe ; becaufe the .diftrefs men are in
under fuch tortures naturally obliges them to fay many things
in order to pleafe thofe that govern them. He alfo offered
himielt to the torture.
5. Hereupon there was a change obferved in the avTembly,
while they greatly pitied Antipater, who by weeping and put-
ting on a countenance (uitable to his fad cafe, made them com-'
mifevate the fame ; infomuch that his very enemies were mo-,
ved to companion ; and it appeared plainly that Herod himfelf
was affected in his own mind, although he was not willing it
ihould be taken notice of. Then didNicolaus begin to profe-
cute what the king had begun, and that with great bitternefs ;
and fummed up all the evidence which arofe from the tortures,
or from the teftimonies. " He principally and largely cried up
the king's virtues, which he had exhibited in the maintenance
and education of his Ions ; while he could never gain any ad-
vantage thereby, but ftill fell from one misfortune to another.
Although he owned, that he was not fo much furprifed with
that thoughtlefs behaviour of his former fons, who were but
young, and were befides corrupted by wicked counfellors,
who were the occafions of their wiping out of their minds the
righteous dictates, of nature, and this out of a defire of coming
to the government iooner than they ought to do ; yet that he
could not but j'uftly ftand amazed at the horrid wickednefs of
Antipater, who although he had not only had great benefits
bellowed on him by his father, enough to tame his reafon, yet
could not be more tamed than the moft envenomed ferpents ;
whereas even thofe creatures admit of fome mitigation, and
will not bite their benefa6iors, while Antipater hath not let
the misfortunes of his brethren be any hindrance to him, but
he hath gone on to imitate their barbarity notwithftanding.
Yet waft thou, O Antipater, fas thou haft thyfelf confefled )
the informer as to what wicked a&ions they had done, and the
fearcher out of the evidence againft them, and the author of
the punishment they underwent upon their detection. Nor'
do we fay this as accufing thee for being fo zealous in thy an-
ger againft them, but are aftonifhed at thy endeavours to imi-
tate their profligate behaviour ; and we difcover thereby, that
thou did not act thus for the fafety of thy .father, but for the
deftruction of thy brethren, that by fuch outfide hatred of their
impiety, thou mighteft be believed a lover of thy father, and
mighteft thereby get thee power enough to do mifchief with
the greateft impunity ; which defign thy actions indeed demon-
Itrate. It is true, thou tookefl thy brethren off becauie thou
didft convict them of their wicked defigns : But chou didft not
yield up to juftice thofe who were their partners ; and there-
by didft make it evident to all men, that thou rhadeft a cove-
nant with them againft thy father, when thou chofeft to be
the accufer ef thy brethren, as defiraus toguia ig thyfelf alone
296 ANTIQUITIES OF THE JEWS. ["Book XVlL
this advantage of laying plots to kill thy father, and fo to en-
joy double plealure, which is truly worthy of thy evil difpofi-
tion. which thou halt openly (hewed againftthy brethren ; on
which account thoa didft rejoice, as having done a moft famous
exploit, nor.was that behaviour unworthy of thee. But it
thy intention were other wife thou art worfe than they ; while
thou didft contrive to bide thy tre?chery again ft thy father,
thou didft hate them, not as plotters againft thy father, tor in.
that cafe thou hadft not thyfelf fallen upon the like crime,
but as fucceifcr of his dominions, and more worthy of that
fucceffion than thyfelt. Thou wouldeft kill thy father after
thy brethren, lelt thy lies railed againft them might be detet-
ed ; and left th u (houldeft fuffer what punilhment thou hadft
deferved, thou hadft a mind to exatt that puniihment of thy
unhappy father, and didft devifefuch a fort oi uncommon par-
ricide as the world never yet faw. For thoU who art his ion
did not only lay a treacherous defign againft thy father, and
didft it while he loved thee and had been thy benefa6tor, had"
made thee in reality his partner in the kingdom, and had open-
ly declared thee his fucceifor, while thou waft not forbidden
to tafte the fweetnefs of authority already, and hadft the firm'
hope of what was future by thy father's determination, and
the fecurity of a written teftament. But for certain, thou
didft not meafure thefe things according to thy father's vari-
ous difpofition, but according to thy own thoughts and incli-
nations ; and waft defirous to take the part that remained a-
way from thy too indulgent father, and foughteft to de.ft.roy
him with thy deeds, whom thou in words pretendedft to pre-
ferve. Nor waft thou content to be wicked thyfelf, but thou
filledft thy mother's head with thy devices, and raifed diflur-
bances among thy brethren, and hadft the boldnefs to call thy
father a wild bcail ; while thou hadft thyfelf a mind more cruel
than any ferpent, whence thou fendeft out that poifon among thy
neareft kindred and greatefi benefaftors, and invitedft them to
aflift thee and guard thee, and didft hedge thyfelf in on all
fides by the anifices of both men and women, againft an old
man ; as though that mind of thine was not iufficient of itfelf
to fupport fo great an hatred as thou baredft to him. And here
thou appeared after the tortures of free men, of domeftics, of
men and women, which have been examined on thy account,
and after the informations of thy fellow confpirators, as ma-
king hafte to contradict the truth ; and haft thought on ways
not only how to take thy father out of the world, but to dif-
annul that written law which is againft thee, and the virtue
of Vaius, and the nature of juftice ; nay, fuch is that impu-
dence of thine on which thou confide!*, that thou defireft to be
put to the torture thyfelf, while thou allegeft, that the tor-
tures of thofe already examined thereby have made them tell
lies ; that thofe that have been the deliverers of thy father, may
not be allowed to have fpoken the truth ; but that thy torture*
Chap. V.] ANTIQUITIES Of THE JEWS. 2^
may be efteerned the difcoverers of truth. Wilt not thou, O
Varus deliver the king from the injuries of his kindred ? Wilt
not thou deftroy this wicked wild bead, which hath pretended
kindnefs to his father, in order to deftroy his brethren ; while
yet he is himfelf alone ready to carry off the kingdom imme-
diately, and appears to he the moft bloody butcher to hJm of
them all ? For thou art fenfible, that parricide is a general in-
j-ury both to nature and to common life ; and; that the inten-
tion of parricide is not inferior to its preparation ; and he who
does not pumfh it, is injurious to nature itfelf."
6. Nicolaus added farther what belonged to Antipater's mo-
ther, and whatfoever (he had prattled like a woman ; as alia
about the predictions and the facrifices relating to the king ;
and whatfoever Antipater had done lafciviouily in his cups
and his amours among Pheroras's women ; the examination
upon torture ; and whatfoever concerned the teftimonies ot
the witneffes, which were many, and of various kinds , fome
prepared before hand, and others werefudden anfwers, which
farther declared and confirmed the foregoing evidence. For
thofe men who were not acquainted with Antipater's practices,
but had concealed them out of fear, when they law that he was
expofed to the accufations of their former witnefTes, and that
his great good fortune, which had fupported him hitherto,
had now evidently betrayed him into the hands of his enemies,
who were now infatiable in their hatred to him, told all they
knew of him. And his ruin was now battened, not fo much
by the enmity of thofe that were his accufers, as by his grofs,
and impudent, and wicked contrivances, and 'by his ill-will
to his father and his brethren ; while he had filled their houfe
with diflurbance, and caufed them to murder one another ;
and was neither fair in his hatred, nor kind in his friendihip,
but juft fo far as ferved his own turn. Now, there were a
great number who for a long time before hand had feen all
this, and efpecially fuch as were naturally difpofed to judge
of matters by the rules of virtue, becaufe they were ufed to
determine about affairs without paffion, but had been reibain-
ed from making any open complaints before ; thefe, upon the
leave now given them, produced all that they knew before the
public. The demonftrations alfo of thefe wicked fa els could
no way be difproved : Becaufe the many witnefles there were
did neither {peak out of favour to Herod, nor were they o-
bliged to keep what they had to fay filent, outot fufpicion of
any danger they were in ; but they fpake what they knew,
becaufe they thought fuch actions very wicked, and that An-
tipater deferved the greateft puniihment ; and indeed not fo
much for Herod's lately, as on account ot the man's own
wickednefs. Many things were alfo faid, that thofe by a great
number of perfons, who were no way obliged to fay them j
infomuch, that Antipater, who ufed generally to be very
fhrewd in his lies and impudence, was not able to fay one
VOL. II. O o
word to the contrary. When Nicplaus had left off (peaking,
and had produced the evidence, Varus bid Antipater to be-
take himfelf to the making his defence, it he had prepared
any thing whereby it might appear that he was not guilty oi
the crimes he was accufed of ; for that, as he was himfelf de-
firous, fo did he know that his father was in like manner de-
iirous alfo to have him found entirely innocent. But Antipa-
ter fell down on his face, and appealed to God, and toall men,
for teilimonials of his innocency, defining that God would
declare by fome evident fignala, that he had not laid any plot
againft his father. This being the ufual method ot all men
deftitute of virtue, that when they fet about any wicked un-
dertakings, they fall to work according to their own inclina-
tions, as if they believed that God was unconcerned in human
affairs ; but when once they are found out, and are in danger
of undeigoing the punifhment due to their crimes, they en-
deavour to overthrow all the evidence againft them, by ap-
pealing to God ; which was the very thing which Antipater
now did : For whereas he had done every thing as if there
were no God in the world, when he was on all fides diftrefled
by juftice, and when he had no other advantage to expet
from any legal proofs, by which he might difprove the accu-
fations laid againft him, he impudently abufed the majefty of
God, and afcribed it to his power, that he had been preferved
hitherto ; and produced before them all. what difficulties he
had ever undergone in his bold afting for his father's prefer-
vation.
7. So when Varug, upon afking Antipater what he had to
fay for himfelf, found that he had nothing to fay befides his
appeal to God, and law that there was no end of that, he hid
them bring the potion before the court, that he might fee
what virtue ftill remained in it ; and when it was brought,
and one that was condemned to die had drank it by Varus's
command, he died prefently. Then Varus got tip, and de-
parted out of the court, and went away the day following 10
Antioch, where his ufual residence was, becaufe that was the
palace of the Syrians ; upon which Herod laid his fon in
bonds. But what were Varus's difcourfes to Herod, was not
known to the generality, and upon what words it was that he
went away ; though it was alfo generally fuppofed, thatwhat-
Jbever Herod did afterward about his fon, was done with his
approbation. But, when Herod had bound his fon, he fent
letters to Rome to Csefar about him, and fuch mefferigers
withal as fhould, by word of mouth, inform Caefar of Antipa-
fer's wickednefs. Now, at this very time there was feized :*
letter of Antiphilus, written to Antipater out of Hgypt (for he
lived there ;) and, when it was opened by the king, it was
found to contain what follows : " I have fent thee Acme's
letter, and hazarded my own life ; for thou knoweft that I am
in danger from two families, if I be discovered. I wifh thee
Chap. V.] ANTIQUITIES OF THE JEWS. 299
good fuccefs in thy affair." Thefe were the contents of this
letter ; but the king made enquiry about the other letter alfo,
for it did not appear, and Antiphilus's flave, who brought that
letter which had been read, denied that he had received the
other. But while the king was in doubt about it, one of Her-
od's friends feeing a feam upon the inner coat of the flave,
and a doubling of the cloth (for he had two coats on,) he
guefled that the letter might be within that doubling, which
accordingly proved to be true. So they took put the letter,
and its contents were thefe : *' Acme to Antipater. I have
written fuch a letter to thy father as thou defirefl me. I have
alfo taken a copy, and fent it, as if it came from Salome to
niy lady [Livia ;J which, when thou readeft, I know that
Herod will punilh Salome, as plotting againft him." Now
this pretended letter of Salome's to her lady was compofed by
Antipater, in the name of Salome, as to its real meaning, but
in the words ol Acme. The letter was this : " Acme to king
Herod. I have done my endeavour that nothiag that is done
againft thee mould be concealed from thee. So, upon my
finding a letter of Salome written to my lady againft thee. I
have written out a copy, and fent it thee ; with hazard to my-
felr, but for thy advantage. The reafon why fhe wrote it wa*
this, that fhe had a mind to be married to Sylleus. Do thou
therefore tear this letter in pieces, that I may not come into
danger of my life." Now Acme had written to Antipater
himfelf, and informed him that, in compliance with his com-
mand, Hie had both herfelf written to Herod as if Salome had
laid a fudden plot entirely againft him, and had herfelf fent a
copy of an epiftle, as coming from Salome to her lady. Now
Acme was a Jew by birth, and a fervant to Julia, Caefar's
wi v e ; and did this out of her Iriendlhip for Antipater, as hav-
ing been corrupted by him with a large prefent ot money, to
aflift in his pernicious defigns againft his father and his aunt.
8. Hereupon Her^d was fo amazed at the prodigious wick-
ednefs of Antipater, that he was ready to have ordered him to
be flain immediately, as a turbulent perfon in the moft import-
ant concerns, and as one that had laid a plot not only againft
himfelf, but ag.iinft his filler alfo, and even corrupted" Ciefar's
own domeftics. Salome alfo provoked him to it, beating her
breaft, and bidding him kill her, if he could produce any
credible teftimony that fhe had afted in that manner. Herod
alfo lent for his fon and afked him about this matter, and bid
him contradi6l it if he could, and not fupprefs any thing he
had to fay for himfelf ; and, when he had not one word to fay,
he afked him, fince he was every way caught in his villany,
that he would make no farther delay, but diicover his alfoci-
ates in thefe his wicked defignS. So he laid all upon Antiphi-
lus ; but difcovered nobody elfe. Hereupon Herod was in
4uch great grief, that he was ready to fend his fon to Rome to
there to give an account of thefe his wicked contriv-
ANTIQUITIES OP THE JEWS. [Book XVII,
gnces. But he loon became afraid, left he might there, by
the affiftance of his friends, efcape the danger he was in : So
he kept him hound as before, and Tent more ambaffadors and
letters fto Rome] to accufe his fon, and an account of vviiat
affiftance Acme had given him in his wicked defigns, with
copies of the epiftles before mentioned.
CHAP, VI,
Concerning the Diftaft that Herod fell into, and the Sedition
which tlie Jews raifed thereupon ; with the PuwJJiment of the
Seditious.
$ *' ^JOW Herod's ambaffadors made hafte to Rome ; but
1 >l went as inftru':ted before hand what anfwers they
were to make to the queftions put to them. They alfo carried
the epiftles with them. But Herod no-v fell into a diitemper,
and made his will, and bequeathed his kingdom to f Antipasl
his youngeft fon ; and this out of that hatred to Archelaus and
Philip, which the calumnies ot Antipater had raifed againft
them. He alfo bequeathed a thoufand talents to Caefar, and
five hundred to Julia, Caefar's wife, t Caefar's children
friends and freed men. He alfo diftributed among his fons
and their fons his money, hij revenues and his lands. He al-
fo made Salome his fift^r very rich, becaufe the ha:! continued
faithful to him in alibis circurnftances, and was never fo rafh
as to do him aiiy harm : And as he defpaired of recovering,
tor he was about the (eventieth year of his age, he grew fierce,
and indulged the bitterefl anger upon all occafions ; the cauie
whereof was this, that he thought himfelf defpifed, and that the
nation was pleafed with his misfortunes ; befides which, he
refented a ledition which fome ot the lower fort of men excit-
ed againfl him, the occafion of which was as follows.
2. There was one Judas, the fon of Saripheus, and Mat-
thias, the fon of Margalothus, two of the moft eloquent men
among the Jews, and the moft celebrated interpreters ot the
Jewilh laws, and men well beloved by the people, becaufe
of. their education of their youth ; for all thofe that were itti-
dious of virtue, frequented their leclures every day. Thefe
men, when they found that the king's Hiflemper was incura-
ble, excited fhe young men that they would pull down all
thofe works which the king had ereled contrary to the law oi
their fathers, and thereby obtain the rewards which the law
\\'ill confer on them for fuch aclions ot piety ; for that it was
truly OH account ot Herod's rafhnefs in making fuch things as
the law had forbidden that his other misfortunes, and this
diftemper alfo, which was fo unufual among mankind, and
with which he was now afflicled, came upon him : For Her-
od had caufed fuch things to be made, which were contrary
Chap. VI.] ANTIQUITIES OF THE JEWS. 3*1
to the law, of which he was accufed by Judas and Matthias ;
for the .king had ereted over the great gate of the temple a
large golden eagle, of great value, and had dedicated it to the
temple. Now the law forbids thofe that prppofe to live accor-
ding to it, to creel images * or reprefentations ot any Hying
creature. So thefe wife men perfuaded [their fcholars | to
pull down the golden eagle ; alledging, That " although they
fhould incur any danger, which might bring them to their
deaths, the virtue of the action now propofed to them, would
appear much more advantageous to them than the pleafuresof
life ; fince they woulddie for the prefervation and observation
ot the law of their fathers ; fince they would alfo acquire an
everlafting fame and commendation ; fince they would be
both commended by the prefent generation, and leave an ex-
ample of lif" that would never be forgotten to pofterity ; fince
that common calamity ot dying cannot be avoided by our
living fo as to efcape any fuch dangers ; that therefore it is a
right thing for thofe who are in love with a virtuous conduct,
to wait tor that tatal hour by fuch a behaviour as may carry
them out of the world with praife and honour ; and that this
will alleviate death to a great degree, thus to come at it by the
performance of brave a -(ions, which bring us into danger oi
it ; and at the fame time, to leave that reputation behind them to
their children, and to all their relations, whether they be men
or women, which will be ot great advantage to them after-
ward."
3. And with fuch difcourfes as this did thefe men excite
the young men to this action ; and a report being come to
them that the king was dead, this was an addition to the wife
men's perfuafions ; fo, in the very middle ot the day, they
got upon the place, they pulled down the eagle, and cut it
into pieces with axes while a great number of the people were
in the temple. And now the king's captain, upon hearing
what the undertaking was, and fuppofing it was a thing ot a
higher nature than it proved to be, came up thither, having a
great band of foldiers with him, luch as was furficient to put
aftoptothe multitude ot thofe who pulled down what was
dedicated to God : So he tell upon them unexpectedly, and
as they were upon this bold attempt, in a ipohih prefumption
rather than a cautious circumfpeftion, as is ufual with the
multitude, and while they were in diforder, and incautious
of what was tor their advantage ; fo he caught no fewer than,
forty of the young men, who had the courage to flay behind
when the reft ran away, together with the authors of this bold
attempt, Judas and Matthias, who thought it an ignominious
thing to retire upon his approach, and led them to the king.
And when they were come to the king, and he had afked
* That the making of images, without an intention to worfliip them, was not
unlawful to the jews, fee the note on Aati^. B. VIII. ch. vii. * 5. Vol. I.
-oi ANTIQUITIES OF THE JEWS. [Book XVII,
them if they had been fo bold as to pull down what he had
dedicated to God ? " Yes (faid they), what was contrived,
we contrived, and what had been performed, we performed
it, and that with fuch a virtuo.us courage as becomes men ; for
we have given our affiftance to thofe things which were dedi-
cated to the majefty ot God, and we have provided for what
we have learned by hearing the law ; and it ought not to be
wondered at, if we efteem thofe laws which Mofes had fug-
gefted to him, and were taught him by God.^and which he
wrote and left behind him, more worthy of obfervation than
they commands. Accordingly we will undergo death, and
all forts of punifhment which thou canft inflicl upon us, with
pleafure, fince we are confcious to ourfelves that we fhall die,
not for any unrighteous actions, but for our love to religion."
And thus they all faid, and their courage was ttill equal to
their profeflion, and equal to that with which they readily fet
about this undertaking. And when the king had ordered
them to be bound, he lent them to Jericho, and called to-
gether the principal men among the jews ; and when they
were come, he made them affemble in the theatre, and be-
caufe he could not himfelt ftand, he lay upon a couch, and
" enumerated the many lobours that he had long endured on
their account, and his building of the temple and what a vaft
charge that was to him ; while the Afomoneans, during the
hundred twenty-five years of their government, had not^ been
able to pcitorrn any fo great a work for the honour ot God as
that was : That he hadalfo adorned it with very valuable do-
nations ; on which account he hoped that he had left himfelf
a memorial and procured himfeli a reputation after his death.
He then cried out, that thefe men had not abftained from at-
fronting him, even in his lite-time, but that in the very day-
time, and in the fight of the multitude, they had abufed him
to that degree, as to tall upon what he had dedicated, and in
that way of abufe, had pulled it down to the ground. They
pretended, indeed that they did it to affront him ; but it any
one, confidering the thing truly, they will find that they were
guilty of facrilegeagainit God therein."
4. But the people, on account of Herod's barbarous tem-
per, and for tear he (hould be fo cruel as to inflift punifhment on
them, faid, " What was done, was done without their appro-
bation, and that it feemed to them that the aftors might well
he punifhed for what they had done,' 5 But as for Herod, he
dealt more mildly with others [ot the affemblyj ; but he de-
prived Matthias of the high-priefthood, as in part an occafion
of this action, and made Joazar, who was Matthias's wife's
brother, high-priett in his ftead. Now it happened that dur-
ing the time ot the high-prielthoodof this Matthias, there was
another perion made high-prieft for a fmgle day, that very
day which the Jews obferved as afaft. The occafion was this :
Matthias the high-prieft, on the night before that day, when
Chap. VI] ANTIQUITIES OF THE JEWS. 303
the faft was to be celebrated, feeraed, in a dream *, to have
converiation with his wile ; and becaufe he could not officiate
himfelf on that account, Jofeph, the fon of Ellemus, his kinf-
rnan 5 aflilted him in that facred office. But Herod deprived
this Matthias of the high-priefthood, and burnt the other Mat*
thias, who had raifed the {edition with his companions, alive.
And that very night there was an eclipfe of the moon t.
5. But now Herod's diflemper greatly increafed upon him
after a fevere manner, and this by God's judgment upon him
tor his fins ; for a fire glowed in him (lowly, which did not fo
much appear to the touch outwardly, as it augmented his
pains inwardly ; for it brought upon him a vehement appetite
to eating, which he could not avoid to fupply with one fort of
food or other. His entrails were alfo exulcerated, and the
chief violence of his pain lay on his colon ; an aqueous and
tranfparent liquor alfo had fettled itfelf about his feet, and a
like matter afflifted him at the bottom of his belly. Nay, far-
ther, his privy-member was putrified and produced worms ;
and when he fat upright, he had a difficulty of breathing, which
was very loathfome, on account of the ftench of his breath,
and the quicknefs of its returns : He had alfo ConvuKions in
all parts of his body, which increafed his flrength to an un-
fufferable degree. It was faid by thofe who pretended to di-
vine, and who were endued with wifdom to foretel fuch things,
that God inffifted this punifhment on the king, on account ot
his great impiety j yet was he ftill in hopes of recovering,
though his afflictions feemed greater than any one could bear.
He alfo fent for phyficians. and did not refufe ta follow what
they prefcribed for his affiftance, and went beyond the river
Jordan, and bathed himfelf in the warm baths that were at Cal-
lirrhoe, which, befides their other general virtues, were alfo
fit to drink ; which v/ater runs into the lake called Afphaltitis.
And when the phyficians once thought fit to have him bathed
in a veffel full of oil, it was luppofed that he was juft dying ;
* This faft, that one Jofeph was made high-pricft. for a fingle day, on occafion
of the aftion here (pecified, thnt befel Matthias, the real high-pried, in his fleep, the
ai^ht before the great day of expiation, is attefted to both in the Mifhna and Tal-
raud, as Dr. Hud (0:1 here informs us. And indeed, from this faft, this fully t-
tefted, we may confute that pretended rule in the Talmud here mentioned, and en-
deavoured to be exculed by Reland, that the high-prieft was not fuffered to fleej*
the night before that great day of expiation ; which watching would furely rather
unfit him for the many important duties he was to perform on that foletnn. day,
than difpole him duly to perform them. Nor do fuch Talniudical rules, when
uniupported by better evvdence, much lels, when contradicted thereby, feem to me
of weight enough to cLlerve that fo great a man as Reland fhould !pend his time
in endeavours at their vindication.
+ This eclipie of the moon (which is the only ecliple of either of the luminaries
mentioned by our Jofephus in any of his writings.) is of the greateft confequenca
for the determination of the time for the death of Herod and Antipater, and tor the
birth and entire chronology of Jefus Chrifl It happened March 131)1, in the year
of the Julian period 47 to, and the 4th year before the Chriftian jera. See its calcu-
lation by the rules of ailronomy, at the Mul of the Aftroncl ogical Le&ures, <Ji5.
Lat. page 45 1,452.
304 ANTIQUITIES OF THE JEWS. [Book XVll.
but, upon the lamentable cries of his domeflics, he revived J
and having no longer the leatt hopes of recovering, he gave
orrler that every foldier (hould be paid fifty drachmas ; and he
alfo gave a great deal to their commanders and to his friends,
and came again to Jericho, where he grew fo choleric, that it
brought him to do all things like a madman ; and though he
were near his death, he contrived the following wicked defigns.
He commanded that all the principal men of the entire Jew-
ifh nation, wherefoever they lived, fhould be called to ni?r;.
Accordingly, they were a great number that came, becaufe
the whole nation was called, and all men heard of this call, and
death was the penalty of fuch as mould defpife the epiftles that
were fent to call them. And now the king was in a wild rage
againft them all, the innocent as well as thofe that had afforded
ground for accufations; and when they were come, he order-
ed them to be all (hut up in the hippodrome * and fent for his
lifter Salome, and her hufband Alexis, and fpake thus to them :
*' I fhall die in a little time, fo great are my pains, which
death ought to be cheerfully borne, and to be welcomed by all
inen ; but what principally troubles me is this, that I (hall
die without being lamented; and without fuch mourning as
men ufually expeftat a king's death. For that he was not un-
acquainted with the temper of the Jews, that his death would
be a thing very defirable and exceedingly acceptable to
them ; becaufe during his lifetime they were ready to revolt
from him, and to abule the donations he had dedicated to God :
That it therefore xvas their bufinefs to refolve to afford him
fome alleviation of his great forrows on this occafion ; for that,
if they do not refufe him their confent in what he defires, he
fhall have a great mourning at his funeral, and fuch as never
any king had before him ; for then the whole nation wduid
rnourn from their very foul, which otherwife would be done
in fport and mockery only. Hedefired therefore that as foon
as they fee he hath given up the ghoft, they lhall place foldiei s
round the hippodrome, while they do not know that he is dead ;
and that they fhall not declare his death to the multitude till
this is done, but that they lhall give orders to have thofe that
are in cuftpdy (hot with their darts ; and that this (laughter of
them all will cauie that he fhall not miis to rejoice on a doub-
le account. That as he is dying, they will make him fecure
that his will fhall be executed in what he charges them to do;
and that he fhall have the honour of a memorable mourning at
his funeral. So he deplored his condition, with tears in his
eyes, and obtefted them by the kindnefs due from them, as of
his kindred, and by the faith they owed to God, and begged of
them that they would not hinder him of this honourable mour-
ning at his funeral." So they promifed him not to tranfgrefs
his commands.
* A place for tbehorfe-ract?.
Chap. VII.] ANTIQUITIES OF THE JEWS. 305-
6. Now any one may eafily clifcov/er he temper of this man's
mind, which not only took pFeahire in doing what he had done
formerly againft his relations, out ot the love of hie, but by
thofe commands of his which favoured of no humanity : Since
he took care, when he was departing out of this lite, that the
whole nation fhould be put into mourning, and indeed made
defolate ot their -rleareft kindred, when he gave order that one
out ot every family fhould be (lain, although they had done
nothing that was unjuft, Or that was againft him, nor were
they accufed of any other crimes ; while it is ufual tor thofe
who have any regard to virtue, to lay afide their hatred at
fuch a time, even with refpeft to thofe they juftly eUeemcd
their enemies.
C H A P. VII.
lltrod has thoughts of Killing himfdf with his own hand; and
a little ajterzvards he orders Antipater to bejlam.
S he was giving thefe commands to his relations^
. there came letters from his ambaffadors, who had
been fent to Rome unto Ciefar, which when they were read,
their purport was this : That " Acme was flain by Caefar, out
of his indignation at what hand (he had in Antipater's wicked
practices ; and that as to Antipater him (elf, Caefar left it to
Herod to aft a? became a father and a king, and either to ban-
ifh him, or take away his lite, which he pleafed." When
Herod heard this, he was fomewhat better, out of the pleafure
he had from the contents of the letters, and wall elevated at
th death of Acme, and at the power that was given him over
his ton ; hut as his pains were become very great, he was
now ready to taint for want ot fomewhat to eat ; fo he called
for an apple, and a knite ; for it was his cuflom formerly to
pare the apple himfelf, and foon atterwards to cut it^ and eat
it. When he had got the knite, he looked about, and had a
mind to ftabhimfelt with it ; and he had done it, had not his
firfl coufin Achiabus prevented him, and held his hand, and
cried put loudly . Whereupon a woful lamentation echoed
through the palace, and a great tumult was made, as it tl. ta-
king were dead. Upon which Antipater, who veri'y believ-
ed his father was deceafed, grew bold in his diicourfe, as hop-
ing to be immediately and entirely releafed trom his bonds, -
and to take the kingdom into his hands, without any more ado ;
fo he difcourfed with the jailor about letting him go, and i<i
that cafe promiled him great things, both now and hereaftcj,
as it that were the only thing now in queftion. But thejailor
did not only refufe to do what Antipater would have him, bu^
informed the kiag of his intentions, and how many folicita-
tions he had had from bimfof that nattwe I. Hereupon Herad.
VOL. II. P p
506- ANTIQUITIES OF THE JEWS. [Book XVlL
who had formerly no affelion nor good will towards his (an
1o reftrain him, when he heard what the jailor faid, he cried
out, and beat his head, although he was at death's door, and
raifed himfelt upon his elbow, and lent for fome of his guards,
and commanded them to kill Antipater without any farther
delay, and to do it prefently, and to bury him iu an ignoble
manner at Hyrcania.
CHAP. VIII.
Concerning Herod's Death , and Teftament, and Burial.
I. A ND now Herod altered his teftament upon the alter-
/!L ation ot his mind ; for he appointed Antipas, to
whom he had before leh the kingdom, to be tetrarch of Galilee
and Perea, and granted the kingdom to Archelaus. He alfo
gave Gaulonitis, and Trachonitis, and Paneas to Philip, who
was his fon, but own brother * to Archelaus, by the name of
tetrarchy ; and : bequeathed Jainnia, and Afhdod, and Phafae-
lis,to Salome his filter, with five hundred thoufand (drachmas]
of filver that was coined. He alfo made provifion for all the
reft of his kindred, by giving them (urns ot money and annu-
al revenues, and fb left them all in a wealthy condition. He
bequeathed alfo to Caefar ten millions Tot drachmae | of coined
money, befides both vcffels of gold and filver, and garments
exceeding coftly, to Julia, Casfai s wife ; and to certain oth-
ers, five millions. When he had done thele things, he died,
the fifth day after he had caufed Antipater to be (lain ; having
reigned, fince he had procured Antigonus t to be flain, thirty-
four years ; but fince he had been declared king by the Ro-
mans, thirty-fevcn. A man he was of great barbarity towards
all men equally, and a flave to hispaffion ; but above the con-
federation ot what was right : Yet was he favoured by tortune
;is much as any marl ever waj, for, from a private man he be-
came a king ; and though he were encompaffed with ten thou-
fand dangers, he got clear of them all, and continued his lite
till a very old age. But then, as to the affairs ot his family
* When it is here (aid that Philip the tetrarch, and Archelaus the king, or eth-
tarch, \\eie KO&Qot yinjo-Ku, or genuine brothers, if thofe words mean own
brothers, or born ot'thx umie fat!-;tr and mother, there muft be here fome miftake ;
becaufe they had indeed the lame father, Herod, but different mothers; the former
Cleopatra, and Archelaus Malthace. They were indeed brought up altogether pri-
-.stcly at Rome like own brothers ; and Philip was Archelaus's deputy when hr.
v;enttohave his kingdom confirmed to him at Rome ; ch. ix, 3. and Of the
War, B. II. ch. ii. ^ t. Vol. III. which intimacy is perhaps ail that Jofephus in-
tended by the words before us
t Thefe numbers of years for Herod's reign, 34. and 37, are the very fame with
tho r e of the War, B. I. ch. xxxiii. ^8. Vol. III. and are among the principal
chronological characters belonging to tlie reign or death of -Herod. See Herm. of
vaug. pa^c 150 155.
Chap. VIIL] ANTIQUITIES F THE JEWS. 307
and children in which indeed, according to his own opinion,
he was alfo very fortunate, becaufe he was able to conquer
his enemies, yet, in ray opinion, he was herein very unfor-
tunate.
2. But when Salome and Alexis, before the king's death
was made known, difmiffed thofe that werefhut up in the
hippodrome, and told them that the king ordered them to go
away to their own lands, and take care ot their own affairs, .
which was efteemed by the nation a great benefit. And now
the king's death was made public, when Salome and Alexis
gathered the foldiery together in the amphitheatre at Jericho ;
and the firit thing tjiey did was, they read Herod''s letter,
written to the foldiery, thanking them for their fidelity and
good will to him, and exhorting them to afford his fon Ar-
chelaus, whom he had appointed tor tbeir king, like fidelity
and good will. After which Ptolemy, who had (he king's
feal entrufted to him, read the king's teftament, which was to
be of force no otherwife than as it mould fland when Casfar
]iad infpectedit : So there was prefently an acclamation made
to Archelaus, as king, and the foldiers came by bands, and
their commanders with them, and promifed the fame good
will to him, and readinefs to ferve him, which they had ex-
hibited to Herod ; and they prayed God to be affiflant to him.
3. Aiter this was over, they prepared for his funeral, it be-
ing Avchelaus's care that the proceffion to his father's fepul-
chre fhould be very fumptuous. Accordingly he brought
out all his ornaments to adoin the pomp of the funeral. The *
body was carried upon a golden bier, embroidered with very
precious ftones of great variety, and it was covered over with
puiple, as well as the body itfelf: He had a diadem upon his
head, and above it a crown of gold ; he aifo had a fceptre in
his right hand. About the bier were his Ions and his nume-
rous relations ; next to thefe was the foldiery, diftingtafhed
according to their feveral countries and denominations ; and
they were put into the following order : Firft ot all went his
guards ; then the band ot Thracians ; and after them the Ger-
mans ; and next the band ot Galatians, every one in their
habiliments ot war; and behind thefe marched the wholearmy
in the fame manner as they uicd to go out to war, and as. they
ufed to be put in array by their mu Her- matters and centuri-
ons ; thefe were followed by five hundred of his domeftics,
carrying fpices. So they went eight furlongs*, to Herodium ;
tor there, by his own command, lie. was to be buried. And
thus did Herod end his Hie.
4. Now Archelaus paid him fo much refpecX as to continue
his mourning till the feventh day ; for io many days are ap-
* At ci^htjijtiia or furlongs a-day, as h. re, Herod's funeral, conduced to He-
rodium (which hp at (he diftancc from Josicho, where lie died, ot 200 jtadia or
luriongs ; Ot the War, B. I. cli xxxm. <j 9. Vok III), m-il have ia.-.c:i up r.j
lots ttan twenty-five days.
308 ANTIQUITIES OF THE JEWS. [BookXVII.
pointed for it by the law of our fathers. And when he had
given a treat to the multitude, and left off his mourning, he
went up into the temple ; he had alfo acclamations and piVifes
given him, which way foeverhe went, every oneftriving Vith
the reft who fhould appear to ufe the loudefi acclamations. So
he afcended an high elevation made for him, and took hi
in a throne made of gold, and fpake kindly ID the rnui'
and declared, " with what joy he received their acclamations,
and the marks of the good will they fhewedtohim ; at.c! return-
ed them thanks that they did not remember the injuries hi- la-
ther had done them, to his difadvantage ; and promifed thtm,
he would endeavour not to be behind hand with them in re-
warding their alacrity in his fervice, after a luitable manner ;
but that he fhould abftain at prefent from the name of king,
and that he fhould have the honour of that dignity, if Caefar
Ihould confirm and fettle that teftament which his father had
made ; and that it was on this account, that when the army
\vould have put the diadem on him at Jericho, he would not
accept of that honour, which is ufually fo much defired, be-
caufe it was not yet evident that he who has to be principally
concerned in bellowing it, would give it him ; although, by
his acceptance of the government, he mould not want the abil-
ity of rewarding their kindnefs to him ; and that it fhould be
his endeavour, as to all things wheiein they were concerned,
to prove, in every refpecr, better than his fathe/." Where-
upon the multitude, as it is ufual with them, fuppofed that the
firit days of thofe that enter upon fuch governments, declare
the intentions of thofe that accept them ; and fo by how much
Archelaus fpake the more gently and civilly to them, by fo
much did they more highly commend him, and made applica-
tion to him for the grant o{ what they defired. Some made a
clamour that he would eafe them of lomeot their annual pay-
me'nts ; but others deCred him to releafe thofe that were put
into prifon by Herod, who were many, and had been put there
at feveral times ; others of 'them required that he would take
away thofe taxes which had been feverely laid upon what was
publicly fold and bought. So Archelaus contradicted them
in nothing, fince he pretended to do all things fo as to get the
good will of the multitude to him, as looking upon that good
will to be a great flep towards his preservation of the govern-
ment. Hereupon he went and offered facrifice to God, and
then betook himfdf to fe&ft with his friends.
Chap. IX.] ANTIQUITIES OF THE JEWS. 309
CHAP. IX.
Hffw the People raifed a Sedition againjl Archelaus, and how
he Sailed to Rome.
$ i. AT this time alfo it was, that fome of the Jews got
./JL together, out of a defire of innovation. They la-
mented Matthias, and thofe that were flain with him by Her-
od, who bad not any refpeft paid them by a funeral mourn-
ing, out ot the fear men were in of that man ; they were
thofe who had been condemned for pulling down the golden
eagle. Trie people made a great clamour and lamentation
hereupon, and caft out foroe reproaches againft the king alfo,
as it Uiat tended to alleviate the naileries of the deceafed.
Thefe people affembled together, and defired of Archelaus,
that, in way of revenge on their account, he would inflict
punifhment on thofe who had been honoured by Herod ; and
that, in the firlt and principal place, he would deprive that
high-prieft whom Herod had made, and would chpofe one
more agreeable tg the law, and of greater purity, to officiate
as high-prieft. This was granted by Archelaus, although he
was mightily offended at their importunity, becaufe he pro-
poie-d to himfelt to go to Rome immediately, to look aher
Caefar's determination about him. However, he fent the gen-
eral ot his torces to ufe periuafions. and to tell them that the
death which was inflicled on their friends, was according to
the law ; and to reprefent to them, that their petitions about
thefe things were carried to a great height of injury to him ;
that the time was not now proper tor iuch petitions but re-
quired their unaniruity until fuch time as he (hould be eftab-
lifhed in the government by the confent of Cajfar, and fhould
then be come back to them ; lor that he would then confulc
with them in common concerning the purport of their peti-
tions, but that they ought at prefent to be quiet, left they mould
feem feditious perfons.
2. So when the king had fuggefted thefe things, and in-
flrucled his general in what he was ito fay, he fent him away
to the people ; but they made a clamour, and would not give
him leave to fpeak, and put him in danger of hie life, and as
many more as were defirous to venture upon faying openly a-
ny thing which might reduce them to a lober mind, and pre-
vent their going on in their prefent courfes ; becaufe they
had more concern to have all their own wills performed, than
to yield obedience to their governors ; thinking it to be a
thing infufferable, that, while Herod was alive, they Ihould
lofe thofe that were the moft dear to them, and that when he
was dead, they could not get the actors to be puni(hed. So
they went on with their defigns alter a violent manner, aavi
310 ANTIQUITIES OF THE JEWS. [Book XVII.
thought all to be lawful and right which tended to pleafe them,
and being unfkiiful in fprefeeing what dangers they incurred ;
and when they had fulpicion of fuch a thing, yet did the
prefent pleafure they took in the punilhment of thofe they
deemed their enemies, overweigh all fuch confederations ; and
although Archelaus fent many to fpeak to them, yet they
ireated them not as meffengers fent by him, but as perfons that
came oi their own accord to mitigate their anger, and would
not let one of them fpeak. The fedition alfo was made by
fuch as were in a great puflion ; and it was evident that they
were proceeding farther in feditious practices, by the multi-
tude's running fo faft upon them.
3. Now upon the approach oi that feaft oi unleavened bread,
which the law of their iathers had appointed tor the Jews at
this time, which feafl is called the Paflbver, * and is a memo-
rial ot their deliverance out of Egypt (when they offer facri-
fices with great alacrity, and when they are required to flay
more facrifices in number than at any other ieftival ; and when
an innumerable multitude came thither out of the country,
nay from beyond its limits alfo, in order to worlhip God ;)
the feditious lamented Judas and Matthias, thole teachers of
the laws, and kept together in the temple, and had plenty oi
food, becaule thefe feditious perfons were not adiamed to beg
it. And as Archelaus was afraid lelt iome terrible thing fhould
ipring up by means oi thefe mens iradnefs, he fent a regi-
ment of armed men, and with them a captain oi a thouiand,
to fupprefs the violent efforts of the feditious, before the whole
multitude fhould be infe&ed with the like madnefs ; and gave
them this charge, that if they iound any much more openly
feditious than others, and more Luiy in tumultuous practices,
they Ihould bring them to him. But thofe that were feditious
on account of thole ccacheis of the law, irritated the people
by the noife and clamours they ufcd to encourage the people
in their deugns ; fo they made an aiTatilt upon the foldiers, and
came up to them, and ftoned the gicateil part oi them, although
fome oi them ran away wounded, and their captain among
them ; and when they had thus done, they returned to the
facrifices which were already in their hands. Now Archelaus
thought there was no way to prelerve the entire government,
but by cutting off thofe who made this attempt upon it ; fo
he fent out the whole army upon them, and fent the horfemen
to prevent thofe that had their tents without the temple, from
affifting thofe that were within the temple, and to kill fuch
as ran away from the footmen, when they thought themfelves
outof danger, which horfemen flew three thoufand men, while
the reft went to the neighbouring mountains. Then did Ar-
chelaus order proclamation to be made to them all, that they
* This paffover, \vhenthe feciition here mentioned \vas moved againft Arche-
Jaus, \vjsn3tone, but thirteen mouths after the eclipie ot tltf moon already men-
Chap. IX.] ANTIQUITIES OF THE JEWS. 3T2
fhouH retire to their own homes ; fo they went away, and left
the feftival out ot fear of fomewhat worfe which would fol-
low, although they had been fo bold by reafon erf their* want
of inftruflion. So Archelaus went down to the fea witrT his *
mother, and took with him Nicolaus and Ptolemy, and many
others ol his friends, and left Philip his brother as 'governor
of all things belonging both to his own family andto tpe pub-
lic. There went out alfo with him Salome, Hero'd's fiftr,
who took with her her children,, and many of her kindfflS
were with her; which kindred of hers went, as they pretend
ed, to airlift Archelaus in gaining the kingdom, Hut in reality
tooppofe him, and chiefly to make loud complaints of what
he had done in the temple. But Sabinus, Caeiar's fteward tov
Syrian affairs, as he was making hade into Judea, to preferve'
Herod's effecls met with Archelaus at Ccefarea ; but Varus
(prefident of Syria) came at that time, and reftrained him from,
meddling with them, tor he was there as fent for by Archela-
us, by the means of Ptolemy. And Sabinus, out of regard
to Varus, did neither feize upon any of the catties that were
among the Jews, nor did he leal up the treafures in them, but
permitted Archelaus to have them, until Caefar fhould declare
his refolution about them ; fo that, upon this his promile, he tar-
ried ftill at Caefarea. But after Archelaus was failed for Rome,
and Varu> was removed to Antioch, Sabinus went to Jerufa-
lem, and leized on the king's palace. He alfo fent for the
keepers of the garrifons, and for all thofe that had the charge
of Herod's effetts, and declared publicly, that he (bould re-
quire them to give an account of what they had ; and he dif-
pofed of the cailles in the manner he pleafed ; but thofe who
kept them did not neglect what Archelaus had given them in-
command, but continued to keep all things in the manner
that had been enjoined them; and their pretence was, that
they kept them all for Casfar.
4. At the fame time alfo did Antipas, another of Herod's
fons, i'ail to Rome, in order to gain the government ; being
buoyed up by Salome with promifes, that he fhould take that
government ; and that he was a much honefler and fitter man
than Archelaus, for that authority ; fince Herod had, in his
former teftament, deemed him the worthiefl to be made king,
which ought to be eiteemed more valid than his latter tefta-
ment. Antipas alfo brought with him his mother, and Ptole-
my the brother of Nicolaus, one that had been Herod's molt
honoured friend, and was now zealous for Autipas : But it
was Ireneus the oiator, and one who, on account of his rep-
utation for fagacity, was entrufted with the affairs of the king-
dom, who mofi of all encouraged him to attempt to gain the
kingdom ; by whole means it was, that when fome advifed
him to yield to Archelaus, as to his elder brother, and who
had been declared king by their father's laft will, he woul-cl
not fubmit fo to do. And v/hen he was come to Rome, ali
312 ANTIQUITIES OF THE JEWS. [Book XVII.
his relations revolted to him ; not out of their good will to
him, but out of their hatred to Archeiaus ; though indeed
they were molt of all defirous of gaining their liberty, ami to
be put'under a Roman governor ; but, if there were too great
an oppofition made to that, they thought Antipas preferable to
Archeiaus, and fo joined with him. in order to procure the king-
dom for him. Sabinus alfo by letters, accufed Archeiaus to
Czrfar.
.45- Now when Archeiaus had lent in his papers to Cjefar,
wherein he pleaded his right to the kingdom, and his father's
teftament, with the accounts ot Herod's money, and with Pto-
lemy, who brought Herod's feal, he fo expected the event ;
but when Caefar had read thefe papers, and Varus's and Sabi-
nus's letters, with the accounts of the money, and what were
the annual incomes of the kingdom, and underftood that An-
tipas had alfo fent letters to lay claim to the kingdom, he ir.m-
moned his friends together, to know their opinions, and with
them Caius, the fon of Agrippa, and of Julia his daughter,
whom he had adopted, and took him, and made him fit firfl ot
all, and defired fuch as plealecl to {peak their minds about the
affairs now before them. Now Antipater, Salome's fon, a
very fubtle orator, and a bitter enemy to Archeiaus, i'pake
firfl to this purpole : That '' it was ridiculous in Archeiaus
fo plead now to have the kingdom given him, flnce he had,
in reality, taken already the power over it to himfelf before
Caefar had granted it to him ; and appealed to thofe hold
acHonsof his, in deftroying fo many at the Jewifh teftival ;
and, if the men had afted unjuftly, it was but fit the pun-
ifhing them mould have been relerved to thofe that were
out of the country but had the power to punifh them, and
not been executed by a man. that if he pretended to be a
king, he did an injury to Czefar, by ufurping that author-
ity before it was determined for him by Czefar ; but, it he
owned himfelf to be a private perfon* his cafe was much
worfe, fince he who was putting in for the kingdom, could
by no means expeft to have that power granted him, ot
which he had already deprived Caefar [by taking it to himfelf.]
He alfo touched lharply upon him, and appealed to his chang-
ing the commanders in the army, and his fitting in the royal
throfie beforehand, and his determination of law fuits ; ail
done as if he were no other than a king. He appealed alfo
to hisconceflions to thofc that petitioned him on a publick ac-
count, and indeed doing fuch things, than which he cauld
devife no greater if he had been already fettled in the king-
dom by Casfar. He alfo afcribed to him the releafing of the
prifoners that were in the hippodrome, and many other thing*,
that either had been certainly done by him, or were believed
to be done, and eafily might be believed to have been done,
becaufe they were ot fuch a nature as to be ufually done by-
young men, and by fuch as out of a defire ot ruling, ieize
Chap. IX.] ANTIQUITIES OP THE JEWS. 313
upon the government too foon. He alfo charged him with
his neglecl of the funeral mourning for his father, and with
having merry meetings the very night in which he died ; and
that it was thence the multitude took the handle of railing a
tumult ; and if Archelaus could thus requite his dead father,
who had beftowed fuch benefits upon him, and bequeathed
fuch great things to him, by pretending to (hed tears for him
in the day time, like an actor on the itage, but every night
making mirth for having gotten the government, he would
appear to be the fame Archelaus with regard to Cccfar, if he
granted him the kingdom, which he hath been to his father ;
fince he had then dancing and ringing, as though an enemy or."
his were fallen, and not as though a man were carried to his
funeral, that was (o nearly related, and had been fo great a
benefaftor to him. But he faid that the greateft crime of all
was this, that he came now before Csefar to obtain the king-
dom by his grant, while he had before afted in all things a?
he could have afcted if Csefar himfelf, who ruled all, had fixed
him firmly in the government. And what he moft aggravat-
ed in his pleading, was the (laughter of thofe about the tem-
ple, and the impiety of it, as done at the teftival ; and how
they were flain like facrifices themfelves, fome of whom were
foreigners, and others of their o-vrt Country, till the temple
was full of dead bodies : And all this was done, not by an al-
ien, but by one who pretended to the lawful title of a king,
that he might complete the wicked tyranny which his natuni
prompted him to, and which is hated by all men. On which
account his father never fo much as dreamed of making him
his fucceflbr in the kingdom, when he was of fo found a mimi,
becaute he knew his dilpofmon ; and, in his former and more
authentic teftament, he appointed his antagonift Antipas to fuc-
ceed ; but that Archelaus was called by his father to that dig-
nity, when he was in a dying condition, both of body am!
mind, while Antipas was called when he was ripefl in his judg-
ment, and of fuch ftrength of body as made him capable ot
managing his own affairs : And if his father had the like no-
tion of him formerly that he hath now (hewed, yet hath he
given a fufficient (pecimen what a king he is likely to be,
when he hath [in effeclj deprived Csefar of that power of dif-
pofmg of the kingdom, which he juftly hath, and hath not ab-
ftamed from making a terrible (laughter of his fellow citizens
in the temple, while he was but a private perfon."
6. So when Anti pater had made this fpeech, and had con-
firmed what he had faid by producing many witnefles from
among Archelaus's own relations, he made an end of his plead-
ing. Upon which Nicolaus arofe up to plead for Archelaus,
and faid, " That what had been done at the temple was rather
to be attributed to the mind of thofe that had been killed, than
to the authority of Archelaus ; for that thofe, who were the
authors of fuch things are not only wicked in the injuries they
VOL, II. Q q
314 ANTIQUITIES OF THE JEWS. [Book XVII,
do of themfelves, bat in forcing foberperfons to avenge them-
felves upon them. Now it is evident, that what thefe did in
way of oppofition was done under pretence indeed againft
Archelaus, but in reality againft Cacfar himfelf, tor they after
an injurious manner, attacked and flew thofe who were fent
by Archelaus, and who came only to put a flop to their do-
ings. They had no regard, either to God or to the feftival,
whom Anfipater yet is not afhamed to patronize, whether it be
out of his indulgence of an enmity to Archelaus, or out of his
hatred of virtue and juftice. For as to thofe who begin fuch
tumults, and firft fet about fuch unrighteous aftions. they are
the men who force thofe that punifh them to betake them-
felves to arms even againft their will. So that Antipater in
eflfeft afcrihes the reft of what was done to all thofe who were
of counfel to the accufers, for nothing, which is here accufed
of injuftice has been done but what was derived from them as
its authors; nor are thofe things evil in themfelves, but fo
repVefented only in order to do harm to Archelaus. Such is
thefe mens inclinations to do an injury to a man that is ot their
kindred, their father's benefaclpr, and familiarly acqaainted
with them, and that hath ever lived in friend (hip with them ;
for that, as to this teftament, it was made by the king when he
was of a found mind, and fo ought to be of more authority
than his former teffament ; and that for this reafon, becaufe
Cacfar is therein le't to be the judge and clifpofer of all therein
contained ; and for Czefar he will not, to be fure, at all imitate
the unjuft proceedings of thofe men, who, during Herod's
whole life, had on all occafions been joint partakers of power
with him, and yet do zealoufly endeavour to injure his deter-
mination, while they have not themfelves had the fame regard
to their kinfmcn, [which Archelaus had,] Caefarwill not there-
fore difannul the teftament of.a man whom he had entirely
fupported, of his friend and confederate, and that which is
committed to him in truft fo ratify : Nor will Caefar's virtu-
ous and upright difpofition, which are known and tmconteft-
ed through all the habitable world, imitate the wickednefs of
thefe men in condemning a king as a madman, and as having
Joft his reafon, while he hath bequeathed the fucccflion to a
good fon ot his, and to one who flies to Cadar's upright deter-
mination for refuge. Nor can Herod at any time have been,
miftaken in his judgment about a fucceflbr, while he (hewed fo
much prudence as to fubmit all to Caefar's determination."
7. Now when Nicolaus had laid thefe things before Caefar.
he ended his plea ; xvhereupon Csefar was fo obliging to Ar-
chelaus, that he raifed him up when he had caft himfelf down
at his feet, and faid, that " he well deferved the kingdom ;"
and he foon let them know, that he was fo far moved in his
favour, that he would not act otherwife than his father's tefta-
ment directed ard than was for the advantage of Archelaus.
However, while he gave this encouragement to Archelaus to
Chap, X.] ANTIQUITIES OF THE JEWS. 315
depend on him fecurely, he made no full determination about
hi;n ; and, when the aflembly was broken up, he confidered
by inmfelt,, whether he (hould confirm the kingdom to Arche-
laus, or whether he (hould part it among all Herod's pofterity ;
and this becaufe they all itood in need of much afliftance to
fupport them.
CHAP. X.
4 Sedition of the Jews againfl Sabinus ; and how Varus
brought the Authors of it to PimiJJiment.
$ I. T3 UT before thefe things could be brought to a fettle-
-L3 ment, Malthace, Archelaus's mother, tell into a
diftemper, and died ot it ; and letters came from Varus, the
prefident ot Syria, which informed Caefar of the revolt ot the
Jews ; for, atter Archelaus was failed, the whole nation was
in a tumult. So Varus, fince he was there himfelf, brought
the authors of the diiturbance to punilliment ; and when he
had retrained them tor the rnoft part from this fedition, which
was a great one, he took his journey to Antioch, leaving one
legion ot his army at Jerufalem to keep the Jews quiet, who
were now very tond of innovation. Yet did not this at all
avail to put an end to that their fedition; for afterVarus was gone
away, Sabinus, Caster's procurator, ilaid behind, and greatly
diftreffed the Jews, relying on the forces that were lett there,
that they would by their multitude protecl him ; tor he made
u(e ot the.n, and armed them as his guards, thereby fo opprei-
fing the Jews, and giving them fo great difturbance, that at
length they rebelled; tor he ufed force in feizingthe citadels,
and zealoufly prelled on the fearch alier the king's money, in
order to feize upon it by torce, on account ot his love of gain,
and his extraordinary covetoufnefs,
2. But the approach ot Pentecoft, which is afeftival of ours
fo called from the days ot our forefathers, a great many ten
thoufands ot men got together ; nor did they come only to
celebrate the festival, but out of their indignation at the mad-
nefs of Sabinus, and at the injuries he offered them. A great
number there was of Galileans, and Idumeans, and many men
from Jericho, and others who had pafled over the river Jor-
dan, and inhabited thofe parts. This whole multitude joined
themfelves to all the reft, and were more zealous than the
others in making an aifault on Sabinus, in order to be aveng-
ed on him : So they parted themfelves- into three bands, and
encamped themfelves in the places following : Some of them
feized on the Hipodrome, and of the other two bands, one
pitched themfelves from the northern part ot the temple to
the fouthern, on the eaft quarter ; but the third band held the
weftern part ot the city, where the king's palace was. Their
316 ANTIQUITIES Of THE JEWS. [Book XVII,
work tended entirely to befiege the Romans, and to inclofe
them on all fides. Now Sabinus was afraid of thefe mens
number, and of their refolution, who had little regard to their
lives, but were very defirous not to be overcome, while they
thought it a point ot puiffance to overcome their enemies ; fo
he fent immediately a letter to Varus, and, as he u fed to do,
was very prefling with him, and entreated him to come quick-
ly to nis affiftance ; becaufe the forces he had left were in
imineht danger, and would probably, in no long time, be
ieized upon, and cut to pieces; while he did himfelf get up
to the hfghefl tower of the fortrefs Phafaelus, which had been
Imilt in honour ot Phafaelus, king Herod's brother, and cal-
led fo when the * Parthians had brought him to his death. So
Sabinus gave thence a fignal to the Romans to tall upon the
Tews, although he did not himfelf venture fo much as to
comedown to hi$ friends and thought he might expect that the
others mould expofe themfelves fir(t to die on account of his a~
vance. However the Romans ventured to make a fally out
oi the place, and a terrible battle enfued ; wherein, though it
is true the Romans beat their adversaries, yet were not the
Jews daunted in their refolutions, even when they had the
fight of that terrible (laughter that was made of them ; but
they went round about and got upon thofe cloifters, which
encompaffed the outer court ot the temple, where a great fight
was ftill continued, and they call Rones at the Romans, partly
with their hands, and partly with flings, as being much ufed to
thofe exercifcs. All the archers alfo in array did the Romans
a great deal of mifchiet ; becaufe they ufed their hands dex-
tioufly from aplace fuperior to the others, and becaufe the
others were at an utter lofs what to do ; for when they tried to
Ihoo', their arrows againft the Jews upwards, thefe arrows
could not reach them, infomuch that the Jews were eafily too
haid for their enemies. And this fort ol fight lafted a great
v/hile, till at laft the Romans, who were greatly diftreiied
by what was done, fet fire to the cloifters fo privately, that
ihofe who were gotten upon them did not perceive it. This
Jfire t being fed by a great deal ol cornbuftible matter, caught
hold immediately on the root of the cloifters ; fo the wood
which was full of pitch and wax, and wh,ofe gold was laid.on
it with wax, yielded to the flame prefently. and thofe vaft
works which were of the higheft value aqd efleem, were de-
ilroyed utterly, while thofe that were on the roof unexpected-
ly penfhed at the fame time ; for as the root tumbled down,
See Antiq. B. XIV. ch. xiii. % 10 Vol. II. and, Of the War, B. II. ch. xxi.
$ 9. Vol. Hi".
t Thefe great devaluations made about the temple here, and, Of the War, B. II.
ch. Hi. ^ 3. Vol. III. feem not to have been fully re-ediSed in the days of Nero ;
till whole time there were 18000 workmen continually employed in rebuilding
and repairing that temple, as jolephus informs us, Antlcj. B. X.Y. ch. ix. ^ 7 . Vi>l>
II. Sec the noic on that place.
Chap. X.] ANTIQUITIES or THE JEWS. 317
fome of thcfe men tumbled down with it, and others of them
were killed by their enemies who encompaffed them. There
was a great number more, who out of defpair of faving their
lives, and out of aftonifhment at the mifery that furrounded
them, did either caft themfelves into the fire, or threw them-
felves upon their own fwords, and fo got out of their miiery.
But as to thofe that retired behind the fame way by which
they afcended, and thereby efcaped, they were all killed by
rhe Romans, as being unarmed men, and their courage tail-
ing them ; their wild fury being now not able to help them,
becaufe they were deflitute of armour, infomuch that, of thofe
that went up to the top of the root not one efcaped. The
Romans alio rulhed through the fire, where it gave them room
fo to do, and feized on that treafure where the facred money
was repofited ; a great part of which was ftolen by the iol-
dicrs and Sabinus got openly four hundred talents.
3. But this calamity ot the Jews friends, who fell in this
battle, grieved them, as did alio this plundering of the mon-
ey dedicated to God in the temple. Accordingly that body
ot them which continued belt together, and was the moft
warlike, encompaffed the palace, and threatened to let fire to
it, and kill all that were in it. Yet ftill they commanded them
to go out prefently, and promifed, that it they would do fo,
they would not hurt them, nor Sabinus neither, at which
time the greater! part ot the it ing's troops deferted to them,
while Rurus and Gratus who had thiee thouiand of the moft
warlike oi Herod's army with them, who were men of aftive
bodies, went over to the Romans. There was alfo a band of
hoifeiiien under the command of Rufus, which itfelf went
over to the Romans alfo. However the Jews went on with
ihe liege, and dug mines under the palace walls, and befought
thofe that were gone over to the other fide, not to be their
hindrance, now they had fuch a proper opportunity tor the
recovery of their country's ancient liberty ; and tor Sabinus,
truly he was defirous of going away with his ioldiers, but was
not able to trtilt himfelf with the enemy, on account ot what
mifchiel he had already done them ; and he took this great
[pretended] lenity of theirs tor an argument why he fhould
aot comply with them ; and fo becaule he expecledthat Va-
rus was coming, he ftill bore the fiege.
4. Now at this time there were ten thoufand other diforders
in Judea, which were like tumults ; becaufe a great number
put themfelves into a warlike pofture, either out of hopes ot"
gam to themfelves, or out ot enmity to the Jews. In par-
ticular, two thoufand of Herod's old foldiers, who had been
already difbanded, got together in Judea itfelf, and fought a-
gainft the king's troops; although Achiabus, Herod's fiHl
coufin oppoteri them ; but as he was driven out qt the plains
into the mountainous parts by the military fkill of thofe men,
. he kept himfelf in the faftneffes that were there, and faved what
be could.
J1S ANTIQUITIES OP THE JEWS. [Book XVII.
5, There was alfo Judas, * the Ton of that Ezekias who had
been head ot the robbers ; which Ezekias was a very ftrong
man, and had with great difficulty been caught by Herod.
This Judas having gotten together a multitude of men of a
profligate charafler about Sephoris in Galilee, made an affault
upon the palace [there J and feized upon all the weapons that
were laid up in it, and with them armed every one ot thofe
that were with him, and carrid awy what money was left
there ; and he became terrible to all men, by tearing and
rending thofe that came near him ; and all this in order to
raife himfeif, and out an ambitious defire ot the royal digni-
ty ; and he hoped to obtain that as the reward, not oi his
virtuous (kill in war, but ot his extravagance in doing injuries.
6. There was alfo Simon, who had t-een a flave of Herod
the king, but in other refpefts a comely perfon, of a tall and
rqbufl body ; he was one that was much Superior to others of
his order, and had had great things committed to his care.
This man was elevated at the diforderly flate of things, and
was fo bold as to put a diadem on his head, while a certain
number ot the people itood by him, and by them he was
declared to be a king, and thought himfelf more worthy ot
that dignity than any one elfe. He burnt dov/nthe royal pal-
ace at Jericho, and plundered what was le!t in it. He alfo
fet fire to many other of the king's houfes in feveral places of
the country, and utterly deftroyed them, and permitted thofe
that were with him, to take what was lett in them for a prey ;
and he would have done greater things unlefs care had been
taken to reprefs him immediately ; for Gratus, when he had
joined himfeU to ibme Roman foldiers, took the forces he
had with him, and met Simon, and atter a great and a long
fight, no imall part of thofe that came from Perea who were
a difordered body of men, and fought rather in a bold than
in fkiltul manner, were deltroyed ; and although Simon had
faved himfelf by flying away through a certain valley, yet
Gratus overtook him, and cut off his head. The royal pal-
ace alfo at Amathus, by the river Jordan, was burnt down by
a party of. men that were got together, as were thofe belong-
ing to Simon. And thus did a great and a wild fury fpread
itfelt over the nation, becaufe they had no king to keep the
* Unlefs this Judas, the fon of Ezekias, be the Came with that Theudas men-
tioned, Afts v. 36. Jolephus muft have omitted him; lor that other Theudas,
whom he afterward mentions under Fadiu. the Roman governor, B. A'A'. ch. v.
() i. vol. II is much too late to corrclpond to him that is mentioned in the afts.
The names Theudas, TJuudtus, and Judas, differ but little. Sec Abp Ufher's
Annals at A. M 4001. However, i;nce Jo iephus does pot pretend to reckon up
the heads of all thole ten thovfai.,1 diiorderk in judea, which he tells us were t!;c:i
abroad, fee f.cl. 4. and 8- the Theudas of the Als might be at the head of one of
thofe feditions, though not particuiiuly named by him. Thus he informs us here,
ffft. 6. and OF the War, B. II ch. iv. feel. 2. Vol. 111. that certain of the feditious
rzme and burnt the royal palace at Amathus, or Betharamphta, upon the river Jor-
Ht j, Perhaps their leader, who is not r,am:d by Joi'cphu?, might be this Theudas.
Chap. X.] ANTIQUITIES OF THE JEWS. 319
multitude in good order, and becaufe thofe foreigners, who
came to reduce the feditious to fobriety, did on the contrary
fet them more in a flame, becaufe of the injuries they offered
them, and the avaricious management ot their affairs.
7. But becaufe Athronges a perfon neither eminent by the
dignity of his progenitors, nor for any great wealth he was
jjoflefTed of, but one that had in all reipe^rh been a fliepherd
only, and was not known by any body ; yet becaufe he was a
tall man, and excelled others in the ftrength ot his hands, he
was fo bold as to let up for king. This man thought it fo
fweet a thing to do more than ordinary injuries to others, that
although he mould be killed, he did not much care it he loft
his lite in fo great a defign. He had alfo tour brethren, who
were tall men themfelves and were believed to be fuperior to
others in the itrength of their hands, and thereby were encour-
aged to aim at great things, and thought that ftrength of theirs
would fupport them in retaining the kingdom. Each of thefe
ruled over a band ot men of their own ; for thofe that got to-
gether to them were very numerous. They were every one
ot them alfo commanders ; but, when they came to fight they
were fubordinate to him, and fought for him, while he put a
diadem about his head, and aflembled a council to debate about
what things mould be done, and all things were done accord-
ing to his pleafure. And this man retained his power a great
while ; he was alfo called king, and had nothing to hinder him
from doing what he pleafed. He alfo, as well as his brethren,
flew a great many both of the Romans, and of the king's forc-
es, and managed matters with the like hatred to each of them.
The king's forces they fell upon, becaufe ot the licentious
conducl they had been allowed under Herod's government +
and they fell upon the Romans, becaufe of the injuries they
had fo lately received from them. But in procefs ot time,
they grew more cruel to all forts of men ; nor could any one
efcape from one or other of thefe feditions, fince they flew'
fome out ot the hopes of gain, and others from a mere cuftorn
ot flaying men. They once attacked a company of Romans
at Etnmaus, who were bringing corn and weapons to the ar-
my, and fell upon Arius, the centurion, who commanded the
company, and (hot forty ot the beft ot his foot foldiers ; but
the reft of them were affrighted at their (laughter, and left their
dead behind them, but faved themfelves by the means ot Gra-
tus, , who came with the king's troops that were about him to
their afftftance. Now thefe tour brethren continued the war
a long while by fuch fort of expeditions, and much grieved
the Romans ; but did their own nation alfo a great deal o
mifchief. Yet were they afterward fubdued ; one ot them in
a fight with Gratus, another with Ptolemy ; Archelaus alfo
took the eldcft of them prifoner ; while the laft of them was
fo dejefted at the other's misfortune and faw fo plainly that
&e had no way now left to fave himfelf, his army being worn
20 ANTIQUITIES O? THE JEWS. [Book XVlt*
away with ficknefs and continual labours that he alfo deliver-
ed himfelf up to Archelaus, upon his promife and oath to God
[to preferve his life.J But thefe things came to pafs a good
while afterward.
8. And now Judea was full of robberies ; and, as the fev-
eral companies ot the feditious light upon any one to head
them, he was created a king immediately, in order to do mif-
chief to the public. They were in forne fmall meafure in-
deed, and in fmall matters hurtful to the Romans ; but
the murders they committed upon their own people lafted a
long while.
9. As fopn as Varus was once informed of the ftate of Ju-
dea by Sabinus's writing to him, he was afraid for the legion
he had left there ; (o he took the two other legions, (for there
were three legions in all belonging to Syria) and four troops
of horfemen, with the feveral auxiliary forces which either
the kings, or certain ot the tetrarches, afforded him, and
made what hafte he could to affift thofe that were then befieg-
ed in Judea. He alfo gave order, that all that were fent out
for this expedition (hould make hafte to Ptolemais. The cit-
izens of Berytus alfo gave him 1500 auxiliaries, as he pafTed
through their city. Aretas alfo, the king ot Arabia Petrea,
out of his hatred to Herod, and in order to purchafe the fa-
vour of the Romans, fent him no fmall afliftance, befides their
footmen and horfemen ; and, when he had now collected all
his forces together, he committed part of them to his fon, and
to a friend ot his, and fent them upon an expedition into Gali-
lee which lies in the neighbourhood of Ptolemais ; who made
an attack upon the enemy, and put them to flight, and took
Sepphoris, and made its inhabitants flaves and burnt the ci'y.
But Varus himfelf purfued his march for Samaria with his
whole army : Yet did not he meddle with the city of that name,
becaufe it had not at all joined with the feditious ; but pitched
his camp at a certain village that belonged to Ptolemy, whofe
name was Arus, which the Arabians burnt, out of their hatred
to Herod, and out of the enmity they bore to his friends ;
whence they marched to another village, whofe name was
Sampho, which the Arabians plundered and burnt, although it
was a fortified and a ftrong place ; and all along this march no-
thing efcaped them, but all places were tullotnreandof flaugh-
ter. Emmaus was allo burnt by Varus's order, after its IM
habitants haddefertedit, that he might avenge thofe that ha 1
there been deftroyed. From thence he now marched to Jeru-
falem ; whereupon thofe Jews whofe camp lay there, and who
had befieged the Roman legion, not bearing the coming ot this
army, left the fiege imperfe61 : But as to the Jerufaiem Jews,
when Varus reproached them bitterly for what had been done,
they cleared themfelves ot the accufation, and alledged, that
the conflux of the people was oCcafioned by the feait ; that the
war was not made with their approbation, but the rafhnefs oi
Chap. Xl.] ANTIQUITIES OF THE JEWS. 321
the ftrangers, while they were on the fide ot the Romans, and
befie.ged together with them, rather than having any inclina-
tion to befiege them. There alfo came before hand, to meet
Varus, Jofeph, the coufin-gennan ot king Herod, as aHo
Gratusand Rufus, who brought their foldiers along with them,
together with thofe Romans who had been befieged : But Sa-
binus did not come into Varus's prefence, but ftoie out ot the
city privately, and went to the fea-fide.
10. Upon this Varus fent a part of his army into the coun-
try, to feek out thofe that had been the authors of the revolt ;
and when they were difcovered, he punifhed lome ot them
that were moil guilty, and fome he difmifled : Now the num-
ber ot thofe that were crucified on this account, were two thou-
fand. After which he difbanded his army, which he iound
noways ufeful to him in the affairs he came about ; tor they
behaved themfelves very diforderly, and difobeyed his orders,
and what Varus defired them to do, and this out ot regard to
that gain which they made by the mifchief they did. As for
himfelt, vrhen he was informed that ten thoufand Jews had
gotten together, he made hafte to catch them ; but they did
not proceed fo far as to fight him, but, by the advice ot Achi-
abus.they came together, and delivered themfelves up to him :
Hereupon Varus forgave the crime of revolting to the multi-
tude, but fent their feveral commanders to Caelar, many of
whom Caefar difmiffed ; but for the feveral relations of Her-
od who had been among thefe men in this war, they were the
only perfons whom he punifhed, who, without the leaft regard
to juftice, fought againft their own kindred.
CHAP. XI.
An Ambafl'agt. of the Jew? to Cxfar ; and how Cizfar confirm-
td Herod's Teflament.
$ I. OO when Varus had fettled thefe affairs, and had plac-
id ed the former legion at Jerufalem, he returned back
to Antioch ; bul as for Arehdaus, he had new fpurces of trou-
ble came upon him at Rome, on the occafions following : For
an ambaffcige of the Jews was come to Rome, Varus having
permitted the nation to fend it, that they might petition lor the
liberty * ot living by their own laws. Now the number ot
the ambaffadors that were fent by the authority of the nation
was fifty, to which they joined above eight thoufand of the
Jews that were at Rome already. Hereupon Caefar affembled
his friends, and the chief men among the Romans in the tem-
ple of Apollo t, which he had built at a vaft charge ; whither
See Of the War, S. II. ch. ii. feft. 3. Vol. III.
+ See the note, Of the War, B. II. ch. vi. left. i. Vol. III.
VOL. II. R r
322 ANTIQUITIES OF THE JEWS. [Book XVII.
the ambaffadors came, and a multitude of the Jews that were
there already, came with them, as did alfo Archelaus and m's -
friends ; hut as tor the feveral kinfmen which Archelaus
had, they would not join themfelves with him, out of their
hatred to him ; and yet they thought it too grofs a thing tor
them to a (lift the ambafladors fagainft him j, as fuppofmg it
would be a difgrace to them in Caefar's opinion to think ot
thus acting in oppofition to a man of their own kindred*.
Philip alfo was come hither out of Syria, by the perfuafum of
Yarns, with this principal intention to affift his brother [ Ar-
chelausj ; tor Varus was his great friend; but ftill fo, that it
there mould any change happen in the form of government
(which Varus fufpefted there would), and if any diftribution
fhould be made on account ot the number thatdefued the lib-
erty of living by their own laws, that he might not be difap-
pointe'l, but might have his mare in it.
2. Now, upon the liberty that was given to the Jewilh am-
baffadors to fpeak, they who hoped to obtain a diffolution of
kingly government betook themfelves to accuie Herod of his
inio vines ; and they declared, " That he was indeed in name
a king, but that he had taken to himfeH that uncontroulable au-
thority which tyrants exercife over their fubjecls, and had
made ufe of that authority for the deilruction of the Jews, and
did notabllain irom making many innovations among them be-
fides according to his own inclinations ; and that whereas there
were a great many who perifhed by that deftruftion he brought
upon them, fo many indeed as no other hiftory relates, they
that furvived were far more miserable than thofe that fuffered
under him, not only by the anxiety they were in from his
looks and difpofition towards them, but trom the danger their
eftates were in of being taken away by him. That he did
never leave off adorning thefe cities that lay in their neigh-
bourhood, but were inhabited by toreigners ;' but fo that the
cities belonging to bis own government were ruined, and ut-
terly deftroyed : That whereas when he took the kingdom, it
was in an extraordinary flourifhing condition, he had rilled
the nation with the utmoft degree of poverty ; and when, up-
on unjuft. pretences, he had flain any of the nobility, he took
away their eftates ; and when he permitted any ot them to
live, he condemned them to the forfeiture ot what they pof-
leffed, And befides the annual impofitions which he laid
upon every one ot them they were to make liberal prefents
to himfelf, to his domeftics and friends, and to fuch of his
flaves as were voachfafed the favour ot being his tax-gather-
ers ; becaul^ there was no way ot obtaining a freedom froni
unjuft violence, withotu giving either gold or filver for it.
That they would fay nothing of the corruption of the chaftity
of their virgins, and the reproach laid on their wives tor in-
* He was tctrarch afterward.
Chsp. XI.] ANTIQUITIES OF THE JEWS. 323
continency,and thofe things acled after an infolent and inhu-
man manner ; becaufe it was not a fmaller pleafure to the fuf-
ferers to have fuch things concealed, than k would have been
to have fuffered them. That Herod had put fuch abufes
upon them as a wild heart would not have put on them, it he
had power given him to rule over us ; and that although their
nations had parted through many fubverfionsand alterations of
government, their hiftory gave no account of any calamity
they had ever been under that could be compared with this
which Herod had brought upon their nation : That it \v /; tor
this realon, that they thought they might juftly and gl-i-..y fa-
lute Archelaus as king, upon this luppofition, that whoioever
/hould be fet over their kingdom, he would appear more mild
-to them than Herod had been; and that they had joined with
him in the mourning for his father, in order to gratify him,
and were ready to oblige him in other points alfo, if they could
meet with any degree of moderation from him ; but that he
feemed to beatraid left he fhould not be deemed Herod's owtt
ion ; and fo, without any delay ; and he immediately, let the
nation under ft and his meaning, and this before his dominion
was well eiUbiifhed, lince the power of difppfing ot it belong-
ing to Caefar, who could either give it to him, or not, as he
picafed. Tii at he had given a fpecimen ot his future virtue
to his fubjetts, and with what kind of moderation and good
adminiftration he would govern them, by that his firft adion
which concerned them, his own citizens, ana God himfeltal-
io, when he made the {laughter ot three thoufand ot his own
countrymen at the temple. How then could they avoid the
juft hatred ot him, who, to the reft ot his barbarity, hath add-
ed thisas one ot our crimes that we have oppoledand contra-
dicted him in the exeidie ot his authority ?" Now the main
thing they defired was this, That " they might be delivered
irom kingly * and the like forms of government, and might
be added to Syria, and be put under the authority of fuch
prefidenfs of theirs as fhould be lent to them ; toi that it \.~juld
thereby be made evident, whether they be really a ieditious
people, and generally tond of innovations, or whether they
* If any one compare that divine prediction concerning the tyrannical power
which Jewifli kings would exercile over them, if they would be io foolifh as
to prefer it before their ancient theocracy or ariilocracy, i Sara. viii. i 22. Antiq.
B. I. ch. iv. feft 4. Vol. I. he will foon find that it was luper-alundantly
led in the days of Jierod, and that to fuch a degree, th.it the ristio, now at laft
feem forely to repent of fuch their ancient choice, in oppofnion to Ciod's better
choice for them, and had much rather Le fubjcft to ev.n a Pagan Roman govern-
meat, and their deputies, than to be any longer limit r the oppression of the family
ot Herod ; which requeft of theirs Au ,uftus did not now j,rant them, but did it
-for the one half ol that nation in a fev/ years afterward, upon frefh complajttfs
made by the Jews againft. Archolaus, who, under the more humble name of an
ethnarch, which Auguftus only would now allow him, foon took upr-n him th
infolenceand tyranny of his father king H. rod, as the remaining part of this
will inform us, and particularly chap, xiiiieft. 2.
324 ANTIQUITIES OF THE JEWS. [Book XVII.
wpuld live in an orderly manner, if they might have gover-
nors ot any fort of moderation fet over them."
3. Now when the Jews had faid this, Nicolaus vindicated
the kings from thofe accufations, and faid, That " as for Her-
od, fince he had never been thus accufed * all the time of his
life, it was not fit for thofe that might have accufed them ot
ieffer crimes than thofe now mentioned, and might have pro-
cured him to be punifhed during his lifetime, to bring an ac-
cufation againft him now he is dead. He al!o attributed the
actions of Archelaus to the Jews injuries to him, who affecl-
ing to govern contrary to the laws, and going about to kill
thofe that would have hindered them from afcHng unjuftly,
when they were by him punifhed for what they had done,
made their complaints againft him ; fo he accufed them of
their attempts for ianovatipn, and of the pleafure they took in
fedition, by reafon of their not having learned to fubmit to
juftice, and to the laws, but ftill defiring to be fuperior in all
things." This was the fubftance of what Nicolaus faid.
4. When Casfar had heard thefe pleadings, he diffolved the
aflernbly ; but a few days afterwards he appointed Archelaus,
not indeed to be king ot the whole country, but ethnarch of
the one half ot that which had been fubjet to Herod, and
promi fed to give him the royal dignity hereafter, if he gov-
erned his part virtuoufly. But as tor the other half, he divid-
ed it into two parts, and gave it to two other of Herod's fons,
to Philip and to Antipas, that Antipas who difputed with Ar-
chelaus tor the whole kingdom. Now to him it was that Perea
and Galilee paid their tribute, which amounted t annually two
hundred talents, while Batanea, with Trachoriitis, as well as
* This is not true. See Antiq. B. XIV. ch. ix. feft 3. 4. and ch. xii feft. z.
and ch. xiii. feft. i. 2 Antiq. B. XV , ch. in. left. 5. and ch. x. left 2. 3.
Antiq. B. AVI. ch. ix. feft. 3 Vol. IJ.
+ Since Jol'ephus here informs us that Archelaus had one-half of the kingdom
of Herod, and prefently informs us farther, that Arch.-hus's annual income, aftor
an abatement of one quarter for the prefent, was 600 talents, we may thf.cfore
gather pretty nearly what was Herod the Great's yearly income, I mean about
1600 talents, which, at the known value of 3000 fhekels to a talent, and about
as. iod. to a shekel, in the days of Jofephus, fee the note on Antiq. B. Ill.ch. viii.
left. 2. Vol. I. amounts to L. 68o,OOO Sterling per annum ; which income, though
great in itfelf, bearing no proportion t-> his vaft expences every where vifible in
Jofephus, and to the vaft fums he left behind him in his will, chap viii. feft i.
and chap. xii. feft i. the reft muft have arifen either from his contilcation of thofe
great men's eftates whom he put to death, or made to pay fine for the faving of
their lives, or from fame other heavy methods of oppression which inch (avago
tyrants ufually exercife upon their miferable fubjefts ; or rather from thefe fever-
al methods put together, all which yet leem very much too fmallfor his expences
being drawn from no larger a nation than that of the Jews, which was very pop-
ulous, but without the advantage of trade, to bring them riches ; fo that I can-
not but ftrongly iufpeft that no fmall part of this his wealth arofe from another
fourcc, I mean from fome vaft fums he took, out of David's fepulcrnv, but con-
cealed from the people. See the note on Antiq. B. VII ch. xv. left. 3. vol. I.
Chap. XII.] ANTIQUITIES OF THE JEWS. &$
Auranitis, with a certain * part of what was called the houfeof
Zenodorus, paid the tribute ot one hundred talents to Philip ;
but Idumea, and Judea, and the country ot Samaria paid tri-
bute to Archelaus, but had now a fourth part of that tribute
taken offby the order of Csefar, who decreed them that miti-
gation, becaufe they did not join in this revolt with the reft of
the multitude, There were alfo certain of the cities which
paid tribute to Archelaus, Strato's tower, and Sebafte, with
foppa and Jerufalem ; for as to Gaza and Gadara, and Hip-
pos, they were Grecian cities, which Caefar feparated from
his government, and added them to the province ot Syria.
Now the tribute-money that came to Archelaus every year
from his own dominions, amounted to fix hundred talents.
5. And fo much came to Herod's fons from their father's in-
heritance. But Salome, befides what her brother left her by
his teftament, which were Jamnia.and Afhdod, and Phafaelis,
and five hundred thoufand [drachmas] of coined diver, Caefar
made her aprefent of a royal habitation at Afkelon ; in all, her
revenues amounted to fixty talents by the year, and her dwel-
ling-houfe was within Archelaus's government. The reft alfo
ot the king's relations received what his teftament allotted them.
Moreover, Csfar made a prefent to each ot Herod's two Vir-
gin-daughters, befides what their father left them, of two
hundred and fifty thoufand [drachmae] of filver. and married
them to Pheroras's Ions : He alfo graated all that was be-
queathed to himfelt to the king's fons, which was one thoufand
five hundred talents, excepting a few of the veffels, which
he reserved for himfelf ; and they were acceptable to him, not
fo much for the great value they were of as becaufe they were
memorials of the king to him,
CHAP. XII.
Concerning afpurious Alexander.
I. T "\ 7 HEN thefe affairs had been thus fettled by Caefar,
VV a certain young man, by birth a Jew, but brought
* Take here a very ufeful note of Grotius, on Luke, B. III. ch. i. here quoted
by Dr. Hudlon : " When Jofephus fays that foine part of the houfe f/or poffessioivj
of Zenodorus (i. e. Abilene,) was allotted to Philip, he thereby declares that
the larger part of it belonged to another ; this other was Lyfanias, whom Luke
mentions, ot the poflerity ot that Lyfanias who was potfefled of the fame coun-
try called Abilene, from the city Abila, and by others Cha'cidcne, from the city
Chalcis, when the government oi the eaft was under Antonius, and this after
Ptolemy, the fon of Mcnnius, from which Lyfanias, this country, came to be
commonly called the Country of Lyfanias ; and as, after the death of the formes
Lyfanias, it was called the tetrardty of Zcnodorus, fo, after the death of Zeno-
dorus, or when the time for '/vhich \K. hired it was ended, when another Lyfa-
nias, of the fame name with the former, was poffeffed of the fame country, it
began to be called again the tetrarchy of Lyfanias." However, fince Jofephus elte-
where, Antiq. B. XX. ch. vii. \ i. Vol. II. clearly diftinguishes Abilene from
Qhalcidine, Grotiuj mud be here fo far
326 ANTIQUITIES OF THE JE1VS. [Book XV II.
up by a Roman freed-man in the city Sidon. ingralted him-
felf into the kindred of Herod, by the refemblance of his
countenance, which thofe that law him attefted to be that of
Alexander, the fon of Herod, whom he had flain ; and this
was an incitement to him to endeavour to obtain the gov-
ernment : So he took to him as an affiftant, a man of his
own country, (one that was well acquainted with the af-
fairs of the palace, but on other accounts, an ill man, and
one whofe nature made him capable ot caufmg great diilur-
bances to the public, and one that became a teacher of fuch a
mifchievous contrivance to the other,] and declared himfelf to
be Alexander, and the fon of Herod, but ftolen away by one
of thofe who were fent to flay him, who, in reality, flew oth-
er men in order to deceive the fpetlators, but faved both him
and his brother Ariftobulus. Thus was this man elated, and
able to impofe on thofe that came to him ; and when he was
come to Grete, he made all the Jews that came to difcourfe
with him believe him [to be Alexander J And when he had
gotten much money which had been prefented to him there,
he paffed over to Melos, where he got much more money than
he had before, out of the belief they had that he was of the
royal family, and their hopes that he would recover his lath-
er's principality, and reward his benetaclors ; fo he made haile
to Rome, and was condufted thither by thofe Grangers who
entertained him. He was alfo fo fortunate, as, upon his land-
ing at Dicearchia, to bring the Jews that v/erc there into the
fame delufion ; and not only other people, nut allo all thofe
that had been great with Herod, or had a kindnefs lor him,
joined themfelvcs to this man as to their king. The caufe of
it was this, that men were glad of his pretences, which were
feconded by the Hkenefs of his countenance, which made
thofe that had been acquainted with Alexander ftrongly to be-
lieve that he was no other but the very fame perfon, which
they alfo confirmed to others by oath j infomuch that when
the report went about him that he was coming to Rome, the
whole multitude of the jews that were there went out to meet
him, afcribing it to divine providence that he had fo unex-
pe&edly eicaped, and being very joyful on account of his
mother's family. And when he was come, he was carried in a
royal litter through the flreets, and all the ornaments about him
was fuch as kings are adorned withal ; and this was at the ex-
pences of thofe that entertained him. The multitude alfo
flocked about him greatly, and made mighty acclamations to
him, and nothing was omitted which could be thought fuita-
ble to fuch as had been fo unexpectedly preferved.
2. When this thing was told Casfar, he did not believe it,
becaufe Herod was not eafily to be impofed upon in fuch at-
fairs as were of great concern to him ; yet having fome fuf-
picion it might be fo, he fent one Celadus, a freed man of his,
and one that had converted with the young men themfelves,
Chap. XIII.] ANTIQUITIES OF THE JEWS. 327
and bad him bring Alexander into his prefencc : So he brought:
him, being no irore accurate in judging about him than the
reft of the multitude. Yet did not he decieve Ceefar ; for al-
though there were a refemblance between him and Alexander,
yet was it not fo exacl as to impole on fuch as were prudent
m difcerning ; for this fpurious Alexander had his hands
rough, by the labours he had been put to, and inftead of that
foftnefs of body which the other had, and this as derived from
his delicate and generous education, this man, for the con-
trary reaion, had a rugged body. When therefore, Casfar
faw how the matter and the fcholar agreed in this lying ftory,
and in a bold way of talking, he enquired about Ariitobulus,
and afked what become of him, who (it feems) was ftolen a-
way together with him, and for what reafon it was that he did
not come along with him, and endeavour to recover that do-
minion which was due to his high birth alfo ? And when he
faid, That " he had been left in the ifle of Crete, for fear of
the dangers ot the fea, that in cafe any accident mould come
to himfelf, the pofterity of Mariamne might not utterly per-
ifh, but that Ariliobulus might furvive, and pnnilh thofe that
laid fuch treacherous defigns againft them." And when he
perfevered in his .affirmations, and the author of the impofture
agreed in fupporting it, Caefar took the young man by him-
felf 1 , and faid to him, " If thou wilt not impofeupon me, thou
{halt have this for thy reward, that thou fhalt efcape with thy
lite ; tell me then who thou art ! And who it was that had
boldnefs enough to contrive fuch a cheat as this ? For this
contrivance is too confiderable a piece of villany to be under-
taken by one of thy age." Accordingly, becaufe he had no
other way to take, he tol J Caefar the contrivance, and alter
what manner, and by whom it was laid together. So Caefar,
upon observing the fpurious Alexander to be a ftrong aftive
man, and fit to work with his hands, that he might not break
bis promiie to him, put him among thole that were to row a-
mong the mariners ; but flew him that induced him to do what
he had done ; for as for the people of Melos, he thought them
tufficiently punifhed, in having thrown away fo much of their
money upon this fpurious Alexander. And fuch was the ig-
nominious conclulion of this bold contrivance about the fpu-
rious Alexander.
C H A P. XIII.
How Archelaus, upc/i a ftcond Accufaticn, was banijhed te
Vienna,
of
I. \T7 HEN Arehelaus was entered on his ethnarchy, and
VV was come into Judea, he accufed Joazar, the Ion
Bcethus, ot aililling the iediticus, and took away the high-
^28 ANTIQUITIES OF THE JEWS. [Book XVIl,
priefthood from him, and put Eleazer his brother in his place-
He alfo magnificently rebuilt the royal palace that had been
at Jericho, and he diverted halt the water with which the vil-
lage of Neara ufed to be watered, and drew of that water in-
to the plain, to water thofe palm trees which he had there
planted : He alfo built a village, and put his own name upon
it, and called it Arckekis. Moreover, he * tranfgreffed the
law of our fathers, and married Glaphyra. the daughter of
Archelaus, who had been the wife of his brother Alexander,
which Alexander had three children by her, while it was a
thing deteftable among the Jews, to marry the brother's wife ;
nor did this Eleazer abide long in the high-priefthood, Jefus,
the fon of Sie, being put in his room while he was flill living.
2. But in the tenth year of Archelaus's government, both
his brethren, and the principal men of Judeaand Samaria, not
being able to bear his barbarous ami tyrannical ufage of them,
accufed him before Caefar, and that efpecially becaufe they
knew he had broken the commands of Caefar, which obliged
him to behave himielf with moderation among them. Where-
upon Caefar, when he heard it, was very angry and called for
Archelaus's ftewarcl, who took care of his affairs at Rome, and
whofe name was Archelaus alfo, and thinking it beneath him
to write to Archelaus, he bid him fail away as foon as poffible,
and bring him to us ; fo the man made hafte in his voyage,
and when he came into Judea he found Archelaus feafting
with his friends ; fo he told him what Casiar had fent him about,
and haftened him away. And when he was come | to Rome,J
Caefar, upon hearing what certain acculers of his had to fay,
and what reply he could make, both banifhed him, and ap-
pointed Vienna a city of Gaul to be the place of his habita-
tion, and took his money away from him.
3. Now before Archelaus was gone up to Rome upon this
meffage, he related this drern to his friends, that " he law ears
of corn, in number ten, full of wheat perfectly ripe, which
ears, as it feemed to him, were devoured by oxen." And
when he was awake and gotten up, becaufe the vifion appear-
ed to be of great importance to him, he lent tor the diviners,
whofe ftudy was employed about dreams. And while lome
were of one opinion, and fome of another, (tor all their in-
terpretations did not agree,) Simon, a man of the feft of the
Effens, defired leave to fpeak his mind freely, and faid that
" the vifion denoted a change in the affairs of Archelaus, and
that not for the better ; that oxen, becaufe that animal takes
uneafy pains in his labours denoted affli6tions, and indeed
denoted farther, a change of affairs ; becaufe that land which
is ploughed by oxen cannot remain in its former Hate : And
* Spar.heitn ffafonab'iy obfervcs here, that it was forbidden the Jews to marry
tfieir brother's wife, wh^i she hdd children by her firft hnsband, aad that Zenoraj
[eitss, orl interprets the ciauie before us accordingly.
Ch2p. Xltt.J ANTIQUITIES OF THE JEWS. 329
that the ears of corn being ten, determined the like number ot
years, becaufe an ear of corn grows in one year ; and that the
time of Archelaus's government Was over." And thus did
this man expound the dream. Now on the filth day after this
dream came fiilt to Archelaus, the other Archelaus, that was
feat to Judea by Cuefar to cll him away came hither alfo.
4. The like accident betel Glaphyra his wife, who was the
daughter of king Archelaus, who, as I faid belore, was mar-
ried while (he was a virgin, to Alexander the fon of Herod,
and brother of Archelaus ; but fince it fell out fo that Alex-
ander was 'lain by his father, ihe was married to jfuba, tha
king of Lydia, and when he was dead, and (lie lived in wid-
owhood in Cappadocia with her iather, Archelaus divorced
his former .vite Mariamne, and married her, fo great was his
affeclion for this Glaphyra ; who during her marriage to him.
faw the following dream. She thought " the lk\v Alexander
ftanding by her, at which Ihe rejoiced, and embraced him with
great affect son ; but that he complained ot her, and faid, O
Glaphyra ! thou proveft that faying to be true, which affures
us, that women are not to be trufted. Didfl not thou pledge
thy faith to me ? and wall not thou married to me when thou
wafi a viigin r 1 and had we not children between us ? Yet hail
thou forgotten the affer.tion I bare to thee out ot a defire
of a feco-nd hufband. Nor hall thou been Satisfied with that
injury thou didft me, but thou halt been fo bold as to procure
thee a. third hufband to lie by thee, and in an indecent and im-
pudent manner hail entered into my houfe, and hail been
married to Archelaus, thy hufband, and my brother. How-
ever, I will not forget thy former kind affection for me, but
will fet thee free from every fuch reproach; ul aflion, ami
caufe thee to be mine again, as thou once wait." When ihe
had related this to her female companions, in a few days tirr,^
Ihe departed this life.
5. Now I did not think thefe hiflories improper for the
prefent difcourfe, both becaufe my diicourfe now is concern-
ing kings, and otherwife alto on account of the advantage
hence to be drawn, as well for the confirmation oi the immor-
tality of the foul, as ot the providence of God over human
affairs I thought them fit to be fet down ; but if any one does
not believe fuch relations, let him indeed enjoy his own opin-
ion, but let him not hinder another, that would thereby en-
courage himfelt in virtue. So Archelaus's country was laid
to the province of Syria ; aad Cyrenius, one that had been
conlul, was fent by C<ciar to take account oi people's
in Syria, and to fe'l the houfe ot Archelaus,
VOL. II.
33* ANTIQUITIES OF THE JEWS. (Book XVIIL
BOOK XVIII.
Containing the interval of thirty-two years.
\from the Banifhment of ARCH R LAU s, to thl departure of the
Jews from Babylon.]
CHAP. I.
How Cyrenius wasfentby Cezfar to make a Taxation of Syria
and Judea ; and [how Coponius teas fent to be Procurator of
Judea ; concerning Judas of Galilee, and concerning the feds
that were among the Jews.
$ I. TVfOW Cyrenius, a Roman fenator, and one who had
-LM gone through other magtllracfes, and had patted
through them till he had been conful, and one who, on other
accounts, was of great dignity, came at this time into Syria,
with a few others, being lent by Caefar to be a judge ot that
nation, and to take an account ot their fubflance : Coponius
alfo, a man of the queftrian order, was fent together with him,
to have the fupreme power over the Jews. Moreover, Cy-
renius came himfelt into Judea, which was now added to the
province ot Syria, to take an account ot their fubftance, and
to difpofe of Archelaus's money : But the Jews, although at
the beginning they took the report of a taxation heinoufly,
yet did they leave off any farther oppofition to it, by the per-
fuafion ot Joazar, who was the Ion of Boethus.and high-prieft;
io they being over perfuaded by Joazar's words, gave an ac-
count of their eltates, without any difpute about it. Yet was
there one Judas,* a Gaulonite, of a city whofe name was Ga-
*" Since St. Luke once, A&s v. 37. and Jofephus four fe/eral times, once here,
^ 6. and B. XX. ch. v. 2. Vol. II. Of the War, B. Il.ch. viii $ i. and ch. xvii.
^ 8- Vol. III. calls this Judas, who was the peftilent author of that ieditious doc-
trine and temper which brought the Jew iih nation to utter dcftrudtion, a Galilean,
but here, k i. Jofephus calls him a Gttttlenite, of thv city of Gamaia. It is a great
qiieltiun where this Judas was born, v/he(h?r in Galilee on the weft fide, or in
Gaulonitis, on theeaii fide of the river Jordan ; while, in the place juft now cited
out of the Antiquities, B. XX. ch. v. ^ 2. Vol II he is not only called a Galilean,
but it is added to his ftory, as I havefignificd in the books that go before tluff, aj it
he had flill called him a Galilean in thoie Antiquities before, as well as in that par-
ticular place,as Dean Aldrich obfcrves,On the War, B. II ch. viii. fed. i Vol III.
Kor can one well imagine why he should .here call him a Gaulonite, when in the
6th feftion following here, as well as twice Of the War, he Hill calls him a Galile-
an. As. for the city of Gamaia, whence this Judas was derived, it determines no.
thing, fincetlteie were two of that name, throne in Gau'.onitis, the other in Gali-
ke. See Reiaad on the city or town of that name,
Chap. I.] ANTIQUITIES OP THB JEWS. 33*
mala, who taking with him Saddouk*, a Pharifee, became
zealous to draw them to a revolt, who both faid, that this tax-
ation was no better than an introduction to flavery, and ex-
horted the nation to ailert their liberty ; as it they could pro-
cure them happinefs and fecurity for what they poffefled, and
an allured enjoyment of a ilill greater good, which was that
ot the honour and glory they would thereby acquire for mag-
nanimity. They alfo faid, that God would not otherwife be
affifting to them, than upon their joining with one another in
fuch counfels as might be fuccefsful, and for their own advan-
tage ; and this efpecially, it they would fet about great ex-
ploits, and not grow weary in executing the fame ; fo men re-
ceived what they faid with pleafure, and this bold attempt
proceeded to a great height. All forts of misfortunes alfo
fprang from thefe men, and the nation was infected with this
doctrine to an incredible degree ; one violent war came upon.
us after another, and we loft our friends which ufed to allevi-
ate our pains ; there were alio very great robberies ajid mur-
ders of our principal men. This was done in pretence indeed
for the public welfare, but in reality from the hopes of gain
to themfelves ; whence arofe feditions, and from them mur-
ders of men which fometimes fell on thofe of their own peo-
ple, (by the madnefs of thefe men towards one another, while
their defire was that none of the adverfe party might be left)
and fometimes on their enemies ; a famine alfo coming upon
us reduced us to the laft degree of defpair, as did alfo the tak-
ing and demolifhirig of cities ; nay, the feditionat laft increai-
ed fo high, that the very temple ot God was burnt down by
their enemies fire. Such were the confequences of this, that
the cuftoms of our fathers were altered, and fuch a change
was made, as added a mighty weight toward bringing all to
deftruction, which theie men occafioned by their thes con-
fpiring together, tor Jadas and Sadducust, who excited a
fourth Phiiofophic fett among us, and had a great many fol-
lowers therein, filied our civil government with tumults at
prefent, and laid the foundations of our future miferies by this
fyftem of philofophy, which we were before unacquainted
withal ; concerning which, I will difcourfe a little, and this
the rather, becaufe the infection which fpread thence among
the younger fort, who were zealous for it brought the public
to deftruction.
2. The Jews had for a great while had three feels of philo-
* It feems not very improbable to me, that this Sadduc, the Pharifee, was the
very lame man of whom the Rabbins fpeak, as. the unhappy but undergoing occa-
fion of the impiety or infidelity of the Sadducees ; nor perhaps ha'd the men this
name of Sadducees till this very time, though they were a diftinct k& long before.
See the note on B. Xlll. ch. x. (eft 5. Vol. II. and Dean Prideaux, as there quoted ;
nor do we, that I know of, find the lead footftepsof inch impiety or infidelity of
thefe Sadducees before this time, the Recognitions attiring iu, that they began about
the days of John the Baptift, B, I ch. liv. Vol. I.
t See Note jibove
332 ANTIQUITIES OF THE JEWS. [Book XVIII..
fophy peculiar to thcmfelves, the fe5l of the Effens, and the
feet of the Sadducees, and the third fort of opinions, was that
of thofe called Pharifees ; of which fefls, although I have al-
ready fpoken in the fecond book of the Jcwifh war, yet will
I a little touch upon them now.
3. NO-.V for the Pharifees they jive meanly, and defpife del-
icacies in diet ; and they follow the contrail of reafon ; and
what that prefcribss to them as good for them they do ; and
they think they ought earneilly to ftrivc to obfcrve reafon's
dictates for practice. They alfo pay a refpccl to fuch as are
in years ; nor are they fo bold as to contradict them in any
thing which they have introduced ; and, when they determine
that all things are done by fate, they do not take away the
freedom from men of aftino; as they think fit ; fince their no-
tion is, that it hath pleafed God to make a temperament, where-
by what he wills is done, Hut fo that the will of man can aci
Virtuoufly or vicioufly. They alfo believe, that fouls have an
immortal vigour in them, and tha^t under the earth there will
be rewards or punitnments, according as they have lived vir-
tuoufly or vicioufly in tlm life ; and the latter arc to be de-
tained in an everlafting prifon, but that the former (hall have
power to revive and live again, on account of which doclrines
they are able greatly to perfaade the body of the people : And
whatfoever they do about divine worihip prayers, and facri-
flces, they perform them according to their dire6iion ; info-
rnuch that the cities gave great atteflations to them on account
of their entire virtuous condutt, both in the aftions of their
lives, and their difcouvfes alfo.
4. But the doBrine of the Sadducees is this, That louls die
xvith the bodies ; nor do they regard the ohfcrvation of any
thing befides what the i.iw enjoins them ; for they think it an
inftance of virtue to difpute with thofe teachers of philofo-
phy whom they frequent ; but this doftrineis received but by
a few, yet by thofe Itill of the greateft dignity. But they are
able to do almoft nothing of the;n r elves ; tor when they be-
come magiflrates, as they are unwillingly and by force iome-
times obliged to be, they addict thernfelves to the notions of
the Pharifees, becaufe the multitude would not otherv/iie bear
them.
5. The doftrine of the EiTens is this. That all things are beft
afcribed to God. They teach the immortality of fouls, and
efteem that the rewards of righteoufnefs are to be earneftly
ilriven for ; and when they lend * what they have dedicated
* It feemsby what Jofephus fays here, and Phi'o himfelf elfewhere, Op. p.
676, that thefe EfTer.s did not u!e to go to the; Jewish feftivals at Jerufakm, or
to offer lacrilices there, which may tx- one great occafion why they are never men-
tioned in the ordinary books of the New Teitament ; though in the Apoftolical
Conditntions they are mentioned, as thofe that nbfcrved the cujloms of thtir forefa-
thers, and that without any fuch illxharafter laid upon them, as is there hid ur>cm
ihe other (efts among that peopU.
Chap. I.] ANTIQUITIES OF TH1 JEWS. 333
to God into the temple, they do not offer facrifices, becaufe
they have more pure luftrations of their own ; on which ac-
count they are excluded from the common court of the tern-
ple but offer their facriftces themfelves ; yet is their courfe
of life better than that of other men ; and they entirely addicl:
themfelves to hufbandry< It alfo deferves our admiration how
much they exceed all other men that addift themfetves to vir-
tue, and this in righteoufnefs ; and indeed to fuch a degree,
that as it hath never appeared among any other men, neither
Greeks nor Barbarians, nb not tor a little time, fo hath it en-
dured a long while among them. This is demonflrated by
that inftitution of theirs, which will not fuffer any thing to
hinder them from having all things in common; fo that a rich
man enjoys no more of his own wealth than he who hath no-
thing at all. There are about four thoufand men that live in
this way ; and neither marry wives, nor are defirous to keep
fervants ; as thinking the latter tempts men to be unjuft, and
the former gives the handle to domeftic quarrels ; but as they
live by themfelves, they minifter one to another. They alfo
appoint certain ftewards to receive the incomes of their rev-
enues, and of the fruits of the ground ; fuch as are good men
and priefts, who are to get their corn and their food ready for
them. They none of them differ from others of the Effens in
their way of living, hut do the moft referable thofe Dacae, who
are called Polijla*, [dwellers in cities].
6. Butot the fourth feft of Jewish philofophy, Judas the
Galilean was the author. Thelc men agree in all other things
with the Pharifaic notions ; but they have an inviolable at-
tachment to liberty, and fay, that God is to be their only
Ruler and Lord. They alfo do not value dying any kinds of
death, nor indeed do they heed the deaths of their relations
and friends, nor can any fuch fear make them call any man
lord. And fince this immovcable refolution of theirs is well
known to a great many. I fhall fpcak no farther about that
matter ; nor am 1 afraid that any thing I have faid of them
fhould bedifbelieved but rather fear, that what 1 have faid is
beneath the refolution they fliew when they undergo pain,
And it was in Geffius Florus's time that the nation began to go
mad with this diftemper, who was our procurator, and who
occafioned the Jews to go wild with it by the abufe of his au-
thority, and to make them revolt from the Romans. And
ihefe are the feels ot Jewifh philofophy.
* Who thefe Fletfara* in Jofephus, or K/risrai in StraHo. among the Pythagor-
ick Dacx were, it is not easy to determine. Scali^er ofiVrs no improbable conjec-
ture, that fome of thefe Dacz lived alone, like monks, in tents or caves, but that
others of thein lived together in built cities, and thence were called by fuch names
as implied the fame.
334 ANTIQUITIES OF THE JEWS. [Book
CHAP. II.
How Herod and Philip built feveral Cities in honour of Cotfar.
Concerning the fuccejjion oj Priejls and Procurators ; as aljo
what bejd Phraates and the Parthians.
I. \TTHEN Cyrenius had now difpofed of Archelaus's
VV money, and when the taxings were come to a con-
clufion, which were made in the thirty-feventh of Caefar's
victory over Antony at Aftium, he deprived Joazar of the
highprieft-hood, which dignity had been conferred on him by
the multitude, and he appointed Ananus, the fon oi Seth, to
be high prieft ; while Herod and Philip had each of them re-
ceived their own tetrarchy, and fettled the affairs thereof.
Herod alfo built a wall about Sepphoris f which is the fecuri-
ly of all Galilee], and made it the metropolis of the country.
He alfo built a wall round Betharamphtha, which was itfelt a
city alfo, and called it Julias, from the name of the empe-
ror's wife. When Philip aifo had built Paneas, a city ai the
fountains of Jordan, he named it Cefarea. He alfo advanced
the village Bethfaida, fituate at the lake of Gennefareth, unto
the dignity of a city , both by the number of inhabitants it con-
tained, and its other grandeur, and called it by the name of
Julias ', the fame name with Caefar's daughter.
2. As Coponius, who we told you was fent along with Cy-
jrenius, was exercifing his office of procurator, and govern-
ing Judea, the following accidents happened. As the Jews
were celebrating the feaft of unlcvened bread, which' we call
the PaJJover. it was cuftomary for the priefts to open the tem-
ple gates juft after midnight. When therefore thofe gates
were firft opened, feme of the Samaritans came privately into
Jerufalem, and threw about dead mens bodies in the cloifters ;
on which account the Jews afterward excluded them out of
the temple, which they had not ufed to do at fuch feftivals ;
and on other accounts alfo they watched the temple more care-
fully than they had formerly done. Alittle after which acci-
dent Coponius returned to Rome, and Marcus Ambivius
came to be his fucceffor in that government ; under whom
Salome, the fifter of king Herod, died, and left to Julia
[Casfar'swife], Jamnia, all its toparchy, and Phafaelis in the
plain, and Archelais, where is a great plantation of palm trees,
and their fruit is excellent in its kind. After him came An-
nius Rufus, under whom died Ciefar. the fecond emperor of
the Romans, the duration of whole reign was fifty-feven
years, befides fix months and two days, fof which time Anto-
nius ruled together with him fourteen years; but the dura-
tion of his life was feventy-feven years) ; upon whofe death
Tiberius Nero, his wife Julia's fon', fuccecded. He was now
the third emperor ; and He fent Valerius Gratus to be procu-
Chap. 11.] ANTIQUITIES OF THE JEWS. 33$
rator of Judea, and to fucceed Annius Rulus. This man de-
prived Annus ol the high-priefthood, and appointed Ifmael,
the fon ot Phabi, to be high-prieft. He alfo deprived him in
a little time, and ordained Eleazar, the fon of Ananus who
had. been high prieft before, to be high prieft ; which office,
when he had held fora year, Gratus deprived him ot it, and
gave the high-priefthood to Simon, the fon of Camithus ; and,
when he had poffelled that dignity no longer than a year, Jo-
feph Caiaphas was made his fucceflbr. When Gratug had
done thofe things, he went back to Rome, after he had tar-
ried in Judea eleven years, when Pontius Pilate came as his
fucceflbr.
3. And now Herod the tetrarch, who was in great favour
with Tiberius, built a city of the fame name with him, and
called it Tiberias. He built it in the belt part of Galilee, at
the lake ot Gennefareth. There are warm baths, at a little
diftance from it, in a village named Emmaus. Strangers came
and inhabited this city ; a great number of the inhabitants
were Galileans alfo ; and many were necefiitated by Herod
to come thither out of the Country belonging to him, and
were by force compelled to be its inhabitants ; fome of them
were perfons of condition. He alfo admitted poor people,
that thofe fuch as were collected from all parts, to dwell in it.
Nay, fome of them were not quite freemen ; and thefe he was
a benefactor to, and made them tree in great numbers ; but
obliged them not to forfake the city, by building them very
good houfes at his own expences, and by giving them land
alfo ; for he was fenfible, that to make this place an habita-
tion was to tranfgrefs the Jewifh ancient laws, becaufe many
fepulchres were to be here taken away, in order to make room
tor the city Tiberias * ; whereas our laws pronounce, that
fuch inhabitants are unclean for feven days t.
4. About this time died Phraates, king of the Parthians, by
the treachery of Phraataces his fon, upon the occafion fol-
lowing. When Phraates had had legitimate fons of his own,
he had alfo an Italian maid fervant, whole name was Tkermufa,
who had been formerly fent to him by Julius Csefar, among
other prelents. He firft made her his concubine; but he be-
ing a great admirer of her beauty, in procefs of time having a
fon by her, whole name was Phraataces, he made her his le-
gitimate wife, and had a great refpeft for her. Now, fliewas
able to perfuade him to do any thing the Ihe iaid, and was
earneft in procuring the government ot" Parthia for her fon ;
* We may here take notice, as well as in die parallel parts of the books Of the
War, B. 1 1. ch. ix. lea. i. Vol. III. that after the death of Herod the Great, and
the fucccssion of Archelaus, Jofephus is very brief in his accounts of Judea, till
near his own time. I fuppoiethe reafop is, thatalter the large hiftory oi Nicolaus
of Damaicus, including the life of Herod, and probably the fuccesaion and firft
aftions of his fons, he had but few goodhiftories of thole times before him.
+ Numb, xix, 11 14.
;*>; ANTIQUITIES OF TH2 JEWS. [Book XVllfi
but ftill fhe faw that her endeavours would not fucceed, un~
lets (he could contrive how to remove Phraates's ligitimate
fons [out of the kingdom]; io (he perfuaded him to fendthofe
his fons as pledges ot his fidelity, to Rome; and they were
fent to Rome accordingly, becaufe it xvas not eafy {or him to
contradict her commands. Now, while Phraataces was alone
brought up in order to fucceed in the government, he thought
it very tedious to expefl that government by his father's do.
nation fas his fucceifor] ; he therefore formed a treacherous
defign againft his father by his mother's affiltance, with whom,
as the report went, he had criminal converfation alfo. So he
was hated for both thefe vices, while his fubjefls efteemed
this | wicked J love of his mother to be no way inferior to his_
parricide ; and he was by them in a fedition expelled out oi
the country, before he grew too great and died. But as the
belt fort ot Parthians agreed together that it was impoflible they
fhould be governed without a king, while alfo it was their
conflant practice to choofe one of the family of Arfaces,
fnor did their la.v allow of any others ; and they thought this
kingdom had been fufficiently injured already by the marriage
with an Italian concubine, and by her iffuej, they fent am-
bafladors and called Orodes [to take the crown] ; lor the mul-
titude would not otherwife have borne them ; and though he
were accufed of very great cruelty, and was of an intrachble
temper, and prone to wrath, yet ftill he was one of the fami-
ly of Arfaces. However, they made a confpiracy againft him,
andQewhirnandthat.as (ome fay, at a feftival.and among their
facrifices ; (for it is the univerfal cultom there to carry their
fwords with them) ; but as the more general report is, they
(lew him when they had drawn him out a-hunting. So they
fent ambafTadors to Rome, and defired they would lend one
of thofe that were there as pledges, to be their king. Accord-
ingly Vonones was preferred before the reft, and fent to them ;
(for he feemed capable of fuch great fortune, which two of
the greateft kingdoms under the fun now offered him, his
own, and a foreign one). However the barbarians foon chan-
ged their minds, they being naturally of a mutable difpofition,
upon the fuppofal, that this man was not worthy to be their
governor ; ior they rould not think of obeying the com-
mands ot one that had been a flave, (for fo they called thofe
that had been hottages), nor could they bear the ignominy ot
that name ; and this was the more intolerable, becaufe then
the Parthians mull have fuch a king fet over them, not by
right of war, but in time of peace. So they prefently invited
Artabanus, king ot Media, to be their king, he being alfo ot
the race of Arfaces. Artabanus complied with the offer that
was made him, and came to them with an army. So Vonones
met him ; and at firft the multitude of the Parthians flood on
his fide, and he put his army in array, but Artabanus was bea-
ten, and fled to the mountains of Media. Yet did he a hitlc
Chap. III.] ANTIQUITIES OF THE JE\VS. 337
after gather a great army together, and fought with Vonones,
and beat him ; whereupon Vonones fled away on horfehack,
with a tew of his attendants about him, to Seleucia [upon
Tigris]. So when Artabanus had (lain a great number, and
this alter he had gotten the viftory by reafon of the very greifr
difmay the barbarians were in, he retired to Ctefiphon with a
great number of his people ; and fo he now reigned over the
Parthians. But Vonones fled away to Armenia; and as foon
as he came thither, he had an inclination to have the govern-
ment of the country given him, and fent ambaffadors to
Rome [for that puipofcj. But becaufe Tiberius refilled it him,
and becaufe he wanted courage, and becaufe the Parthian
king threatened him, and fent ambaffadors to him to denounce
war againft him it he proceeded, and becau/e he had no way
to take to regain any other kingdom, (for the people of au-
thority among the Armenians about Niphates joined them-
felves to Artabanus), he delivered up himfelf to Sihnus, the
prefident ot Syria, who, out of regard to his education at
Rome, kept him -in Syria, while Artabanus gave Armenia to
Orodcs, one of his own fons.
5. At this time died Antiochus, the king of Commagene ;
whereupon the multitude contended with the nobility, and
both fent ambafladors to [Rome] ; for the men of power were
defifous that their form of government might be changed in-
to that of a [ Roman] province ; as were the multitude defir-
ousto be under king's, as their fathers had been. So the fen-
ate made a decree, that Germanicus fliould be fent to fettle
the affairs ot the eaft, fortune hereby taking a proper oppor-
tunity for depriving him of his life ; for when he had been in
the eaft, and fettled all affairs there, his life was taken away
by the poifon which Pi fo gave him, as hath been related elfe-
where*.
CHAP. III.
A Sedition of the jfws again/I Pontius Pilate. Concerning
Chrijl, and what btjd Paulina and the Jews at Rome.
[ v I. TJUT now Pilate the procurator of Judea, removed the
-D army from Ccfarea to Jer'ufalem, to take their win-
ter-quarters there, in order to abolifh the Jewifh laws. So
he introduced Casiar's effigies, which were upon the enfigns,
and brought them into the city ; whereas our law forbids us
the very making of images ; on which account the former
procurators were wont to make their entry into the city with
fuch enfigns as had not thofe ornaments. Pilate was the firft
who brought thofe images to Jerufalem, and fet them np there ;
* This citation is now wantiug.
VOL; II. T t
33$ ANTIQUITIES OF 'I !i JEWS. | Book XV III-
which was done without the knowledge of the people, becaufe-
it was done in the night time ; but as foon as they knew it,,
they came in multitudes to Cefarea, and interceded with Pi-
late many days, that he would remove the images ; and when
he would not grant their requefls, becaufe this would tend to
the injury of Cacfar, while yet they perfevered in their re-
quelt, on the fixth day he ordered his foldiers to have their
weapons privately, while he came and fat upon his judgment
leat ; which feat was io prepared in the open place ot the ci-
ty, that it concealed the army that lay ready to opprefs them ;
and when the Jews petitioned him again, he gave a fignal to
the foldiers to encompafs them round, and threatened that
their punifhment fhouid be no lels than immediate death, un-
Jefs they would leave ofF disturbing him, and go their ways
home. But they threw themfelves upon the ground, and laid
their necks hare, and faid they would take their death very
willingly, rather than the wifdorh or their laws fhouid be tranf^
grelled ; upon which Pilate was deeply a Heeled with their
firm refolution to keep their laws inviolable, and prefently
commanded the images to be carried back from Jerufalem to
Cefarea.
2. But Pilate undertook to bring a current of water to Je-
ru'alem, and did it with the facred money, and derived the
origin ot the ftream from the diftance of two hundred fur-
longs. However the Jews * were not pleafed with what had
been done about this water ; and many ten thoufands of the
people got together, and made a clamour againft him, and in-
fifted that he fhouid leave off that defign. Some of themalfo
ufed reproaches, and abufed the man, as crowds pt fuch peo-
ple ufually do. So he habited a great number of his foldiers
in their habit, who carried daggers under their garments, and
fent them to a place where they might furround them. So
he bid the Jewshirnfelf go away ; butthey boldly cafting re-
proaches upon him, be gave the foldiers that fignal which had
* Thefe Jews, as they are here called, whofc blood Pilate fhed on this occafion-
may very '.veil he thofe very Galilean Jews vhcji blood Pilate had mingled tuitk
their facrijices ; Luke xiii. j, 2. ; thefe tumults being ufually excited at tome of
the Jews great feftivals, when they ilew abundance of lacrif.ces, and the Galileans
being commonly much more buiy in fuch tumults than thole of Judea and Jerufa-
lem, a; we learn from the hiflory of Archelaus. Antiq. C. XVII. oh. ix iVcr. ^. ar:d
ch. x. feel;. 2, 9 Vol. II. ; though indeed Jolephus's prefent copies fay not one
im fill ', and Jit w then:, which the
4lh ver'e. ot the lame x tilth chapter of St Luke informs us of. But fince our gof-
pcl teaches us, Luke xxiii. 6, 7. that, when Pi/ate hca.nl of Gaii!ec,.he asked v:l;ether
in 9 And as foon as he kr.cw that he belonged to Her at' < jurifilic-
Hcrod. And, ver. 12. The fame day 1'Uate and Herod were
'iti ; Jor, before they had keen at enmity htwcen tkr.njtlvts. Take
. y probable key of this matter in the words of the learned Noidius <3e He-
''0.249. " The cauie of the ertnity between Herod and Pilate (fays he ) t
ftcms to have been this, that Pilate hcd intermeddled with the tetrarch'sjurifdifticn,.
and had (lain Come of his Galilean lubjefts ; Luke xiii. i, ; and, as he was wil--
Ung to corrcft that errorj he lent Chrtft to Herod at this time."
hap. III.] ANTIQUITIES OF THE JEWS. 33$
been beforehand agreed on j who laid upon them much great-
er blows than Pilate had commanded them, and equally pun-
ilhed thofe that were tumultuous, and thofe that were not
nor did they fpare them in the leaft ; and fince the people
were unarmed, and were caught by men prepared tor what
they were about, there were a great number of them ilain by
this means, and others of them ran away wounded. And thus
an end was put to this fedition.
3. Novr there was about this time Jefus, a wife man, if it
be lawful to call him a man ; for he was a doer of wonderful
works, a teacher of fuch men as receive the truth with pleai-
ure. He drew over to him both many of the Jews, and ma-
ny of the Gentiles. He was [the] Chrift. And when Pilate,
at the fuggeition of the principal men among us, had condem-
ned him to the crofs, * thofe that loved him at the iirft did nor
iorfake him ; tor he appeared to them alive again the third
day ; t as the divine prophets had ioretoldthefe and tenthou-
iand other wondertul things concerning him. And the tribe
of Chriftians, fo named from him, are not extinct at this day.
4. About the lame time alfo another fad calamity put the
Jews into diforder, and certain fhameful practices happened
about the temple of Ifis that was at Rome. I will now firil
take nonce ot the wickedattempt about the temple of Ifis, and
will then give an account of the Jewifh affairs. There was
at Rome a woman whofc name was Paulina ; one who^ on
account ot the dignity of her anceftors, and by the regular
conduct ot a virtuous life, had a great reputation : She was
alL-very rich; and although Hie were ot a beautiful counte-
nance, and in that flower ot her age wherein women are the
moit gay, yet did the lead a life of great niodefty. She was
jnarried to Saturninus, one that was every way anfwerabfe to
her in an excellent character. Decius Murtdus tell in love
with this woman, who was a man very high in the equeftrian
order ; and as me was of too great dignity to be caught by
prei> nts, and had already rejected them, though they had been
fent in great abundance, he was {till more inflamed withlcve
to her, iniomuch that he promifed to give her two hundred
thoufand Attic drachmae for one night's lodging ; and when
this would not prevail upon her, and he was not able to bear
this misfortune in his amours, he thought it the bed way to
iamifh himfelf to death for want ot food, on account ot Pau-
lina's fad refufal ; and he determined with himfelf to die after
fuch a manner, and he went on with his purpofe accordingly.
Now Mundus had a freed woman, who had been made tree by
his father, whofename was Ide, one fkilttil in all forts of rmt-
chiet. This woman was very much grieved at the young
man's reiolution to kill himfelf, (for he did n-ot conceal hi>
intentions to deftroy himfelf trom others,) and came to him,
* A. D. 33. April 3. <- April <j.
34 ANTIQUITIES OF THE JEWS. [Book XV1IL
and encouraged him by her difcourfe, v^nd made him to hope
by fome promifesfhe gave him, that he might obtain a ii ght's
lodging with Paulina; and when he joyi'nlly hearkened to her
entreaty, (he faid (he wanted no more than fifty thoufand
drachmae for the entrapping of the woman. So when Ihe had
encouraged the young man, and gotten as much money as the
required, (he did not take the fame methods as had been taken
before, becaufe Ihe perceived that the woman was by nome^ns
to be tempted by money, but as Ihe knew that ihe was r.uch
given to the worlhip ot the goddefs Ifis, me devifed the fol-
lowing ftratagem : She went to fome of Ifis's prieits, and up-
on the lirongeit affurances [of concealraentj, (he perfuaded
them by words, but chiefly by the offer ot money, of 25.000
drachmae in hand, and as much more when the thing had
taken effel ; and told them the paffion of the young man, and
perfuaded them to life all means pofhble to beguile the wo-
man. So they were drawn into prornife lo to co, by that
large fum ot gold they were to have. Accordingly ihe oldelt
ot them went immediately to Paulina, and upon his admittance,
he defired to fpeak with her by herfelt. \\ lien that was
granted him, he told her, that " he was lent by the god Anu-
bis who was {alien m love with her, and enjoined her to v.u:ne
to him." Upon this (he took the rreffage very kindly, and
valued herfelf greatly upon this condefcenfion ot Anubis, and
told her hufband. that Ihe had a meffage fent her, and was to
fup and to lie with Anubis ; fo he agreed to her acceptance
ot the offer, as hilly fatisfied with the chaltity of his wife.
Accordingly Ihe went to the temple, and alter fhc had (tipped
there, and it was the hour to go to fleep, the prieil (hut the
doors of the temple, when in the holy part of it, the lights
were alfo put out. Then did Mundus leap out, (for he was
hidden therein), and did not fail of enjoying her, who was at
his fervice all the night long, as fuppofing he was the god ;
and when he was gone away, which was before thofe priefts
who knew nothing of this fhatagem were ftirring, Paulina
came eaily to her hufband, and told him how the god Anubis
had appeared to her. Among her friends alfo (he declared
how great a value (he put upon this favour, who partly cUfbe-
lieved the thing, when they reflected on its nature, and partly
were amazed at it, as having no pretence tor not believing it,
when they confidered the modefty and the dignity ot the per-
fon. But now on the third day alter what had been done,
Mundus met Paulina, and faid, ' Nay, Paulina, tliou haft
laved me two hundred thoufand drachmae, which fum thou
inighteft have added to thy own family ; yet haft thou not
iailed to be at my fervice in the manner I invited thee. As
ior the reproaches thou haft laid upon Mundus, I value not
the bufinefs of names ; but 1 rejoice in the pleafure I reaped
by what I did, while 1 took to myfelf the name of Anubis/'
When he had faid this, he went his way. But now fhe began
Chap. III.] ANTIQUITIES OF THE JEWS. 34*
to come to the fenfe of the grofTnefs of what me had done, and
rent her garments, and told her hulband ot the horrid nature of
this wicked contrivance, and prayed him not to neglecl to af-
filt her in this cafe. So he difcovered the ia6l to the empe-
ror ; whereupon Tiberius enquired into the ma'ter thorough-
ly, by examining the priefts about it, and ordered them to be
crucified, as well as Ide, who was the occafion of their per-
dition, and who had contrived the whole matter, which was fo
injurious to the woman. He alfo demoliflied the temple o
Ids, and gave order that her flatue fhould be thrown into the
jiver Tiber; while he only banifhed Mundus, but did no
more to him, becaufe he fuppofed that what crime he had
committed was done out of the paffiori of love. And thefe
were the circumitances which concerned the temple ot Ifis,
and the injuries occafioned by her prielts. I now return to
the relation ot what happened about this time to the Jews at
Rome, as 1 formerly told you I would.
5. There was a man who was a Jew, but had been driven
away from his own country by an accufation laid againft
him for tranfgrefiing their laws, and by the fear he was un-
der ot punifhment ior the fame ; but in all refpets a wicked
man. He then living at Rome, proteiTed to inttruct men in
the wiidom ot the laws ot Mofes He procured alfo threft
other men, entirely ot the fame character with himfelt to be
his partners. Thole men perluaded Fulvia a woman of great
dignity, and one that had embraced the Jewith religion, to lend
purple and gold to the temple at Jerufaiem, and, when they
iiad gotten them, they employed them tor their own ufes, and
fpent tbe money themlelves ; on which account it was that
they at full required it of her. Whereupon Tiberius, who
had been informed ot the thing by Saturriinus, the hufband
ot Fulvia, who defired inquiry might be made about it, or-
dered, all the Jews to be bamlhed out ot Rome; at which
time the confuls lilted 4000 men out ot them, and fent them
to the iiland Sardinia ; butpunifhed a greater number ot them,
who were unwilling to become foldiers on account of keep-
ing the laws ot their ioreiathers*. Thus were thefe Jews
baniihed out of the city by the wickednefsot four men.
* Of ihe banifhment of thefe 4000 Jews into Sardinia by Tiberius, fee Sueto-
nius in Tiber, left. 36. But as ior Mr Reland's note here, which iuppoles, that
iews could not, coiifillently with their laws, be foldiers, it is contradicted by one
ranch of the hiflory before us, and contrary to innumerable inftances ot their
fighting, and proving excell nt Soldiers in war; and indeed many ol the bcft of
;i under heathen kings thcmfelv<:s, did fo, thoie I mean who allowed
them their reft on the fabbath day, and other iblcinn fefUvals, and let them live ac-
cording to their own laws, as Alexander the Great and the Ptolemies of Egypt
did. It is true, they could not always obtain thofe privileges, and then they got
cxcufed as well as they could, or fometi:nesabfolutely refuled to fight, which ieems
(to have been the cafe here, as to the major part of the Jews now banifhcd, but
nothing more See feveral of the Roman decrees in their t'avoui i to iuch roat-
ttvs, B. AlV.ch, x. vol. II.
342 ANTIQUITIES OF THE JEWS. [Bock XVIII.
CHAP. IV.
How ike Samaritans made a, Tumult, and Pilate ckflroyed many
of them : How Pilate was accufed, and what things were
done by Vitdhus relating to the Jews and the Parthians.
I. T3UT the nation of the Samaritans did not efcape with-
J.3 out tumults. The man who excited them to it, was
one who thought lying a thing ok little confequence, and
who contrived every thing fo that the multitude might be
p leafed ; fo he bid them to get together upon mount Geriz-
zim, which is by them looked upon as the moil holy ot all
mountains, and affured them, that when they were come thith-
er, he would fliew them thoie facred veffels which were laid
under that place, becaufe Mofes * put them there. So they
came thither armed, and thought the difcourfe of the man
probable ; and as they abode at a certain village, which was
called Tirathaba, they got the reft together to them, and de-
fired to go up die mountain in a great multitude together ;
but Pilate prevented their going up by feizing upon the roads
with a great band of horiemen and footmen, who fell upon
thofe that were gotten together in the village ; and when it
came to an action, fome of them they flew, and others of
them they put to flight, and took a great many alive, the
principal ot which, and alfo the mod potent of thofe that fled
away, Pilate ordered to be {lain.
2. But when this tumult was appeafed, the Samaritan fen-
ate fent an embaffy to Vitellius, a man that had been conful,
and who was now president of Syria, and accufed Pilate of
the muider of thofe that were killed ; tor that they did not
go to Tirabatha in order to revolt from the Romans, but to
efcape the violence of Pilate. So Vilellius fent Marcellus,
.a friend ot his, to take care ot the affairs ot Judea, and or-
dered Pilate to go to Rome, to anfwer before the emperor to
theaccufations ot the Jews. So Pilate, when he had tarried
ten years in Judea, made hafte to Rome, and this in obedi-
ence to the orders ot Vitellius, which he durft not contra-
di6l ; but betore he could get to Rome, Tiberius was dead.
3. But Vitellius came into Judea, and went up to Jerufa-
lem ; it was at the time ot that teftival which is called the
* Since Mofes never came himfe'.f beyond Jordan, nor particularly to mount
Girizzim, and fmce theie Samaritans have a tradition among them, related here
by Dr. Hud ion, from Reland, who was very fkilful in Jewifh and Samaritan learn-
ing, that in the days of Uzzi or Ozzi the high-prieft, i Chfor. vi. 6. the ark and
Other facred velfcls were, by God's command, laid up or hidden in mount Ge-
rizzim, it is highly probable that this was the foolish foundation the prelent Sa-
maritans went upon, in the ledition here deicribed, and that we should read here,
infte-id of Mwwtw?, in the text of Jolephus.
Chap. IV.] ANTIQUITIES OF THE JEWS. 343
PaJJbvsr. Vitellius was there magnificently received, and
relealed the inhabitants of Jerufalem from all the taxes upon
the truits that were brought and fold, and gave thera leave to
have the care ot the high-prieft's veftments, with all their
ornaments, and to have them under the cuftody ot the pviefts
in the temple, which power they ufed to have formerly, al-
though at this time they were laid up in the tower of Antonia,
the citadel fo called, and that on the occafion following :
There was one ot the j high] priefts, named Hyrcanus, and
as there were many ot that name, he was the hrft ot them ;
this man built a tower near the temple, and when he had fo
d.pne, he generally dwelt in it, and had thefe veftments with
liim ; becaufe it was lawful for him alone to put them on>
and he had them there repofited when he went down into the
city, and took his ordinary garments ; the fame things were
continued to be done by his Ions-, and by their fons after them.
But when Herod came to be king he rebuilt this tower, which
was very conveniently fituated, in a magnificent manner;
and becaufe he was a Iriend to Antonius, he called it by the
name ot Antonia. And as he found thefe veftments lying
there, he retained them in the fame place, as believing, that
while he had them in his cuftody, the people would make no
innovations againft him. The like to what Herod did was
done by his fon Archelaus, who was made king after him ;
after whom the Romans, when they entered on the govern-
ment, took poffeflion ot thefe veftments of the high-prieft,
and had them repofited in a ftone-chamber, under the leal of
the priefts, and of the keepers of the temple, the captain of
the guard lighting a lamp there every day ; and * feven days-
before a teftrval they were delivered to them by the captain
of the guard, when the high-prieft, having purified them,
and made ufe of them, laid them up again in the fame cham-
ber where they had been laid up before, and this the very
next day after the feafl was over. This was the practice at
the three yearly feftivals, and on the tail day ; but Vitellius
put thefe garments into our own power, as in the days of our
forefathers, and ordered the captain ot the guard not to troub-
le himfelt to inquire where they were laid, or when they
were to be ufed ; and this he did as an aft ot kindnefs, to o-
blige the nation to him. Befides which, he alfo deprived
Joleph, who was alfo called Caiaphas,o[ the high-prietthood,
and appointed Jonathan, the fon of Ananus, the tormer high-
prieft, to fucceed him. After which, he took his journey
back to Antioch.
* This mention of the high-prie&'s facred garments received feven clays before
tffeflival, and purified in thole days againft a feftival, as having been polluted, by
being in the cuilody of heathens, in jofephus, agrees well with the traditions of
the Talmudifts, as R eland here obferves. Nor is there any queftion but the three
fc arts here mentioned, were the Paffover, Pentccoll, and feafl of Tabernacles ; and
the FaU, fo called by way of diftir.&ion, as Aftj xxvii. 9. was the great day oi
expiation.
344 ANTIQUITIES OF THE JEWS. [Book XV
4. Moreover, Tiberius fent a letter to Vitellius, and com-
manded him to make a league of friendfliip with Anabanus.
the king ot Parthia ; for while he was his enemy he terrified
him, becaufe he had taken Armenia away from him, left he
fhoiild proceed farther, and told him he (hould no otherwife
trufl him than upon his giving him hoftages, and eipecially
his fon Artabanus. Upon Tiberius's writing thus to Vitelli-
us, by the offer of great prefents of money, he perfuaded
both the king of Iberia, and the king ot Albania, to make
no delay, but to fight againfl Artabanus ; and although they
would not do it themfelves, yet did they give the Scythians
a paffage through their country, and opened the Cafpian gates
to them, and brought them upon Artabanus. So Armenia
was again taken from the Parthians, and the country ot Par-
thia was filled with war, and the principal of their men were
flain and all thefe things were in diforder among them : The
king's fon, alfo himfelf fell in thefe wars, together with many
tenhoufands of his army. Vitelh'ux had alio fent fuch great
fums of money to Artabanus's father's kinfmen and friends,
that he had almoit procured him to be flain by the means oi
thofe bribes which they had taken. And^-hen Artabanus
perceived that the plot faid againlt him was not to be avoided,
becaufe it was laid by the principal men, and thofe a great
many in number, and that it would certainly take effecl ;
when he had eftimated the number of thofe that were truly
faithful to him, as alfo of thofe who were already corrupted,
but were deceitful in the kindnefs they profeffed to him, and
were likely upon trial to go over to his enemies, he made his
efcape to the upper provinces, where he afterward railed a
great army out ot the Dabae and Sacae, and fought with his
enemies, and retained his principality.
5. When Tiberius had heard ot thefe things, he defired to
have a league of friendihip made between him and Artaba-
nus ; and when, upon this invitation, he received the pro-
pofal kindly, Artabanus and Viteliius went to Euphrates,
and as a bridge was laid over the river, they each ot them
came with their guards about them, and met one another or*
the midll ot the bridge. And when they had agreed upon
the terms ot peace, Herod the tetrarch erefted a rich tent on
the midll of the paffage, and made them a Feaft there.
Artabanus a!fo, not long afterward, fent his fon Darius, as
an hottage, with many" prefents, among which there was a
man feven cubits tall, a Jew he was by birth, arid his name
was Eieazar, who for his" tallnefs was called a giant. After
which Vitellius went to Antioch, and Artabanus to Babylon ;
but Herod {"the tetrarch] being defirous to give Caefar thefirft
information' that they had obtained hoftages, fent potts with
letters wherein he had accurately defcnbed all the particu-
lars, and had left nothing for the confular Vitellius to inform
him of. But when Vitellius's letters were fent, and Caeiar
Chap. V.] ANTIQUITIES OF THE JEWS. 345
had let him know that he was acquainted with the affairs al-
ready, becaufe Herod had given him an account of them be-
fore, Vitellius was very much troubled at it ; and fuppofing
that he had been thereby a greater fufferer than he really was,
he kept up a fecret anger upon this occafion, till he could be
revenged on him, which he was after Caius had taken the
government.
6. About this time it was that Philip, Herod's brother, de-
parted this life, in the twentieth year * ot the reign of Tiberi-
us, after he had been tetrarch ot Trachonitis and Gaulanitis,
and ot the nation ot the Bataneans allo,- thirty-feven years.
He had (hewed himfelf a perfon of moderation and quietnefs
in the conduct of his life and government ; he conftantly liv-
ed in that country which was fubj^6l to him t ; he ufed to
make his progrefs with a few chofen friends ; his tribunal al-
fo, on which he fat in judgment, followed him in his progrefs ;
and when any one met him who wanted his affi (lance, he made
no delay, but had his tribunal fet down immediately, where-
foever he happened to be, and fat down upon it, and heard his
complaint : He there ordered the guilty that were convicted
to be punilhed, and abfolved thofe that had been accufed un-
juftly. He died at Julias ; and when he was carried to that
monument which he had already creeled for himfelt before-
hand, he was buried with great pomp. His principality Ti-
berius took, for he left no fons behind him and added it to
the province of Syria, but gave order that the tributes which
arofe from it fhould be collected, and laid up in his tetrarchy ,
CHAP. V.
Herod the Tetrarch makes War with Aretas, the King of Ara-
bia, and is beaten by him ; as alfo concerning the Death oj
John the Baptijl : How Vitellius went up to Jerufalem ; to- _
gether withfome account of Agrippa, and of the poflenly oj
Herod the Great.
<j i. A BOUT this time Aretas, the king of Arabia Petrea,
\. and Herod, had a quarrel on the account follow-
ing : Herod the tetrarch had married the daughter of Aretas,
and had lived with her a great while, but when he was once at
* This calculation from all. Jofephns's Greek copies, is exaftly ri^ht ; for fmce
Herod died about September, in the ^th year before th-- Chriftnn xra, ar.d Tiberi-
us began, as is well known, Aug. 19. A. D. 14. it is evident that the 37th year of
Philip, reckoned from his father's death, was the aoth of Tibeiius, or near the end
of A, D 33. (the very year of our Saviour's death alfo.) or however in the begin-
ning of the next year A. D. 34. This Philip the tetrarch teems to have been UK
beftof all the poflerity of Herod, tor his !<.
+ An excellent example this
VOL. II. U u
34<5 ANTIQUITIES OF THE JEWS. [Book XVIIL
Rome, he lodged with Herod*, who was his brother indeed,
but not by the fame mother ; for this Herod was the fon of
the high-priefl Simon's daughter. However, he fell. in love
with Herodias, this laft Herod's wife, who was the daughter
of Aiiltobulus their brother, and the fifter of Agrippa the
Great ; this man ventured to talk to her about a marriage he-
tween them, which addrefs when (he admitted, an agreement
was mad " lor her to change her habitation and come to him
as {r.on as he mould return from Rome : One article oi this
marriage alfo was this, that he (hould divorce Aretas's daigh-
ter. So Antipas, when he had made this agreement, failed to
Rome ; but when he had done there the bufinels he went a-
bout, and was returned again, his wife having difcovered the
agreement he had made with Herodias, and having learned it
before he had notice of her knowledge ot the whole defign,
fhe defired him to fend her to Macherus, which is a place in
the borders of the dominions ot Aretas and Herod, without
informing him ot any of her intentions. Accordingly Herod
ient her thither, as thinking his wife had not perceived any
ihing ; now (he had fent a good while before to Macherus,
which was lubject to her father, and fo all things neceflary tor
her journey, were made ready for her by the general of Are-
tas's army ; and by that mean (he foon came into Arabia, un-
der the conduct of the feveral generals, who carried her from
one to another fuceeflively, and fhe foon came to her father,
and told him of Herod's intentions. So Aretas made this the
firfl occafion of his enmity between him and Herod, who had
alfo fome quarrel with him about their limits at the country of
Gemalitis. So they raifed armies on both fides, and prepared
for war, and fent their generals to fight inftead ot themfelves ;
and when they had joined battle, all Herod's army was def-
troyed by the treachery of fome fugitives, who, though they
-were of the tetrarchy ot Philip, joined with Herod's army.
So Herod wrote about thele affairs to Tiberius, who being
very angry at the attempt made by Aietas, wrote to Vitellius,
fo make war upon him, and either to take him alive, and bring
him to him in bonds, or to kill him, and fend him his head.
This was the charge that Tiberius gave to the prefidentot Sy-
ria.
2. Now fome ot the Jews thought that the definition of
* This Herod leems to have had the additional name of Philip, as Antipas was
named : r, and as Antipas -nd Antipatcr ferm to be in a manner the very
i.imt: name. y. t \vnv the names of uvu ions ot Herod the Gu-at ; fo tm^ht Philip
the tttrarch and this Herod- Philip be two dirreieni. fons ot the fame father, afl
which Grotiusoblerveson Matt xiv. -3. Nor was it, a., I a^rte with Gn>tu> and
others of the learned, Philip t!,e teiran h, hut 'JiU Herod- Philip, whole wife Herod
the u-trarch had married, and that in her fir (I husband's lifetime, and when ^her firft
Ea
daught
d him lv bs unjufily beheaded,
Chap. V.] ANTIQUITIES OF THE JEWS. 347
Herod's army came from God, and that very juflly, as a pun-
ifhment of what he didagainft John, that was called the Bap.
tiff, for Herod flew him, whowasagood man, and command-
ed the Jews to exercife virtue, both as to righteoufnefs to-
wards one another, and piety towards God, and io to come to
baptifm ; tor that the warning [with water] would' be accepta-
ble to him, if they made ufe ot it, not in order to the putting
for the remiffionj of fome fins [only,] but for the purificat
tion of the body ; fiippofing ftill that the foul was thoroughly
purified beforehand by righteoufnefs. Now when [many]
others came in crowds about him, tor they were greatly mov,.
ed for pleated | by hearing his words, Herod, who feared led
the great influence John had over the people, might put it in-
to his power and inclination to raife rebellion (for they feem-
ed to ,mg he fhould advifej thought it beft, by put-
ting him to death, to prevent any mifchief he might caufe, and
not bring himfelf into difficulties, by f paring a man who might
make him repent of it when it ihould be too late. According-
ly he was fent a prifoner, out ot Herod's fufpicious temper,
to Macherus, the caftle I before mentioned, and was there
put to >:ath. Now the Jews had an opinion that the deftruc-
tion ot this army wa^ fent as a punifhment by Herod, and a
rnark of God's difpleafure to him.
3. So Vitellius prepared to make war with Aretas, having
with him two legions of armed men ; he alfo took with him,
all thofe ot light armature, and ot the horfemen which belong-
ed to them, and were drawn out ot thofe kingdoms which
were under the Romans, and made hafte tor Petra, and came
to Ptolemais. But as he was marching very hufily, and lead-
ing his army through Judea, the principal rnen met him, and
defired that he would not thus march through their land ; tor
that the laws of their country would not permit them io over-
look thofe images which were brought into it, of which there
were a great many in their enfigns ; fo he was perfuaded by
what they faid, and changed that refolution ot his, which he
had before taken in this matter. Whereupon he ordered the
army to march along the great plain, while he himfelf, with
Herod the tetrarch, and his friends went up to Jerufalem to
offer facnnce to God, an ancient feftival of the Jews being
then jufi; approaching ; and when he had been there, and been
honourably entertained by the multitude ot the Jews, he made
a flay there for three days, within which time he deprived
Jonathan of the high priefthood, and gave it to his brot -er
Theophilus. But when on the fourth day letters came to him,
which informed him of the death ot Tiberius, he obliged the
multitude to take an oath of fidelity toCaius ; he allo recalled
his army, and made them every one go home, and take their
winter quarters there, fi nee, upon the devolution ot the em-
pire upon Caius, he had not the like authority ot making this,
war which he had before. It was alfo reported, that \yhen
348 ANTIQUITIES OF THE JEWS. [Book XVIII.
Aretas heard ot the coming of Vitellius to fight htm, h
upon his con fulling the diviners, that it was. impofiibic
this army ot Vitellms's could enter Petra ; for that one of rv
rulers would die, either he that gave orders for the war, or he*
that was marching at the other's defire, in order to be fubfer-
vient to his will, or eife he againft whom this army is prepar-
ed. So Vitellius truly retired to Antioch ; but Agrippa the
fon of Ariftobulus, went up to Rome a year before the death
of Tiberius, in order to treat oi fome affairs with the emperor,
if he might be permitted fo to do. 1 have now a mind to de(-
cribe Herod and his family, how it fared with them, partly
becaufe it is fuitable to this hiftory, to fpeak of that matter,
and partly becaufe this thing is a demonftration ot the inter-
pofition of providence, how a multitude of children is o! no
advantage, no more than any other flrength that mankind fet
their hearts upon, be fides thofe afts of piety which are done
towards God : For it happened, that, within the revolution of
an hundred years, the pofterity of Herod, which were a great
many in number, were, excepting a tew, utterly deittoyed*.
One may well apply this tor the inftruclion of mankind.
learn thence how unhappy they were ; it will alfo fhew us the
hiftory ot Agrippa, who, as he was a perfon molt worthy of
admiration, to was he from a private man, beyond all the ex-
peaation ot thofe that knew him, advanced to great power and
authority. I have faid fomething ot them formerly, but I
{hall nciw alfo fpeak accurately about them.
4. Herod the Great had two daughters by Mariamnc the
[grand] daughter ot Hyrcanus ; the one was Salampfio, who
was married to Phafaelus her firlt coufin, who was himfeit the
fnn of Phafaelus, Herod's brother, her father making the matrh;
the other was Cyprus who was herielf married al(o to her fir ft
coufin Antipater, the fon of Salome, Herod's fifter. Phafaelus
had five children by Salampfio, Antipater, Herod, and Alexan-
der, and two daughters,, Alexandra, and Cypros, which laft A-
grippa, the fon ot Ariftobulus, married, and Timius of Cyprus
married Alexandra; he was a man of note, but had by her no
children. Agrippa had by Cypros two fons, and three daugh-
ters, which daughters was named Bernice, Mariamne, and Dru-
filla; but the names of the fons were Agrippa, and Drufus, of
which Drufus died before he came to the years of puberty ; but
their father Agrippa was brought up with his other brethren,
Herod and Ariftobulus, tor thefe were alfo the fons ot the (on
of Herod the Great, by Bernice ; but Bernice was the daughter
of Coitobarus and ot Salome, who was Herod's fifter. Arifto-
bulus lett thefe infants, when he was flain by his lather, togeth-
* Whether this {udders extinction of almoft the entire lineage of Herod the Great,
which was very numerous, as we are both here and in the next (eftion, infoimed,
was not in part as a punifhment for the grofs incefls they were frequently guilty of,
in marrying their own nephews and nice s, well de'erves to be confidercd. Sec
^evit, xviii. 6, 7. xxi, id. And Noldiusj De Herod, No. 269, 270.
Chap. V.] ANTIQUITIES OF THE JEWS. 34$
er with his brother Alexander, as we have already related.
But when they were arrived at years of puberty, this Herod, the
brother of Agrippa, married Mariamne, the daughter of Olym-
pias, who was the daughter of Herod the king, and of Jofeph,
the fon of Jofeph who was brother to Herod the king, and had
by her a fon, Ariftobulus ; but Ariftobulus, the third brother
ot Agrippa, married Jotape, the daughter of Sampfigeramus.
king ot Emefa* ; they had a daughter who was deaf, whofe
name alfo was Jotape; andthefe hitherto were the children of
the male-line. But Herodias, their fifter, was married to Her-
od [PhilipJ the fon of Herod the Great, who was born of Ma-
riamne, the daughter ot Simon the high-prieft, who had a daugh-
ter Salome ; after whofe birth Herodias took upon her to con-
found the laws of our country, and divorced herfelf from her
hufband while he was alive, and was married to Herod f Anti-
pas, J her hufband's brother by the father's fide ; he was tetrarch
ot Galilee; hut her daughter Salome was married to Philip, the
fon of Herod, and tetrarch of Trachonitis, and as he died child-
lefs, Ariftobulus, the fon ot Herod, the brother ot Agrippa,
married her ; they had three fons, Herod, Agrippa, and Arifto-
bulus, and this was the pofterity of Phafaelus, and Salampfio.
But the daughter otAntipater by Cypros, was Uypros. whom
Alexis Selcias, the fon ot Alexas, married ; they had a daugh-
ter, Cypros ; but Herod and Alexander, who, as we told you,
were the brothers ot Antipater, died childlefs. As ro Alexan-
der, the fon ot Herod the king, who was (lain by his father, he
had two fons, Alexander andTigranes, by the daughter of Ar-
chelaus king of Cappadocia ; Tigtanes- who was king of Arme-
nia.wasaccufed atRome, & died childlefs : Alexander had a fonof
the fame name with his brother Tigranes, and was fent to take
pofleflion of the kingdom ot Armenia by Nero : He had a ion,
Alexander, who married Jotape, t the daughter of Antiochus,
the king ot Commagena ; Vefpafian made him king of an ifl-
andin Cicilia. But thefe defcendants of Alexander, foon af-
ter their birth, deferted the Jewilh religion, and went o-
verto that of the Greeks ; but for the relt of the daughters of:
Herod the king, it happened that they died childlefs. And as
thele defcendants of Herod, whom we have enumerated, were
in being at the fame time that Agrippa the Great took the
kingdom, and I have no.wgiven an account ot them it remains
that I relate the feveral hard fortunes which betel Agrippa,
and how he got clear of them, and was advanced to the great,
eft height ot dignity and power.
* There are coins ftill extent ofthii Err.efs, as Spanheim informs us.
+ Spanheim allo informs ui of a coin dill extant of this Jotape, daughter of the
kin of Cominatnj,
35 ANTIQUITIES OF THE JEWS. [Book XVIII,
CHAP. VI.
Of the Navigation of King Agrippa to Rome, to Tiberius Cafar ;
and how, upon his bting accujed by his own Jreed-man, he
was bound : How alfo he was fet at liberty by Caius, after
Tiberius' s death, and was made king of thetetrarchy of Phil-
ip.
I. A LITTLE before the death of Herod the king, A-
-*V grippa lived at Rome, and was generally brought
up and converfed with Drufus, the emperor Tiberius's fon,
and contracted a friendfhip with Antionia, the wife ot Dru-
fus the Great, who had his mother Bernice in great ef 1 cm,
and was very defirous of advancing her ion. Now ? Agiip-
pa was by nature magnanimous and generous in the prefents
he made, while his mother was alive, this inclination of his
mind did not appear, that he might be able to avoid her anger
for fuch his extravagance ; but when Bernice was dead, and
he was left to his own conduct, he fpent a great deal extrava-
gamly in his daily way of living, and a great deal in the im-
moderate prefents he made, and thofe chiefly among Caefar'j
freed-men, in order to gain their afliltance, infomuch that he
was in a little time reduced to poverty , and could not live at
Rome any longer. Tiberius alfo forbade the friends ot' his,
deceafed fon to come into his fight becaufe on feeing them he
fhould be put in m;nd of his fon, and his grief would thereby
be revived.
2. For thefe reafons he went awsy from Rome, and failed
to Judea, hut in evil circumftances, being dejected with the
lofs of that money, which ho once had, and becaufe he had
not wherewithal to pay his creditors, who were many in num-
ber, and fuchasgave himnoroom forefcaping them. Where-,
upon he knew not what to do ; fo, tor (name of his preient
condition, he retired to a certain tower, at Malatha, in Idu-
mea, and had thoughts of killing himfelf ; but his wile Cy-
pros perceived his intentions, and tried all forts of methods
to divert him from his taking fuch a courfe : So (he fent a let-
ter to his fifter Herodias, who was now the wile of Herod the
tetrarch, and let her know Agrippa's prefent defign, and what
neceflity it was which drove him thereto, and deiired her as a
kinfwoman of his, to give him her help, and to engage her
hufband to do the lame, iince me faw how Ihe allevi-
ated thefe her huibands troubles all (he could, although
flie had not the like wealth to do it withal. So they fent him,
and allotted him Tiberias for his habitation, and appointed
him fome income of money for his maintenance, and made
him a magiitrate of that city, by way ot honour to him. Yet
did not Herod long continue in that refolution of fupportjng
him, though even that fupport was riot iufficieut for him ; tor
Chap. VI.] ANTFQUITISS F TH JEWS. 35;
as once they were at a feaft at Tyre, and in their cups, and
reproaches were call upon one another, Agrippa thought that
was not to be borne, while Herod hit him in the teeth with
his poverty, and with his owing his neceflary iood to him.
bo he went to FJaccus, one that had been conful.and had been
a very great friend to him at Rome formerly, and was now
prefident of Syria.
3. Hereupon Flaecusreceived him kindly, and helivedwith
nun. Flaccus had alfo with him there Ariftobulus, who was
indeed Agrippa's brother, but was at variance with him ; yet
did not their enmity to one another hinder the friendfhip of
Flaccus to them both, but {till they were honourably treated
by him. However, Ariftobulus did not abate of his ill-will to
Agrippa, till at length he brought him into ill terms with
Flaccus : The occdfion ot bringing on which eftrangemfnt was
this : The Damafcens were at difference with the Sidonians
about thew: limits, and when Flaccus was abouT to hear the
caufe between them, they underilood that agrippahada migh-
ty influence upon him ; fo they defired that he woul'd be of
their fide, and for that favour promifed him a great deal of
money ; fo he was zealous in affifting the Damafeens as far as
he was able. Now Ariftobulus had gotten intelligence of this
promife of money to him, and accufed him to Flaccus of the
fame ; and when upon a thorough examination of the matter,
it appeared plainly fo to be, he rejected Agrippa out ot the
number of his friends. So he was reduced to the atmoft ne-
ceffity, and came to Ptolemais ; and becaule he knew not
where elfe to get a livelihood, he thought to fail to Italy ; but
as he was reftrained from fo doiny by want ot money, he de-
fired Marfy as, who was his freed man, to find fome method
for procuring him fo much as he wanted tor that purpofe, by
borrowing filch a fum of fome perfon or other. So Marfyas
defired of Peter, who was the freed man ol Bcrnicc, Agrippa's
mother, and by the right of her teftament was bequeathed to
Antonia, to lend fo much upon Agrippa's own bond and fe-
eurity ; but he accufed Agrippa of having defrauded him of
certain fums of money, and fo obliged Maifyas. when he made
the bond oi 2O,oeo Attic drachmae, to accept of 2500 drachmae
* lefs than what he defired, which the other allowed of,
becaufe he could not help it. Upon the receipt ot this mon-
ey, Agrippa came to Anthedon, and took (hipping, and was
going to let fail ; but Herennius Capito, who was the procu-
rator of Jamnia, fent a band of foldiers to demand of him
300,000 drachmas of filver. which were by him owing to Ca;-
iar's treafiuy while he was at Rome, and fo forced him to
Itay. He then pretended that he would do as he bid him ; but
* Spanheim ehferves, .that we have here an inRance of the Attic quantity of ufe
money, which was the eighth part of the original i'uni, or 12 and an half per ({ Kt.
/or fuch U the propsrlion of 2500 to 20,00-?.
352 ANTIQUITIES OF THE JEWS. [Book XVlIl,
when night came on, he cut his cables, and went off,
and failed to Alexandria, where he defired Alexander the Al-
abarch * to lend him 200,000 drachmas ; but he fair! he would
not lend it to him, but would not retufe-it to Cypros, as great-
ly aftonifhed at her affeftion to her hufband, and at the other
inftances of her virtue, fo ihe undertook to repay it. Accor-
dingly Alexander paid them five talents at Alexandria, and
promifed to pay him the reft of that fum at Dicearchia [" Put-
colij ; and this he did out of the fear he was in fhat Agrippa.
would foon fpend it. So this Cypros fet her hufband free,
and difraiffed him to go on with his navigation to Italy while
Ihe and her children departed lor Judea.
4. And now Agrippa was come to Puteoli, whence he
"wrote a letter to Tiberius Caefar, who then lived at Ciiprece,
and told him, that he was come lo far in order to wait on him,
and to pay him avifit; and defired that he would give him'
3eave to come over to Capreae ; fo Tiberius made no difficulty,
but wrote to him in an obliging way in other refpe.'is, and;
withal told him, he was glad ol his fafe return, and dt- fired
him to come to Capreze ; and when he was come, he (}.
fail to treat him as kindly as he had promifed him in his
to do. But the next day come a letter to Csefar from Ker-
ennius Capito to inform him, that Agrippa had borrowed 300,-
ooo drachrruc, and not paid it at the time appointed ; but, when
it was demanded ot him, he ran aWay like a fugitive, out of
the places under his government, and put it out of his power
to get the money ot him. When Caefar had read this letter,
lie was much troubled at it, and gave order that Agrippa
ihould be excluded from his prefence, until he had paid that
debt: Upon which he was noway daunted at Caefar's anger,
but entreated Antonia, the mother of Germanicus, and of
Claudius, who was afterward Csefar himfelt, to lend him thofe
300 ooo drachma?, that he might not be deprived of Tiberius's
triendfhip ; fo, out of regard to the memory of Bernice his
mother, (for thofe two women were very tamiliar with one a-
notherj. and outot regard to his and Claudius's education to-
gether, fhe lent him the money ; and, upon the payment of
this debt, there was nothing to hinder Tiberius's friendfhip to
him. After this, Tiberius Ccefar recommended to him hi
grandfon t, and ordered that he Ihould always accompany
him when he went abroad. But upon Agrippa's kind recep-
tion by Antonfa, he betook himfelttopay his refpefls to Caius,
who was her grandfon. and in very high reputation by reafon
of the good will they bare iiis lather +. Nov.' there was one
Thallus, a f rccd man of Ccefar, of whom he borrowed a mil-
lion of drachmae, and thence repaid Antonia the debt he owed
her ; and by fending the overplus in paying his court to Cai-
ns, became a perlon of great authority with him.
* The Governor of the Jews there.
t Tiber! 1 .'.; uuivr. ! < '
Chap. VI.] ANTIQUITIES OF THE JEWS. 353
5. Now, as the friendfhip which Agrippa had for Caius was
come to a great height, there happened fome words to pafs be-
tween them, as they once were in a chariot together, concern-
ing Tiberius ; Agrippa praying [to GodJ, (tor they two fat
by themielves), that " Tiberius might foon go off the ftage,
and Lave the government to Caius, who was in every refpett
more worthy of it." Now Eutychus, who was Agrippa's
freed man, and drove his chariot, heard thefe words, and at
that time laid nothing of them; but when Agrippa accufed
him of Healing fome garments of his, (which was certainly
true), he ran away from him ; but when he was caught, and
brought before Pifo, who was governor of the city, and the
man was afkdjl why he ran away ? he replied, that he had
fome what to fay to Caefar, that tended to hislecurity and prcf-
ervation : So Pifo bound him, and lent him to Capreae. But
Tiberius, according to his ufual cuftom, kept him (till in
bonds, being a delayer of affairs, if there ever was any other
king or tyrant that was fo ; for he did not admit amballadors
quickly, and no lucceflbrs were difpatched away to governors
or procurators of the provinces, that had been formerly lent,
unlefs they were dead ; whence it was, that he was (o negli-
gent in hearing the caufes of prifoners ; infomuch, that when
lie was afked by his friends, what was the reafon of his delay
in fuch cafes ? He laid, That " he delayed to hear ambaffa-
dors, left, upon their quick difmiffion, other ambaffadors
fhould be appointed, and return upon him ; and fo he Ihould
bring trouble upon himfelf in their public reception and dif-
miilion : That he permitted thofe governors, who had been
fen t once to their governments | to ftay there a great whilej,
out of regard to the fubjetts that were under them ; for that
all governors are naturally difpofed to get as much as the\r
can, and that thofe who are not to fix there, but to Hay a Ui on-
time, and that at an uncertainty, when they fhall be turned
out, do the more feverely hurry themfelves on to fleece the
people ; but that, if their government be long continued to
them, they are at laft fatiatcd with the fpoils, as having gof.ten
a vaftdeal, and fo become at length lets (harp in their pillag-
ing ; but that, if 'fucceflbrs are fent quickly, the poor fubjecis,
who are expofed to them as a prey, will not be able to bear the
new ones, while they ihall not have the fame time allowed
them, wherein their predeceffors had filled themielves, and Jo
grew more unconcerned about getting more ; and this becauiJt
they are removed before they have had time [lor their opprcf-1
fionsj. He gave them an example to (hew his meaning: A
great number of flies came about the fore places of a man that
had been wounded ; upon which one of the itanders-by pitied
the man's misfortune, and, thinking he was not able to drive
thofe flies away himfelf, was going to drive them away for
him ; but he prayed him to let them alone : The other, by way
of reply, aiked him the reafon of fuch aurepofterousproceed-
VOL. II, W w
354 ANTIQUITIES OF THE JEWS. [Book XVII!^
ing, in preventing relief from his prefent mifery ; to which
he anhvered, II them drivelt thefe flies away, thou wilt hurt
me \vorfe ; for, as thefe are already full of my blood, they do
not crowd about me, nor pain me fo much as before, hut are
fornetimes more rernifs, while the frefh ones that come almoft
famifhed, and find me quite tired down already, will be my
definition. For this caufe, therefore, it is, that I arn myfelf
careful not to fend fuch new governors perpetually to thofc
my fubjecis, who are already fufficiently harraffed by many
opprefftons, as may, like thefe flies, farther diftrefs them ; and
fo, befides their natural defire ot gain, may have this addi-
tional incitement to it, that they expeft to be fuddenly de-
prived of that pleafure which they take in it."^pAnd as a far-
ther alteration to what 1 fay of the dilatory nature of Tiberius,
I appeal to this his piafclice itfelt ; for, although he were em-
peror twenty-two years, he fent in all but two procurators to-
govern the nation ot the Jews, Gratus, and his fucceflor in the
government, Pilate. Nor was he in one way oi acting with
refpeft to the Jews, and in another with reipeft to the reft ot
his fubjefts. He farther informed them that even in the hear-
ing ot the caufes ot prilbners, he made fuch delays, " becaufe
immediate death to thofe that mull be condemned to die,.
would be an alleviation of their prefent miseries, while thofe
wicked wretches have not deferved any fuch favour ; but I do
it, that, by being _ harraffed with the prefent calamity, they may
undergo greater mifery."
6. On this account it was, that Eutychus could not obtain
an hearing, but was kept llill in prifon. However, fornetime
afterward, Tiberius came from Capre;eto Tu'culanum, which,
is about an hundred furlongs from Rome. Agrippa then de-
fired ot Antonia, that fhe would procure an hearing for Euty-
chus, let the matter whereof he acculed him prove what it
wouid. Now Antonia was greatly efteemed by Tiberius on
all accounts, from the dignity ot her relation to him, who
had been his brother Darius's wife, and for her eminent chaf-
iity * ; for though (he were iiill a young woman, flie contin-
* This high commendation of Antonia for marrying but once, given here, and
:, Antiq B. XVII. ch. xiii. iecr. 4. Vol II. and this notw.h-
:!rongeft temptations, [hews how honourable finglc marriages were
berth among the Jews and Romans, in the days of Jofephus and or the apofties,
and tljs.cs away much ot that iurprife which the modern Protefta; ts have at tliole
laws of the apolilrs, where no widows, but thole who had been the wives of one
only, arc taken into the church lift, and no bifhops, priells, or deacons, are
allowed to inarry more than once, without leaving off to officiate as clergymen
any longer. . l 36. i Tim. v. 11, 12. iii. 2. 12. Tit. i 10. ConiHtut.
i, 2. B VI. fcft. 17. Can B. A'VIl. Grot, in Luc. ii. 36.
a, id Refpontad Coniult Caffand p. 44. and Cotelet. in Conftitut. B VI. feft. 17.
And note, that T-rtu!! : ,an owns this law, againft fecond marriages of thecle^gy, had
::: at leaft executed in his time; and heavily complains el lew here, that the
breach thereof hnd not been always punifhed by the' Catholics, as it ought to have
been ; jerom, fpeaking of the ill reputation ot marrying twice, fays, That no fuch-
pcrlon C'tuld bechofen into the cleagy in his days ; which Auguftine teiufiesalfo ;
Chap. VI.] ANTIQUITIES OP THE JEWS. 355
rr widowhood, and refufed all other matches, although
at us bad enjoined her to be married to fome body elfe :
Yet did (he all along preferve her reputation free from re-
cii. She-had alfo been the greateft benefaftrefs to Tibe-
ru.s, when there was a very dangerous plot laid*againft him.
by Sejanus, a man who had been her hufband's friend, and
who had the greateft authority, becaufe he was general of the
army and when many members of the fenate, and many of
the freed -men joined with him, and the foldiery was corrupt-
ed, and the plot was come to a great height. Now Sejanus
rtainly gained his point, had not Antonia's boldnefs
e wifely conduced than Sejanus's malice j for, when
ill:- iidd difcovered his deligns againft Tiberius, fhe wrote him
a ! .jxa,;t account of the whole, and gave the letter to Pallas,
the moil jaithful of her iervants, and fent him to Capreae to
Tiberius, who, when he underftood it, flew Sejanus and his
confederates ; fo that Tiberius, who had her in great efteem
be r ore, now looked upon her with flill greater refpecr, and
,'d upon her in all things. So, when Tiberius was de-
firea by this Antonia to examine Eutychus, he anfwered, " If
1 Eutychus hath talfely acculed Agrippain what he hath
fan! of him he hath had fufficient punifhtnent by what I have
done to him already ; but if, upon examination, the accufa-
tion appears to be true, let Agrippa have a care, leit, out of
defire of punifhing his freed-man, he do not rather bring a
unent upon himfelf." Now when Antonia told Agrippa
, he was {Jill much more preffing that the matter might
be examined into ; fo Antonia, upon Agrippa's lying hard at
her conunually to beg this favour, took the following oppor-
tunity : As Tiberius once lay at his eafe upon his fedan, and
was earned about and Cams her grandfon and Agrippa were
belore him after dinner, fhe walked by the fedan, and defired
him to call Eutychus, and have him examined ; to which he
replied, " O Antonia, the gods are my witneffes, that I ani
induced to do what I am going to do, not by my own inclina-
ti-m, but becaufe I am forced to it by thy prayers." When
he uad.faid this, he ordered Marco, who fucceeded Sejanus,
to bring Eutych.Hs to him ; accordingly, without any delay,
he was brought. Then Tiberius afked him, what he had to
Isy agiinft a man who had given him his liberty ? Upon which
he faid, " O my lord, this Cains, and Agrippa with him,
were once riding in a chariot, when i fat at their feet, and a-
mong other difcourfes that paffed, Agrippa faid to Caius, O
that the day would once come, when this old fellow will die,
and name thee for the governor of the habitable earth !
for then this Tiberius, his grand-Ion, would b no hindrance,
and for Epiphanius, rather earlier, he is clear and full to the fame purpofc, and
lays, thatlaw obtained over the whole Catholic Church in hi; days ; as the places
in the forecited authors inform us.
35& ANTIQUITIES OF THE JEWS. [Book XVIII.
but would be taken off by thee, and that earth would be happy,
and I happy alfo." Now Tiberius took thefe to be truly
Agrippa's words, and bearing a grudge withal at Agrippa,
bccau'e when he had commanded him to pay his refpefts to
Tiberius, his grandfon, and the ion of Darius, Agrippa had
not paid him that refpe6l. but had difobeyed his commands,
and transferred all their regard to Caius ; he faid to Macro,
'' Bind this man." But Macro notdiflinfclly knowing which
ot them it was whom he bid him bind, and not cxpedting that
he would have any fuch thing done to Agrippa, he iorbore,
and came to afk more diitinctly what it was that he faid ?
But when Caefar had gone round the hippodrome, he found
Agripru (landing : " For certain," faid he, " Macro, this is
the man I meant to have bound :" And when he flill afked,
" T Which of thefe is to be bound ?" he laid, " Agrippa."
Upon which Agrippa betook himfelf to make fupplication
for himfelf. putting him in mind of his fon, with whom he
was brought up, and of Tiberius [his grandfon] whom he had
educated : But all to no purpofe ; for they led him about
bound even in his purple garments. It was alfo very hot
weather, and they had but little wine to their meal ; fo that
he was very thirlly : He was alfo in a fort of agony, and took
this treatment of him heinoufly, as he therefore law one of
Caius's Haves, whofe name was Thaumajlus. carrying loinc
water in a veflel, he defired that he would let him drink ; fo
the fervant gave him fome water to drink, and he drank heart-
ily, and faid, " O thou boy, this lervice ot thine to me will
be for thy advantage ; for, if I once get clear of thefe my
bonds, 1 will foon procure thee thy freedom of Caius, who has
not been wanting to rninifter to me now I am in bonds, in the
fame manner as when I was in my former ftate and dignity."
Nor did he deceive him in what he promifed him, but made
him amends for what he had now done ; for, when afterward
Agrippa was come to the kingdom, he took particular care of
Thaumaftus and got him his liberty from Caius, and made
him the fteward over his own eftate ; and, when he died, he
left him to Agrippa his fon and to Bernice his daughter, to
miniffer to them in the fame capacity. The man alfo grew
old in that honourable poll, and therein died. But all this
happened a good while later.
7. Now Agrippa Hood in his bonds before the royal palace,
and leaned on a certain tree for grief, with many others who
were in bonds alfo ; and as a certain bird fat upon the tree on
which Agrippa leaned (the Romans call this bndltubo), [an owlj,
one ot .thofe that were bound, a German by nation, law him,
and afked a foldier what that man in purple was ? And when he
was informed that his name was Agrippa, and thai he was by
pation a Jew, and one of the principal men of that nation, he
Chap. VI.] ANTIQUITIES OF THE JEWS. 357
afked leave of the foldrer to whom he was bound *, to let him
come nearer to him, to fpea.k with him ; tor that he had a mind
to enquire of him about fome things relating to his country ;
which liberty when he had obtained, and as he Hood near him,
be iaid thus to him by an interpreter, That " this fudden change
of thy condition, O young man, is grievous to thee, as bring-
ing on thee a manifold and very great adverfity ; nor wilt
thou believe me, when I toretel how thou wilt get clear of
this mifery which thou art now under, and how divine Prov-
idence will provide tor thee. Know therefore (and I ap-
peal to my own country-gods, as well as to the gods of this
place, who have awarded thefe bonds to us), that all 1 am
going to lay about thy conceins, ihall neither be faid for fa-
vour nor bribery, nor out of an endeavour to make the cheer-
ful without caufe ; for fuch predictions, when they come to
fail, make the grief at laff, and in earneft, more bitter than
if the party had never heard of any fuch thing. However,
though 1 run the hazard of my own felt, I think it fit to de-
clare to thee the prediction vl the gods. It cannot be that
thou fhouldft long continue in thefe bonds ; but thou wilt
loon be delivered from them, and wilt be promoted to the
higheft dignity and power, and thou wilt be envied by all
thofe who now pity thy hard fortune ; and thou wilt be hap-
py till thy death, and wilt leave that thine happinefs to the
children whom thou (halt have. But do thou remember,
when thou feelt this bird again, that thou wilt then live but
five days longer. This event will be brought to pa's by that
God who hath fent this bird hither to be a fign unto thee.
And I cannot but think it unjutt to conceal from thee what I
foreknew concerning thee, that, by thy knowing beforehand
what happinefs is coining upon thee, thou mayeft not regard
thy prefent misfortunes. .But, when this happineis ihall ac-
tually befal thee, do not target what mi f cry 1 atn in my felt",
but endeavour to deliver me." So, when the German had
faid this, he made Agrippa laugh at him as much as he after-
wards appeared worthy admiration. But now Antonia took
Agrippa s misfortunes to heart ; however, to fpeak to Tiberius
on Ins behalf, (he took to be a very difficult thing, and indeed
quite impracticable, as to any hope of luccefs : Yet did Ihc
procure of Macro, that the iokliers that kept him mould beot
a gentle nature, and that the centurion who was over them, and
was to diet with him. Ihould be of the fame difpofition, and
that he might have leave to bathe him felt every day, and that
bis freed-men and friends might come to him, and that other
things that tended to cafe him, might be indulged him. So
his triend Silas came in to him, and two of his freed-men,
* Dr. Hiidfon hore takes notice, out of Sebeca, Epiftie V. that this was tli-'
cullom of Tiberius, to coap'cths pril'iriei and the ioldie; ilia; guarded h.im to^'j-
. the fame ci
35$ ANTIQUITIES OF THE JEWS. [Book XVIII,
Marfyras and Stechus, brought him fuch forts of food as he
was 'otid ot, and indeed took great care of him; they alfo
brought him garments, under pretence of felling them, and,
when night came on they laid them under him ; and the fol-
diersafliited them, as Macro had given them order to do be-
forehand. And this was Agrippa's condition lor fix months
tim.' and in this cafe were his affairs.
8. But lor Tiberius, upon ins return to Capreas, he fell
fick. At firft his diilemper was out gentle ; but, as i.-.at dif-
temper inaeafed upon him, he had fmall or no hopes ot re-
covery. Hereupon he hid Euodus who was that treed-man
whom he molt ot al! refpecled, to bring the children* to
for that he wanted 10 talk to them before he died. Now he
had at prefent no fons of his own alive ; tc; Drufus,
his only fon, was dead ; but Druius's Ion Tiberius
living, whole additional name was Gemellus : There w r
living Cains, the fon ot Gefmanicus, wh . was th^ lo .
his brother | Drufus]. He was now gro\vn up, and had
liberal education, and was well improved by it, and was .n
efteem and favour with the people on account of the excel-
lent ci arater o^ his father Gerrntnicus, who had attained the
higheft honour among the" multitude, by the firmnefs of ins
virtuous behaviour, by the eafinefs and agreeab.enefs <
converfing with the multitude, and beca life the digru} he
was in, did not hinder his familiarity with them all, a if
were his equals ; by which behaviour he was not snl-y greatly
eftAmed by the people and fenate, but by every one ot :'n (e
nations that were funjeft to the Romans , fome of which
affected, when they came to him, with the gracefuinels of
their reception by him, and others were affected in the fame
manner by the report of the others that had been wi: h him :
And upon his death there was a lamentation made oy all men ;
not Inch an one as was to be made in way of flattery to their
rulers, while they did but counterfeit farrow, but fuch as was
real ; while every body grieved at his death, as it they had
loll one that was near to them. And truly fuch had been his
eaiy convcrfatioii with men, that it turned greatly to the ad-
vantage of his ton among all , and, among others, th,
were fo peculiarly afFe6led to him, that they reckoned it an
eligible thing, if need were, to die themfelves, if he might
but attain to the government.
9. But when Tiberius had given order to Euodus io bring
the children to him the next clay in the morning, he prayed to
his country gods to (hew him a manifeft fignal, whichotthofe
children fhould come to the government ; being very defirous
to leave it to his fon's fon, but ftill depending upon what God
* Tibeiius his own grandfon, and Caius his brother Drufus's grandfon.
f So I correft Jofephus's copy, hich calls Gennauicus his brother, who was
his brother's fon.
Chap. VI.] ANTIQUITIES OF THE JEWS. 359
fhouH forefhew concerning them, more than upon his own
opinion and inclination ; fo he made this to be the omen, that
the government fhould be leit to him who fhould come to him
firft the next day. When he had thus refolved within himfelf,
fie Tent to his grandfon's tutor, and ordered him to bring the
child to him early in the morning, as fuppofing that God
would permit him to be made emperor. But God proved op-
pofite to his defignation ; for while Tiberius was thus con-
triving matters, and as loon as it was at all day, he bid Euo-
dus to call in that child which mould be there ready. So he
went out, and found Caius before the door, for Tibe-
rius was not yet come, but flaid waiting for his breakieaft ;
for Euodus knew nothing of what his lord intended ; fo he
laid to Cains, " Thy father calls thee," and then brought him
in. As foon as Tiberius faw Cains, and not before, he re-
fleBedon the power of God, and how the ability of beflowirig
the government on whom he would was entirely taken from
him ; and thence he was not able to eftablifh what he had in-
tended. So he greatly lamented that his power of eftabiifti-
ing what he had before contrivedwas taken from him, and
that his grandfon Tiberius was not only to lole the Roman
empire by his fatality, but his own fafety alfo, becaufe his
prefervation would now depend upon fuch as would be irore
potent than himfelt, who would think it a thing not to be borne,
that a kinfman fhould live with them, and fo his relation would
not be able to protect him : But he would be feared and hated
n who had the fupreme authority, partly on account of
his being next to the empire, and partly on account of his
perpetually contriving to get the government, both in order
to preserve himfell, and to he at the head of affairs alfo. Now
Tiberius had been ,very much given to aftrology *, and the
calculation of nativities, and had fpent h:s lite in the efteera
of what predictions had proved true, moie than thofe \vhofe
profeflion it was. Accordingly, when he once faw Galba
coming in to him, he faid to his moft intimate friends, that
" there came in a man that would one day have the dignity of
tlv: Roman empire." So that this Tiberius was more addi&ed
uch forts of diviners than any other of the Roman em-
perors, becaufe he had found them to have told him truth in
his own affairs. And indeed he was now in great diftrefs up-
on this accident that had befallen him, and was very much
grieved at the deftruftion of his fon's fon which he foreiaw
and complained of himfeif, that he fhould have made ufe of
fuch a method of divination before hand, while it was in his
power to have died without grief by this knowledge of futu-
rity ; whereas he was now tormented by his foreknowledge
of the misfortune of fuch as were dearelt to him, and muft
* This is a known thing among the Roman hiftorians and peels, that Tiberius
was greatly given to aftiology and cUvinat'ou.
300 ANTIQUITIES OP THE JEWS. [Book XVllL
die under that torment. Now although he were difordered at
this unexpected revolution ot the government to thofe for
Whom he did not intend it, he fpake thus to Caius, though
unwillingly and againft his own inclination : " O child !
although Tiberius be nearer related to me than thou art,
I, by my own determination, and the confpiring fuffrage
of the gods, do give, and put into thy hand, the Roman
empire , and I defire thee never to be unmindful when
thou corned to it, either of my kindnefs to thee, who fet thee
in fo high a dignity, or ot thy relation to Tiberius. But as
thou knoweft that I am, together with, and alter the gods, the
the procurer ot fo great happmeis to thee, io I defire that thou
wilt make me a return for my readinefsto afTift thee, and will
take care of Tiberius becaufe ot his near relation to thee.
Befides which thou art to know, that, while Tiberius is alive,
he will be a fecurity to thee, both as to empire and as to thy
own prefervation ; but, if he die, that will be but a prelude
to thy own misfortunes ; for, to be alone, under the weight
of fuch vaft affairs is very dangerous ; nor will the gods
fuffer thofe actions which are unjuftly done contrary to that
law which directs men to ati othcrwife to go off unpunifhed."
This was the fpeech which Tiberius made, which did not
perfuade Caius to act accordingly, although he promiied Io
to do; but, when he was fettled in the government, he took
off this Tiberius, as was predi6led by the other Tiberius ; as
he was alfo himfelt in no long time afterward llain by afecret
plot laid againft him.
io. So when Tiberius had at this time appointed Caius to
be his fucceffor, he outlived but a few days, and then died.
after he had held the government twenty-two years five months
and three days : Now Caius was th-- fourth emperor. But
when the Romans underftood that Tiberius was dead, t'ru-y
rejoiced at the good news, but had not courage to believe it;
not becaufe they were unwilling it mould be true, for they
would have given large fums ot money that it might be fo,
but becaufe they were afraid, that if they had mewed their joy
when the news proved frlfe, their joy fhould be openly known,
and they fhould be accufed for it, and be thereby undone. For
this Tiberius had brought a vail number ot miferics on the be ft
families ot the Romans, fince he \vas eafily euflamed with
paflion in all cafes, and was of luch a temper as rendered his
anger irrevocable, till he had executed the fame, although he
had taken an hatred againft men withoutreafon ; tor he was
by nature fierce in all the fentences he gave, and made death
the penalty for the lighteft offences; infomuch that when the
Romans heard the rumour about his death gladly, they were
reftrained from the enjoyment of that pleafuie by the dread
of fuch miferies as they fore fa w would follow, if their hopes
proved ill- grounded. Now Marfyas, Agrippa's freed-man,
as foon as he heard oi Tiberius's death came running tutcll
Chap. VI.] ANTIQUITIES OF Till JEWS. 36!
Agrippa the news ; and finding him going out to the bath, he
gave him a nod, and faid in the Hebrew tongue, " The lion *
is dead :" who undemanding his meaning, and being overjoy-
ed at the news, " Nay, faid he, but all forts of thanks and hap-
pinefs attend thee tor this news of thine ; only I wifh that
what tlioi: fa ye ft may prove true." Now the centurion, who
was fet to keep Agrippa, when he faw with what hafte Marfyas
came, and what joy Agrippa had from what he faid, he had a
fufpicion that his words implied fome great innovation of af-
fairs, and he afked them about what was faid. They at fir it
'diverted the difcourfe ; but upon his farther preffing, Agrippa,
without more ado, told him, for he was already become his
friend ; fo he joined witji him in that pleafure which this news
occafioned, becaufe it would be fortunate to Agrippa, and
made him a fupper. But as they were feafting, and the cups
went about, there came one who faid, That " Tiberius was
Hill alive, and would retina to the city in a few days." At
which news the centurion was exceedingly troubled, becaufe
he had done what might have cod him his life, to have treat-
ed fo joyfully a priioner, arid this upon the news of the death
of Caefar ; fo he t bruit Agrippa from the couch whereon he
lay, and faid, " Doit thou think to cheat me by a lie about the
emperor without punifhment ? and fhalt not thou pay for this
thy malicious report at the price of thine head !" When he
had fo faid, he ordered Agrippa to be bound again, (for he
had loofed him before,) and kept a feverer guard over him
than formerly, and in thai evil condition was Agrippa that
night ; but the next day the rumour increafed in the city, arid
confirmed the news that Tiberius was certainly dead ; info-
much that men durft now openly and freely talk about it ;
nay, fome offered facrifices on that account. Several letters
alfo came from Caius. one of them to the fenate, which inform-
ed them of the death of Tiberius, and of his own entrance on
the government ; another to Pifo, the governor of the city,
which told him the fame thing. He alio gave order that A-
grippa fhould be removed out of the camp, and go to that
houfe where he lived before he was put in prifon ; fo that he
was now out of fear as to his own affairs ; for although he
were ftill in cuftody, yet it was now with eafe to his own af-
lairs. Now as foon as Caius was come to Rome, and had
brought Tiberius's dead body with him, and had made a fump-
tuous funeral for him, according to the laws of his country,
he was much difpofed to fet Agrippa at liberty that very day,
but Antonia hindered him ; not out of any ill-will to the prif-
Dner, but out ot regard to decency in Caius, left that Ihould
* This name of a Lion is often given ta tyrants, efpecially by the Jews, Inch as
Agrippa, and probably his freed n.au Marlyai, in effVft were, Eze^ . xix. i 9.
F.llh xiv. 13. 2. Tim. iv. 17. They are allb fometimes compared to, or repre-
fnited by wild bealb, of which the lion is the principal. Dan. vii. 38. Ap<K,
xiii. i, 2.
VOL. II. Xx
363 ANTIQUITIES OF THE JEWS. [Book XVIII.
make men believe that he received the death of Tiberius with
pleafure, when he loofed one whom he had bound immedi-
ately. However, there did not many days pafs ere he fent
for him to his houle, and had him fhaved, and made him
change his raiment, after which he put a diadem upon his
headland appointed him to be king of the tetrarchy of Phi-
lip. He alfo gave him the tetrarchy of Lyfanias*, and chang-
ed his iron chain for a golden one of equal weight. He alfo
fent Marullus to be procurator of Judea.
ii. Now in the fecond year of the reign of Caius Caefar
Agrippa defined leave to he given him to fail home, and fet-
tle the affairs of his government, and he promifed to return
again, when he had put the red in order, as it ought to be put.
So upon the emperor's permiffion, he came into his own
country, and appeared to them all unexpectedly as a king, and
thereby demonttrated to the men that faw him, the power of
fortune, when they compared his former poverty with hispref-
ent happy affluence ; fo fprae called him an happy man, and
others could not well -believe that things were lo much chang-
ed with him for the better.
CHAP. VII.
How Herod the Tetrarck was BamJIicd.
I. T5 UT Herodias, Agrippa's fifter, who now lived as wife
JLJ to that Herod who was tetrarch of Galilee and Pe-
rea, took this authority of her brother in an envious manner,
]->articti!arly when fhe faw that he had a greater dignity be-
ilowed on him than her hufband had ; fince when he ran a-
way, it was becaufe he was in a way of dignity, and of great
good fortune. She was therefore grieved, and much difpleaf-
ed at fo great a mutation of his affairs, and chiefly when fhe
faw him marching among the multitude with the ulual enfigns
of royal authority, fhe was not able to conceal how miferablc
ihe was. by reafon of the envy fhe had towards him ; but Ihe
excited her hufband, and defired him that he would fail to
Home, to court honours equal to his : For (lie faid, That " fhe
could not bear to live any longer, while Agrippa, the fon of
that Ariflobulus who was condemned to die by his father, one
that came to her hufband in fuch extreme poverty, that the
neceffaries of life were forced to be entirely fupplied him day
l>y day ; and when he fled away from his creditors by fea, he
now returned a king ; while he was himfelf the fon of a king;
and while the near relation he bare to royal authority, called
* Although Caius now promifed to give Agrippa the tetrarchy of Lyfanias, yet
was it not actually conferred upon him till the reign ot Claudius, as we learn An-
tiq. B. XLY. chap. v. left. i. Vol. II.
Chap. VII.] ANTIQUITIES OF THE JEWS. 363
upon him to gain the like dignity, he fat ftill, and was con-
tented with a privater life. But then, Herod although thou
waft formerly not concerned to be in a lower condition than
thy father, from whom thou waft derived, had been ; yet d.>
thou now feek after the dignity which thy kinfman hath at-
tained to ; and do not thou bear this contempt, that a man who
admired thy riches, fhould be in greater honour than thy {elf,
nor fuffer his poverty to (hew itfelf able to purchafe greater
things than our abundance, nor do thou efteem it other than,
a fhameful thing to be inferior to one who, the other day, liv-
ed upon thy charity. But let vis go to Rome, and let us (pare
no pains nor expences, either of filver or gold, fince they
cannot be kept tor any better ufe, than tor the obtaining oi a
kingdom."
2. But for Herod, he oppofed her requeft at this time, out
of the love of eafe, and having a fufpicion of the trouble he
mould have at Rome ; fo he tried to inftrucl her better.
But the more (he faw him draw back, the more (he preffed
him to it, and de fired him to leave no ftone unturned in order
to be king : And at laft me iett not off till fhe engaged him,
whether he would or not, to be of her fentiments, becaufe he
could no otherwife avoid her importunity. So he got all
things ready, after as fumptuous a manner as he was able, and
fpared tor nothing, and went up to Rome, and took Herodias
along with him. But Agrippa when he was made fenfible of
their intentions and preparations, he alfo prepared to go thith-
er ; and as foon as he heard they fet fail, he fent Fortunatus,
one of his freed men to Rome, to carry prefents to the em-
peror and letters againft Herod, and to give Caius a particu-
lar account ot thofe matters, it he fhould have any opportu-
nity. This man tollowed Herod fo quick, and had fo prof-
perous a voyage, and came fo little after Herod, that while
Herod was with Caius, he came himfelf, and delivered his let-
ters ; for they both failed to Dicearchia, and found Caius at
Baice, which is itfelf a little city of Campania, at the diftance
ot about five furlongs from Dicearchia. There are in that
place royal palaces with fumptuous apartments, every empe-
ror ftill endeavouring to out-do his predeceffor's magnifi-
cence : The place alfo affords warm baths, that fpring out ot
the ground of their own accord, which are ot advantage for
the recovery of the health of thofe that make ufe ot them, and
befides, they minifter to men's luxury alfo. Now Caius la-
luted Herod, for he firft met with him, and then looked upon
the letters which Agrippa had fent him, and which were writ-
ten in order to accufe Herod ; wherein he accufed him, that
he had been in confederacy with Sejanus, againft Tiberius's
government, and that he was now confederate with Artabanus,
the king of Parthia, in oppofition to the government of Caius ;
as a demonftration of which he alledged, that he had armour
fufficient tor feventy thoufand men ready in his armoury. Cau
364 ANTIQUITIES OF THE JEWS. [Book XVIII.
119 was moved at this information, and afked Herod whether
what was faid about the armour was true ; and when he con-
lefled there was fuch armour there, for he could not deny the
fame, the truth of it being notorious, Caius took that to be a
faflicient proof of the acculation, that he intended to revolt.
So he took away from him his tetrarchy, and gave it by way
of addition to Agrippa/ s kingdom ; he alfo gave Herod's mon-
ey to Agrippa, and, by way of punifhment, awarded him a
perpetual banifhment and appointed Lyons, a city of Gaul,
to be his place of habitation. But when he was informed that
Herodias was Agrippa's filter, he made her a prefent of what
money was her own, and told her, that '' it was her brother
vho prevented her being put under the fame calamity with
her hufband." But Ihe made this reply ; " Thou, indeed, O
emperor, atteft after a magnificent manner, and as becomes
thyfelf in what thou offereft me; but the kindnels which 1
have ior my huib/md hinders me from partaking of the favour
of thy gift ; for it is not juft, that I, who have been made a
partner in his profperity, mould forfake him in his misfor-
tunes " Hereupon Caius was angry at her, and fcnt her with
Herod into banilhrnent, and gare her eftate to Agrippa. And
thus did God puniih Herodias for her envy at her brother, and
Herod alfo for giving ear to the vain difcourfes of a woman.
Now Caius managed public affairs with very great magnanim-
ity, during the full and fecond year of his reign, and behaved
himfelt with fuch moderation, that he gained the good will
both of the Romans themfe-lves, and of his other fubje^ls.
But in procefs of time he went beyond the bounds of human
nature, in his conceit of himfelf, and, by reafon of the vaft-
m-fs of his dominions, made himfelf a god, and took upon
lumfeif to act in all things to the reproach of the Deity him-
felf.
CHAP. VIII.
Concerning * the ambojjage of the Jews to Caius ; and how Ca-
ms Jent Petronius into Syria to make War again/I the Jens,
unltfsthey would receive hisflatue.
i. HF'HERE was now a tumult arifen at Alexandria, be-
JL tween the Jewifh inhabitants and the Greeks ; and
three t ambafladors were chofen out of each partyj that were
* This is a moft remarkable chapter, as containing inch inftances of the interpo-
fition of Providence, as have been always very rare among the other idolatrous na.
tions, but of old very many among the poRerity of Abraham, the worjhippers >,\
the true God ; nor do thefe (eem much inferior to thofe in the Old Ttftamenl,
which are the more remarkable, becaufe, among all their other follies and victs,
th.- Jews were not at this time idolaters ; and the deliverances here mentioned were
(ione in order ta prevent their relapfe into that idolatry.
t Jofephus here affures us, that the ambafladors from Alexandria to Caius were
Chap. VIII.] ANTIQUITIES OF THE JEWS, 36$
ai variance, who came to Caius. Now one of thefe ambaffa-
ciors from the people of Alexandria was Apion, who uttered
many b'afphemies againft the Jews ; and among other things
that he faid, he charged them with neglefting the honours that
belonged to Casiar ; tor that while all who were fubjeft to the
JRoman empire built altars and temples to Caius, and in other
regards univerfally received him as they received the gods,
thefe Jews alone thought it a difhonourable thing for them to
ereft itatues in honour of him, as well as to fwear by his
name. Many of thefe fevere things were laid by Apion, by
which he hoped to provoke Caius to anger at the Jews, as he
was likely to be;butPhilo,the principalot the Jewifh ambaiTage,
a man eminent on all accounts, brother to Alexander * the ala-
barch, and one not uhfkilful in philofophy, was ready to be-
take himfelt to make his defence againft thofe accufations ;
but Caius prohibited him, and bid him be gone : He was alfo in
fuch a rage, that it openly appeared he was about to do them
fome very great mif chief. So Philo being thus affronted went
out, and faid to thofe Jews who were about him, that " they
ihould be of good courage, fince Caius's words indeed (hew-
ed anger at them, but in reality had already fet God againft
hlmfeif.
2. Hereupon Caius, taking it very heinoufiy thathe fhoul<i
be thus delpifed by the Jews alone, fentPetronius to the pref-
ident of Syria, and fucceffor in the government to Vitellius,
and gave him order to make an invafion into Judea, with a
great body of troops, and if they would admit of his ftatue
willingly, to ere& it in the temple ot God ; but if they were
obltinate, to conquer them by war, and then to do it. Ac-
cordingly Petronius took the government ot Syria, and made
hafle to obey Caefar's epiftle. He got together as great a num-
ber of auxiliaries as he poffibly could, and took with him two
legions oi the Roman army, and came to Ptolemais, and there
wintered, as intending to fet about the war in the tpring. He
alfo wrote word to Caius what he had refolved to do, who
commended him tor his alacrity, and ordered him to go on,
and to make war with them, in cafe they would not obey his
commands. But there came many ten thoufands ot the Jews
to Petronius to Ptolemais, to offer their petitions to him, that
" he would not compel them to tranfgrefs and violate the law
on each part no more than three in number,f or the Jews, and for the Gentiles, which
are but fix in all : Whereas Philo, who was the principal ambaflador from the
Jews, as Jofephus here confefTes (as was Apion for the Gentiles), iays, the Jews
ambafluidors were themfelves no fewer than five, towards the end of his legation to
Caius; which, if there be no mirtake in the copies, muft be fuppoled the truth ;
nor, in that cle, would JoL-phus have cjntrsdifled fo authentic a witnefs, had he
lecu that account ot Philo's, which that he ever did, does not appear.
* This Alexander, the alabarch, or governor of the Jews at Alexandria, and
brother to Philo, is fuppofed by bifhop Pearlon, in Aft. Apoft. p 41, 42. to be
tiie lame with that A cx;nder who is mentioned by St. Luke, as of the kindred of
the high-prieiis, Afts, iv. 6.
366 ANTIQUITIES OF THE JEWS. [Book XVIII.
of their forefathers ; but if, faid they, thou art entirely re-
lolved to bring this flatue, and ereft it, do thou firfl kill us
and then do what thou haft refolved on ; for while we are a-
Jive, we cannot permit fuch. things as are forbidden us to be
done by the authority of our Jegiflator, and by our forefathers
determination, that fuch prohibitions are inftances of virtue."
But Petronius was angry at them, and faid, " If indeed I
were myfeif emperor, and were at liberty to follow my own
inclination, and then had defigned to al thus, thefe your
words would be juftly fpoken to me ; but now Caefar hath
fen t to me, 1 am under the necefiity of being fubfervient to
his decrees, becaufe a difobedience to them will bring upon
me inevitable deftru&iori." Then t-he Jews replied, " Since
therefore thou art fo difpofed, O Petronius, that thou wilt not
difobey Caius's epiftles, neither will we tranfgrefs the com-
mands of our law ; and as we depend upon the excellency of
our laws, and by the labours of our anceftors, have continu-
ed hitherto without fuffering them to'be tranfgrelTed, we dare
not by any means fuffer ourfelves to be fo timorous as to tranf-
grefs thofe laws out ot the fear of death, which God hath de-
termined are for our advantage ; and if we fall into miator-
tunes, we will bear them in order to preferve our laws, as
knowing, that thofe who expofe themfelves to dangers, have
good hope of efcaping them ; becaufe God will {land on our
fide, when out of regard to him we undergo afflictions, and
fuftain the uncertain turns of fortune. But if we ihould fub-
mit to thee. we fhould be greatly reproached for our cowar-
dice, as thereby (hewing ourfelves ready to tranfgrefs our law ;
and we (hpuld incur the great anger ot God alio, who even
thy felt being judge, is fuperior to Caius."
3. When Petronius faw by their words that their determi-
nation was hard to be removed, and that without a war, he
fhould not be able to be fubfervieut to Caius in the dedication
of his ftatue, and that there muft be a great deal of blood fhed,
he took his friends, and the fervants that were about him, and
halted to Tiberias as wanting to know in what pofture the af-
fairs of the Jews were ; and many ten thoufands of the Jews
met Petronius again, when he was come to Tiberias. 1 hele
thought they mull run a mighty hazard if they mould have a
war with the Romans, but judged that the tranlgreflion of the
law was of much greater confeqtience, and made fupplication
to him, that he would by no means reduce them to fuch dii-
treffes, nordefile their city with the dedication of the ftatue.
Then Petronius faid to them, " Will youthen make war with
Czefar, without confidering his great preparations for war,
and your own weaknefs ?" They replied, 'We will not by
any means make war with him, but ftill we will die beiore we
fee our laws tranfgreffed." So they threw ihemfelvcs down
upon their faces, and itretehed out their throats, and faid they
Tvere ready to be (lain; and this they did for forty days to.
Chap. VIII.] ANTIQUITIES OF THE JEWS. 367
gather, and in the mean time left off the tilling of their ground,
and that while the feafon * of the year required them to fow
it. Thus they continued firm in their refolution, and propof-
ed to themfelves to die willingly, rather than to fee the dedi-
cation of theflatue.
4. When matters were in this.ftate, Ariftobulus, king A-
grippa's brother, and Helcias the Great, and the other princi-
pal men of that family with them, went in unto Petronius,
arid Defought him, That " fince he faw the refoiution of the
multitude, he w'ould not make any alteration, and thereby
drive them to delpair ; but would write to Caius, that
the Jews had an infuperable averfenefs to the reception of the
flatue, and how they continued with him, and lei t off the til-
lage of their ground : That they were not willing to go to war
with him, becaufe they were not able to do it, but were ready
to die with pleafure, rather than fuffer their laws to be tranf-
grefled : And how, upon the lands continuing unfown, rob-
beries would grow up, on the inability they would be under
of paying their tributes ; and that perhaps Caius might be
thereby moved to pity, and not order any barbarous aftion to
be done to them, nor think pt deftroying the nation : That if
he continues inflexible in his former opinion to bring a war
upon them, he may then fet about it himfelf." And thus did
Ariftobulus, and the reft with him, fupplicate Petronius. So
Petronius t, partly on account of the prefling inftances which
Ariftobulus and the reft with him made, and becaufe of the
great confequence of what they defired, and the earneftnefs
wherewith they made their fupplication ; partly on account of
the firmnefs of the oppofition made by the Jews, which he
faw, while he thought it an horrible thing tor him to be fuch
a Have to the madnefs of Caius, as to flay fo many ten thou-
fand men, only becaufe of their religious difpqfnion towards
God, and after that to pafs his lite in expectation ot punifh-
ment ; Petronius, I fay, thought it much better to fend to
Caius and to let him know how intolerable it was to him to
bear the anger he might have againft him for not ferving him
fooner, in obedience to his epiftle, for that perhaps he might
perfuade him ; and that if his mad refolution continued,he might
* What Jofephus here, and feft. 6. jelates as done by the Jews before feed-
time, is, in Philo, not far off the time when the corn was rifrt, who, as Le Clerc
notes, differ here one from the other. This is> another indication that Jofephus,
\vhenhewrotethisaccount, had not feen Philo's Legat. ad Caium, otberwifehe
would hardly have herein differed from him.
+ This Fublius Petronius was after this ftill prefident of Syria, under Claudius,
and, at the defire of Agrippa, published a fevere decree againft the inhabitants of
Dora, who, in a fort of imitation of Caius, had fet up a ftatue of Claudius in a
Jewish fynagogue there. This decree is extant, B. XIX. ch. vi. fet. 3. Vol. II.
and greatly confirms the prefent accounts of Jofephus, as do the other decrees of
Claudius, relating to the like Jewish affairs, B, A'lA. cfa. v. isft. 2, 3. Vol. IJ.
to which I refer the inquifitive reader.
3^8 ANTIQUITIES OF THE J\VS. [BuokXVI.'I.
then begin the war againft them ; nay, that in cafe he mould turrt
his hatred againft himfelt, it was fit tor virtuous perfons even to
die for the fake of fuchvaft multitudes ot men. Accordingly
he determined to hearken to the petitioners in this matter.
5. He then called the Jews together to Tiberias, who came,
many ten thoufands in number; he alfo placed that army he
now had with him oppofite to them ; but did not difcover his
own meaning, but the commands ot the emperor, and told
them, That ' his wrath would without delay he executed 0,1
fuch as had the courage to difobey what he had commanded,
and this immediately ; and that it was fit for him, who had re-
ceived fo great a dignity by his grant, not'to contradict him in
any thing : Yet," laid he, " I do not think it jufl to have fuch
a regard to my own fafety and honour as to retufe to lacrificc
thesn tor your prefervation, who are fo many in number, and
endeavour topreferve the regard that is due to your law, which,
as it hath come down to you trom your forefathers, fodo you
efteem it worthy ot your utmoft contention toprelerve it : nor,-
with the fupreme afliflance and power of Goa, will I be fo har-
dy as to iuffer your temple to fall into contempt by the means
ot the imperial authority. I will therefore fend to Caius, and
let him know what your refolutions are, and will afiift your fuit
as tar as I am able, that you may not be expofed to fufler on ac-
count ot the honeft defigns you have propofed to yourfelves;
and may God be our afliilant, for his authority is beyond all the
contrivance and power of men; and may he procure you the
pre/ervation ot your ancient laws, and may not he be deprived,
though without you-r confent, of his accuftomed honours. But
if Caius be irritated and turn the violence ot his rage upon me I
will rather undergo all that danger and that affliction that may
come either on my body or my foul, than fee fo many o! you u>
perilh, while you are afting in fo excellent a manner. Do you,
therefore, every one of you, go your way about your own oc-
cupations, and fall to the cultivation of your ground ; I will my-
felt fend to Rome, and will notrefufe to ferve you in all things,
both by myfelf and by my friends."
6. When Petroniushad faid this, and haddifmifled the aifem-
bly of the Jews, he defired the principal ot them to take care of
their hulbandry, and to fpeak kindly to the people, and encour-
age them to have good hope of their affairs. Thus did he readi-
ly bring the multitude to be cheerful again. And now did God
fhew his prefence*to Petronius, and (ignify to him, that he
* Jofephus here ufes the folemn New Teflament words, wa
uaii the Vritnce and aearance of God for the extraordinar
Chap. V1II.J ANTIQUITIES OF .THE JEWS, 369-
would afford him his afli (lance in his whole defign ; for he
had no looner finifhed the fpeech that he made to the Jews,
but God fent down great mowers of" rain, contrary to human
expectation ; lor that day was a clear day, and gave no fign,
by the appearance ot the iky, of any rain ; nay the whole year
had been I'ubjecl to a great drought, and made men defpair ot
any water from above, even when at any time they faw the
heavens over-cart with clouds ; infomuch that when iuch a
great quantity ot ram came, and that in an unufual manner,
and without any other expectation of it, the Jews hoped that
Petronius would by no means fail in his petition for them.
But as to Petronius, he was mightily furprifed when he per-
ceived that God evidently took care of the Jews, and gave
very plain figns of his appearance *, and this to fucli a degree,
that thofe that were in earneft much inclined to the contrary,
had no power left to contradict it. This was alfo among thofe
other particulars which he wrote to Cains, which all tended
to cliiluade him, and by ail means to intreat him not to make
fo many ten thoufands of thefe men go diffracted ; whom it he
fhould (lay, (for without war they would by no means fuffer
the laws of their worfhip to be fet afidej he would lofe the
revenue they paid him, and would be publicly curfed by them
for all future ages. Moreover, that God, who was their gov-
ernor, had (hewed his power moft evidently on their account,
and that fuch a power of his as left no room for doubt about
it. And this was the bufmefs that Petronius was now engag-
ed in.
7. But Mng Agrippa, who now lived at Rome, was more
and more in the favour of Caius , and when he had once
made him a fupper, and was careful to exceed all other both
in expences, and in fuch preparations as might contribute
moft to his pleafure : nay, it was fo far from the ability of
others, that Caius himfelf could never equal, much lefs ex-
ceed it, (fuch care had he taken beforehand to exceed all men,
and particularly to make all agreeable to Caefar) : Hereupon
Caius admired his underftanding and magnificence, that he
Ihould force himfelf to do all to pleafe him, even beyond fuch
expences as he could bear, and was defirous not to be behind
Agrippa in that generoiity , which he exerted in order to pleafe
him. So Caius, when he had drank wine plentifully, and
was merrier than ordinary, faid thus during the teaft, when
Agrippa had drunk to him : " 1 knew before now t how great
a refpeft thou haft had tor me, and how great kindnefs thou
haft mewed me, though with thofe hazards to thy felf, which
thou underwemeft under Tiberius on that account ; nor haft
thou omitted any thing to Ihew thy good-will towards us, even,
* See the preceding note.
i This behaviour of Ca ; usto Agrippa, is very like that of Herod Antipas, hU
uncle, to Herodia; A^rlppa's fitter, about John the Baptift. Malt. xiv. 6 u.
VOL. II. Y y
ANTIQUITIES OF THE JEWS. [Book XY
beyond thy ability ; whence it would be a bafe thing for me
to be conquered by thy affeSion. I am therefore defirocs to
make theeamends for every thing, in which I have been foi-
Tnerly deficient, for all that I have beftovved on thee, ths
be called my gifts, is but little. Every thing that may con-
tribute to thy happinefs (hall be at thy fervke, and that cheer-
iully, and fo far as my abilii}' will reach." And this was
what Caius faid to Agnppa, thinking he would afk for fome
large country, or the revenues of certain cities. But although
he had prepared before- hand what he would afk yet had he
not difcovered his intentions, but made this anfwer to Caius
immediately : That " it was not out of: any expeftation of
gain that he formerly paid his refpefts to him, contrary to the
commands of Tiberius nor did he now do any thing relating
to him out of regard to his own advantage, and in order to re-
ceive any thing from him : That the gifts he had already be-
flowed upon him were great, and beyond the hopes of even
a craving man ; for although they may be beneath thy power,
[who art the donor], yet are they greater than my inclina-
tion and dignity, who am the receiver." And as Caius was
afionifhed at Agrippa's inclinations, and ftill the more preffed
him to make his requeft forfomewhat which he might gratify
him with, Agrippa replied, '' Since thou, O my lord, declar-
elliuch is thy readinei's to grant, that Iain worthy ot thy
gists, I will aik nothing, relating to my o\vn felicity; for
what thou h? ft already be [lowed on me has made me excel
therein ; but I defire fome what which may make thee glorious
for pit ty, and render the divinity afiiftanr to thy defigns, and
may be for an honour to me among thofe that enquire about
it, as (hewing that I never-once tail ot obtaining what I defire
of thee ; for my petition is- this; That thou wilt no longer
think ot the dedication of that ftatue which thou hall ordered
to be fet up in the Jewifh temple by Petronius."
8. And thus did Agrippa venture to call the die upon this
occafion, fo great was the affair in his opinion, and in reality,
though he knew how dangerous a thing it was fo to fpeak ;
for, had not Caius approved ot it, it had tended to no lefs
than the lofs ot his life. So Caius, who w.as mightily taken
with Agrippa's obliging behaviour, and on other accounts
thinking it a difhonourablc thing to be guilty of faifehood
before fo many witnefles, in points wherein he had with fuch
alacrity icrced Agrippa to become a petitioner, and that it
would look as if he had already repented of what he had faid,
and becaufe he greatly admired Agrippa's virtue, in not defir-
ing him at all to augment his own dominions either with larger
revenues, or other authority, but took care ot the public
tranquility, of the laws, anu of the Divinity itfelf, he granted
him what he had requefted. He alfo wrote thus to Petronius,
" commending him tor his affembling his army, and then con-
fuhing him about thefe affairs. It therefore, faid he, thou.
Cliap. V-I1I.] ANTIQUITIES OF THE JKVvS. .771
.haft already creeled my ftatue, let it fland ; but, if thou haft
not yet dedicated it, do not trouble thyfeif tardier about it,
but difmifs thy army, go backhand take care ot thofe affairs
which 1 fent thee about at firit, tor I have how no occafion
for the erection of that ftatue. Thus I have granted as a fa-
vour to Agrippa, a man whom 1 honour fo very greatly, that -I
am nor able to contradict what he would have, or what he de-
irred me to do for him." And this was what Caius wrote to
Petronius, which was before he received his letter, informing
-him that the Jews were very ready to revolt about the ftatue,
and that they leemed refoived to threaten war againfl the Ro-
mans, and nothing elfe. When therefore Caius was much
difpieafed thai any attempt ihould be made againft his govern-
ment, as he was a (lave to bale and vicious aclions on all oc-
cafions, and had no regard to what was virtuous an-.! honour-
able, and again!! whomloever he refoived to {hew his anger,
and that for any caufe whatfoever, he differed not himtelt to
be reftrained by any admonition, but thought the indulging
his anger to be a real pleafure, he wrote thus to Petronius :
" Seeing thou efteemeit the prefents made thee by the Jews to
be of greater value than my commands, and art grown mlolent
enough to be fubfervient to their pleafure, I charge thee to
become thy own judge, and to confider what thou art to do,
now thou art under my difpleafufe ; for I will make thee an
example to the prefent and to all future ages, that they may
not dare to contradict the commands of their empercr."
9. This was the epiitle which Caius wrote to Petronius, but
Petronius did not receive it while Caius was alive, that ihip
which carried it failing fo flow, that other letters came to Pe-
tronius before this, by which he underfiood that Caius was
dead ; fur God would not forget the dangers Petronius had
undertaken on account of the Jews, and of his own honour.
But when he had taken Caius away, out ot his indignation of
what he had fo inlolently attempted inaffuming to himfell iii-
vine worfhip, both Rome and all that dominion complied
with Petronius, elpecialiy thole that were of the fenatorian
order, to give Caius his due reward, b;-caufe he had been un-
mercifully fever to them ; tor he died not long alter he had
written to Petronius that epillle which threatened him with
death. But as tor the occafion ot his death, and the nature of
the plot againit him, I lhall relate them in the progrefsot this
narration. Now that epiftle which informed Petronius of
Caius's death came firft, and a little afterward came that which
commanded him to kill himfelf with his own hands. Where-
upon he rejoiced at this coincidence as to the death ot Caius,
and admired God's providence, who without the Icaft delay,
and immediately, gave him a reward for the regard he had to
the temple, and the affiftance he afforded the Jews tor avoid-
ing the dangers they were in. And by this means Petronius
cfcaped that danger of death, which he could not forefee.
3*72 ANTIQUITIES OF THE JEWS. [Book XVIIL
CHAP. IX.
What bejel the Jews that inert in Babylon, on cccafion of Aji~
neus and Amiens, two brethren.
I. A VERY fad calamity now betel the Jews that were
xJL in Mefopotamia, and efpecially thofe that dwelt in
Babylonia. Inferior it was to none ot the calamities which
had gone before, and came together with a great {laughter oi
them, and that greater than any upon record before ; concern-
ing all which I (hall fpeak accurately, and fhall explain the
occafions whence thele miferies came upon them. There was
a city in Babylonia called Neerda ; not only a very populous
one, but one that had a good and a large territory about it, and,
l>efides its other advantages, full ot men alfo. It was, besides,
not eafily to be affaulted by enemies, from the river Euphrates
encompaffing it all round, and from tne walls that were built a-
bout it. There was alfo the city Nifibis, fituate on the fame cur-
rent ot the river. For which reafon, the Jews, depending on
the natural ftrength of thefe places, depofited in them that
halt Ihekel which every one, by the cuftom of our country,
offers unto God as well as they did other things devoted to
him, for they made ufe of thefe cities as a treasury, whence,
at a proper time, they were tranfmitted to Jerusalem ; and
many ten thoufand men undertook the carriage of thole do-
nationS) out of fear of the ravages of the Parthians. to whom
the Babylonians were then fubjeft. Now there were two
men, Afineus and Anileus, of the city Neerda by birth, and
brethren to one another. They were deftitute ot a father, and
their mother put them to learn the art of weaving curtd
not being efteemed a difgrace among them tor men to be \
ers of cloth. Now he that taught them that art, and was fet
over them, complained that they came too late to their work,
and punilhed them with flripes ; but they tool; this juft pun-'
ifhment as an affront, and carried off all the weapons which
were kept in that houfe, which were not a few, and went in-
to a certain place where was as partition of rivers, and was a
place naturally very fit for the feeding of raitle, and for
preferving fuch fruits as were ufually laid up againft winter.
The poorell fort of the young men alfo relorted to them,
whom they armed with the weapons they had gotten, and be-
came their captains ; and nothing hindered them from being
their leaders into mifchiet ; tor as foon as they were become
invincible, and had built them a citadel they' lent to fuch as
fed cattle, and ordered them to pay them fo much tribute out
ot them as might be fufficient for their rraintenance, propot-
ing alfo that they would be their friends, if they would lub-
snit to them, and that they would defend them from all their
('hap. IX.] ANTIQUITIES OF THE JEWS, 373
other enemies on every fide, but that they would kill the cat-
tle ot thofe that refufed to obey them. So they hearkened to
their propofals (for they could do nothing elfej, and lent them,
as many (beep as were required of them ; whereby their fore.
es grew greater, and they became lords over all they pleafed,
becaufe they marched fuddenly, and did them a miichief, in-
fomuch that every body who bad to do with them, chole to pay
them refpett, and they became formidable to fuch as came to.
alfault them, till the report about them came to the ears of the
king of Parthia himfelt.
2. But when the governor of Babylonia underflood tbig,
and had a mind to put a Hop to them, before they grew great-
er, and before greater mifchiefs fbould arife from them, he
got together as great an army as he could, both of Parthians
and Babylonians, and marched againft them, thinking to at-
tack them, and deflroy them before any one fhould carry them
the nev/s, that he had got an army together. He then encamped
at a lake, and lay Hill ; but on the next day fit was the Sab-
bath, which is among the Jews a day of reft from all forts of
work), he fuppofed that the enemy would not dare to fight
him thereon, but that he would take them and carry them away
prifoners, without fighting. He therefore proceeded gradu-
ally, and thought to fall upon them on the fudden. Now A-
fmeus was fitting with the reft, and their weapons lay by them ;
upon which he fair! '' Sirs, I hear a neighing of horfes ; not
ot fuch as are feeding, but fuch as have men on their backs ;
1 alfo hear iuch anoife of their bridles, that I am afraid that
fome enemies are coming lipon us to encompafs us round.
However, let fomebody go to look about, and make report
of what reality there is in the prefent * ilate of things ; and
may what I have faid prove a falfe alarm." And, when he
had faid this, fome of them went out to fpy out what was the
matter, and they came again immediately and faid to him, that
" neither haft thou been miftaken in telling us what our ene-
mies were doing, nor will thofe enemies be injurious to peo-
ple any longer. We are caught by their intrigues like brute
beads, and there is a large body of cavalry marching upon
us, while we are deftitute ot hands to delend ouxfelves with-
al, becaufe we are reftrained from doing it by the prohibition
ot our law, which obliges us to reft [on this day]. But Afi-
neus did not by any ineans agree with the opinion of his fpy
as to what was to be done, but thought it more agreeable u
the law to pluck up their fpirits in this neceffity they were
iallen into, and break their law by avenging themfelves, al-
though they mould die in the aftion, than by doing nothing
* 'EjEflx-STi)* is here, and ir. very many other places of Jofrphus, immediately
at hand, and is to be fo expound d, z Theft", ii 2. when iome iallely pretended
that St Paul had faid either by word or mouth, or by an epiftle, or by both, that
the day oJChriJl was immediately at hand; for Hill St Paul did then plainly think
*' .:' cay not very many years future.
374 ANTIQUITIES OF THE JEWS. [Book XVlIi,
to pleafe their enemies in fubmitting to be (lain by them.
Accordingly he took up his weapons, and infufed -courage
into thofe that were with him to att as courageoully as
felf. So they fell upon their enemies, and flew a great many
of them, becaufe they defpifed them, and came as to a cer-
tain vittory, and put the reft to flight.
3. But when the news ot this tight came to the king of Par-
thia, he was furprifed at the boldnefs of thefe brethren, and
was defirous to fee them, and fpeak with them. He therefore,
fent the moil trufty ot all his guards to fay thus to them, ' That
king Artabanus, although lie hath been unjuttly treated by
you, who have made an attempt againfthisgovernment, yet hath
he more regard to your courageous behavour, than to the an-
fer he bears to you, and hath.ient me to give you his right-
and *, and fecurity, and he permits you to come to him
lately, and without any violence upon the road, and he wants
to have you addrefs you i id* es to him as his friends,
meaning any guile or deceit to you. He alfo promifes to
make you prelems, and to pay you thofe reipefcls which will
make .an addition ot his power to your courage, and thereby
be of advantage to you.'' Yet did Afineus himfelf put off
his journey thither, but fent his brother Anileus with. all Inch
prelents as he could procure. So he went, and was admitted
to the king's prefence ; and when Artabanus faw A,
coming alone, he inquired into the reafon why Afineus avoid-
ed to come along with him j and when he underflood that he
was airaid, ana itaid by the lake, he took an oath by the gods
of his country, that he would do ftiem no harm, if they
to him upon the aflurances he gave them, and gave him his
right hand t. Tins is ot the greatell force there with all thefe
barbarians, and affords a firm fecurily to thofe who converts
with them ; for none of them will deceive you, when once
they have given you their right hands, nor will any one doubt
of ttteir fidelity, when that is once given, even though they
were before fufpefted ct injuitice, When Artabanus had
done this, he lent away Anileus to perfuade his brother to
came to him. Now this the king did, becaufe he wanted to
curb his own governors ot provinces by the courage oi
Jewifh brethren, Ictl they mould make a league with them ;
lor they were ready for a revolt, and were difpofed to rebel,
had they been fent on an expedition againft them. He was
alfo afraid, kit when he was engaged in a war in order to
lubdue thofe governors ot provinces that had revolted, the
party ot Afineus, and thofe in Babylonia, fhould be augment-
ed, and either make war upon him, when they fhould hear
* The joining of the ri. . efleemed among the Perfaas [and Parthi-
ans] in particular, a moft inviolable obligation to fidelity, as Dr Hudlon here ob-
ierves, and ixfers to the comm.-nury ou Juftin, B. XI. ch. xv. i >r its confirmation.
We ofu-n meet with the like ulc o: ;t in Joiephiu.
t See the above no:-. 1 .
Cliap. IX.] ANTIQUITIES OF THE JEWS. 375
of that revolt, or, if they fhould be difappointed in that cafe,
they would" not fail of doing farther mifchiet to him.
4. When the king had thefe intentions, he lent away Anil-
eus, and Anileus prevailed on his brother [to come to the
kingj, when he had reined to him the king's good-will, and
the onth that he had ta'ken. Accordingly they made haite to
go to Arfabanus, who received them, when they were come
with plealure, and admired Afineus's courage in the actions he*
had done, and this becaufe he was a little man to fee to, and at
firfl fight appeared contemptible alfo, and inch as one might
deem a perfon oi no value at all. He alfo faid to his friends,
how; upon the comparifon he fhewed his foul to be, in all
refpefts, fuperior to his body ; and when, as they were drink-
ing together he once fhewed Aline us to Abdagafes, one of
the generals of his army, and told him his name, and defcrib-
ed the great courage he was of in war, and Abdagaffes, hadT
defired leave to kill him, and thereby to inflii on him a pun-
ifhment forthofe injuries he had done to the Parthian govern-
ment, the king replied, " I will never give thee leave to kill-
a man who hath depended on my faith, efpecially not after I
have fent him my right hand, and endeavoured to gain his be-
lief by oaths made by the gods. But, if thou beeft a truly
warlike man, thou ftandeft not in need of my perjury. Go>
thcu then, and avenge the Parthian government ; attack, thi*
man, when he is returned back, and conquer him by the for-
ces that are under thy command, without my privity." Here-
upon the king called for Afineus, and faid to him, " It is time
for thee, O thou young man, to return home, and not pro-
voke the indignation of my generals in this place any farther,
leaftthey attempt to murder thee, and that without my appro-
bation. I commit to thee the country of Babylonia in truft,
that it may, by thy care be preferved free from robbers, and
from other mifchiefs. I have kept my faith inviolable to thee,
and that not in trifling affairs, but in thpfe that concerned thy
fafety, and do therefore defervethou mould il be kind to me."
When lie had faid-this,and given Aftneus fome prefents, he fent
him away immediately ; who, when he was come home, built
1'ortreHes, and became great in a little time, and managed things
with fuch counge and iuccefs, as no other perfon, that had'
no higher a beginning, ever did before him. Thofe Parthian,
governors alfo, who were fent that way, paid him great re-
ipeft ; and the honour that was paid him by the Babylonians
feemed to them too fmall, and beneath his deferts, although he
were in no fmall dignity and power there: Nay, indeed, all
the affairs of Mefopotamta depended upon him, and he more
and more flourifhed in this happy condition of hjs tor fifteen
years.
5. But as their affairs were in fo flourifhing a ftate, there
fprang up a cal-imity among them on the following occafion,
When once they had dsviated from that courle of virtue
376 ANTIQUITIES OF THJJ JEWS. [Bcjok X .
whereby they had gained fo great power, they affronted and
tranfgrefled the laws of their forefathers, and fell under the 1
dominion ot their lufts and pleafures. A certain Parthian,
who came as general ot an army into thofe parts, had a wife
following him, who had a vaft reputation for other accom-i
plifhments, and particularly was admired above ail other worn
en for her beauty ; Anileus, the brother of Afineus, either
heard of that her beauty from others, or perhaps faw herhim-
felf alfo. and fo became at once her lover and her enemy ;
partly becaufe he could not hope to enjoy this woman but by
obtaining power over her as a captive, and partly becaufe he
thought he could not conquer his inclinations for her ; as fooa
therefore as her hufband had been declared an enemy to them,
and was fallen in the battle, the widow of the deceafed was
married to this her lover. However, this woman did not
come into their houfe without producing great misfortunes
both to Anileus himfelf, and to Afineus al'o ; but brought
great mifchiets upon them on the occafion following. Since
ihe was led away captive, upon the death of her hufband, Hie
concealed the images of thofe gods whi h were their country
gods, common to her hufband and to herfelf : Now it is the
cuftom * of that country for all to have the idols they wormip
in their own houfes, and to carry them along with them when
they go into a foreign land ; agreeably fo which cuftom ok
theirs me carried her idols with her. Now at firit (he perform-
ed her worfhip to them privately, but when (he was become
Anileus's married wife, (he worshipped them in her accuf-
tomed manner, and with the fame appointed ceremonies which
ihe ufed in her former hufband's days ; upon which their
moft efleemed friends blamed him at firft, that he did not a6l
after the manner of the Hebrews, nor perform what was a-
greeable to their laws, in marrying a foreign wife, and one
that tranfgrefled the accurate appointments of their facrifices
and religious ceremonies ; that he ought to confider, left by
allowing himfelf in many pleafures ot the body, he mighr.
lofe his principality, on account ot the beauty of a wife, and
that high authority* which, by God's bleffing, he had arrived
at. But when they prevailed not at all upon him, he flew
one ot them for whom he had the greateft refpeft, becaufe ot
the liberty he took with him ; who, when he was dying, out
of regard to the laws, imprecated a punimment upon his mur-
derer Anileus, and upon Afineus alfo, and that all their com-
panions might come to a like end from their enemies ; upon
the two firft as the principal afclors ot this wickednefs, and
This cuftom of the Mefopotair.Lns to carry their houfehold gods alrn^ with
them wherever they travelled, is as old as the days of Jacob, when Rachel his
wife did the lame, Geir xxxi. 19,3035. nor is it to pal's here unoblerved,
what great miferies carae onthefe Jews, becaufe they fuffered one of their leader:
to marry an idolatrous wife, contrary to the law of Moles. Of which matter ice
he note on ii. A7X. ch. v. S 3. Vol. II.
IX.] ANTIQUITIES OP THE JEWS. 377
v.pon the reft as thofe that would pot affift him when he fuf-
fered in the defence of their laws. Now thefe latter were fore-
\y grieved, yet did they tolerate thefe doings, becaufe they re-
membered that they had arrived at their prefent happy flate
by no other means than their fortitude. But when they alfo
heard of the worfbip of thofe gods whom the Parthians adore,
they thought the injury that Anileus offered to their laws was
to be borne no longer ; and a greater number of them came to
Afmeus, and loudly complained of Anileus, and told him, that
es it had been well that he had of himfelt feen what was advan-
tageous to them, but that however it was now high time to
corrett what had been done amifs, before the crime that had
been committed proved the ruin of himfelf, and all the reft of
them. They added, that the marriage of this woman was
rnade without their confent, and without a regard to their old
laws; and that the worfhip which this woman paid fto her
gods] was a reproach to the God whom they worfhipped."
Now Afineus was fenfible oi his brother's offence, that it had
been already the caufe of great mifchiefs, and would be fo for
the time to come ; yet did he tolerate the fame from the good
will he had to fo near a relation, and forgiving it to him, on
account that his brother was quite over-borne by his wicked
inclinations. But as more and more itill came about him
every day, and the clamours about it became greater, he at
length fpake to Anileus about thefe clamours, reproving him
lor his former aftions, and de firing him for the future to leave
them off, and fend the woman back to her relations. But no-
thing was gained by thefe reproofs ; for as the woman per-
ceived what a tumult was made among the people on her ac-
count, and was afraid for Anileus, left he fhould come to any
harm for his love to her, the infufed poifon into Afineus's
food, and thereby took him off, and was now fecure of prevail-
ing, when her lover was to be judge of what fhould be done
about her.
6. So Anileus took *he government upon himfelf alone,
and led his army againft the villages of Mithridates, who was
a man of principal authority in Parthia, and had married king
Artabanus's daughter ; he alfo plundered them, and among
that prey was found much money, and many flaves as alfo a
great number of fheep, and many other things, which, when
gained, make mens condition happy. Now when Mithridates,
who was there at this time, heard that his villages were taken,
he was very much difpleafed to find that Aaileus had firfl be-
gun to injure him, and to affront him in his prefent dignity,
\vhen he had not offered any injury to him before-hand ; and
he got together the greateft body of horfemen he was able,
and thofe out of that number which were of an age fit for war,
and came to fight Anileus ; and when he, was arrived at a cer-
tain village of his own, he lay ftill there, as intending to fight
him on the day following, becaufe it was the Sabbath, the day
VOL. U. Z z
ANTIQUITIES OF THE JEWS. [Book XVJ1I.
on which the Jews reft. And when Anileus was informed
of this by a Syrian ftranger of another village, who not only
gave him an exat account of other circumftances, but told
him where Mithridates would have a feaft, ~he took his Cupper
at a proper time, and marched by night, with an intent of fall-
ing upon the Parthians while they were unapprifed what they
fhould do ; fo he fell upon them about the fourth watch of the
night, and fome of them he flew while they were afleep, and
others he put to flight, and took Mithridates alive, and fet him
naked upon an afs*, which among the Parthians is efteemed
the greateft reproach poflible. And when he had brought him
into a wood with fuch a refolution, and his friends defired him
to kill Mithridates, he foon told them his own mind to the
contrary, and faid that " it was not right to kill a man who
was one of the principal families among the Parthians, and
greatly honoured with matching into the royal family ; that fo
far as they had hitherto gone was tolerable ; for although they
had injured Mithridates, yet if they preferved his life, this
benefit would be remembered by him to the advantage of thofe
that gave it him ; but that if he were once put to death, the
Xing would not be at reft till he had made a great (laughter of
the Jews that dwelt at Babylon ; to whofe fafety we ought to
have a regard, both on account of our relation to them, and
becaufe, if any misfortune betal us. we have no other place to
retire to, fince he hath gotten the flower of their youth under
him." By this thought, and this fpeech ol his made in coun-
cil, he perfuaded them to aft accordingly ; fo Mithridates was
let go. But when he was got away, his wife rep reached him,
that although he was fon-in-laxv to the king, he neglefted to
avenge himfelt on thofe that had injured him, while he took
no care about it, but was contented to have been made a cap-
tive by the Jews, and to have efcaped them ; and (he bid him
either to go back like a man of courage, or elfe fhe fware by
the gods of their royal family, that fhe would certainly diffolve
her marriage with him." Upon which, partly becaufe he
could not bear the daily trouble of her taunts, and partly be-
caufe he was a!ra\d of her infolence, left Ihe fhould in earneft
difTolve her marriage, he unwillingly, and againft his inclina-
tions, got together again as large an army as he could, and
marched along with them, as himfelf thinking it a thing not to
be borne any longer, that he, a Parthian, mould owe his pref-
ei vation to the Jews, when they had been too hard for him in
the war.
*]. But as foon as Anileus underftood that Mithridates was
* This cuftom in Syria and Mefopotamia, of fettin^ men upon an afs, by way
of difgrace, is ftill kept up at Damalcus in Syria ; where, in order to fhow their
dt-fpite againft the Chriftians, the Turk* will not faffer them to hire horfes, but
affes only, when they go abroad to lee the country, as Mr. Maundrell affurcs us,
page 128.
Chap. IX.] ANTIQUITIES OF THE JEWS. 379
marching with a great army againft him, he thought it to ig-
nominious a thing to tarry about the lakes, and not to take the
firft- opportunity of meeting his enemies and he hoped to have
the fame fuccefs, and to beat their enemies as they did before ;
as alfo he ventured boldly upon the like attempts. Accord-
ingly he led out his ajrmy, and a great many more joined
themfelves, to that army, in order to betake themfelves to plun-
der the people, and in order to terrify the enemy again by
their numbers. But when they had marched ninety turlongs,
while the road had been through dry [and fandyj places, and
about the midft of the day, they were become very thinly;
and Mithridates appeared, and fell upon them, as they were
in diftrefs for want of water, on which account, and on account
of the time of day they were not able to bear their weapons.
So Anileus and his men were put to an ignominious rout,
while men in defpair were to attack thofe that were frefh, and
in good plight ; fo a great Daughter was made, and many ten
thoufand men fell. New Anileus, and all that flood firm a-
bout him, ran away, as taft as they were able, into a wood, and
afforded Mithridates the pleafure of having a great viclory o-
ver them. But there now came in to Anileus a conflux of
bad men, who regarded their own lives very little, if they might
but gain fome prefent eafe, infomuch that they, by thus com-
ing to him, compenfated the multitude of thofe that perifhed
in the fight. Yet were not thefe men like to thofe that fell,
becaufe they were rafh, and unexercifed in war ; however,
with thefe he came upon the villages of the Babylonians, and
a mighty devaftation of all things was made there by the inju-
ries that Anileus did them. So the Babylonians, and thofe
that had already been in the war, fent to Neerda to the Jews
there, and demanded Anileus. But although they did not a-
gree to their demands, (for if they had been willing to deliver
him up, it was not in their power fo to do ; yet did they defire
to make peace with them. To which the other replied, that
they alfo wanted to fettle conditions ot peace with them, and
fent men together with the Babylonians, who difcourfed with
Anileus about them. But the Babylonians, upon taking a
view of his fituation, and having learned where Anileus and
his men lay, fell fecretly upon them as they were drunk, and
fallen afleep, and ilew all that they caught of them, without
any fear, and killed Anileus himfelf alfo.
8. The Babylonians were now freed from Anileus's heavy
incurfious, which had been a great reftraint to the effefts of
that hatred they bore to the Jews ; for they were almolt al-
ways at variance, by reafon of the contrariety of their laws ;
and which party foever grew boldeft before the other, they af-
laulted the other : And at this time in particular it was, that,
upon the ruin of Anileus's party, the Babylonians attacked
the Jews, which made thofe Jews fo vehemently to refent the
injuries they received from the Babylonians, that being nei-
380 ANTIQUITIES OF THE JEWS. [Book XVIIL
ther able to fight them, nor bearing to live with them, they
went to Seleucia, the principal city of thole parts, which was
built by Seleucus Nicator. It was inhabited by many of the
Macedonians, but by more of the Grecians ; not a few of the
Syrians aHo dwelt there ; and thither did the Jews fly, and liv-
ed there five years without any misfortunes. But on the fixth
year, a peftilence came upon thofe at Babylon, which occa-
fioned new removals of mens habitations out of that city ; and
becaufe they came to Seleucia, it happened that a ftill heavier
calamity came upon them on that account, which I am going,
to relate immediately.
9. Now the way of living of the people of Seleucia, which
were Greeks and Syrians, was commonly quarrellome, and full-
of diicord, though the Greeks were too hard for the Syrians.
When therefore the Jews were come thither, and dwelt among
them, there arofe a fedition, and the Syrians were too hard tor
the other, by the afliftance ot the Jews, who are men that def-
pife dangers, and very ready to fight upon any occafion. Now
when the Greeks had the worft in this fedition, and faw that
they had but one way of recovering their former authority,
and that was; if they could prevent the agreement between the
Jews and the Syrians, they every one difcourfed with fuch of
the Syrians as were formerly their acquaintance, and promif-
edthey would be at peace and friendmip with them. Accord-
inglythey gladly agreed fotodo ; and when this was done by
the principal men of both nations, they foon agreed to a recon-
ciliation, and when they were fo agreed, they both knew that
the great defign of fuch their union would be their common
hatred to the Jews,. Accordingly they tell upon them, and flew
about fifty thoufand of them ; nay the Jews were all deftroyed,
excepting a few who efcaped either by the compaffion which
their friends or neighbours afforded ihem, in order to let them
flyaway. Thefe retired to Ctefiphon.a Grecian city, and fitu-
ated near to Seleucia, where the king [of Parthia] lives in win-
ter every year, and where the greateft part of his riches are re-
pofited ; but thejews had here no certain fettlement, thofe of Se-
leucia having little concern for the king's honour. Now the
whole nation of the Jews were in fear both of the Babylonians,
and of the Seleucians, becaufe all the Syrians that live in thofe
places agreed with the Seleucians in the war againft the Jews ;
fothemoftof them gathered themfelves together, and went to
I^eerda, and Nifibis, and obtained fecurity there by the ftrength.
of thofe cities ;befides which their inhabitants, who were a great
many, were all war! ike men. And this wastheftateof the Jews
3t this time in Babylonia,
Chap. I.] ANTIQUITIES OF THE
BOOK XIX.
Containing the interval of three years and an half,
[From the departure of the JKWS out oj Babylon, to FADVS
the Roman Procurator.]
CHAP. I.
How Caius * wasjlain by Cherca*.
\ i. TVTPW this Caius f did not demonftrate his madnefs
i. >l in offering injuries only to the Jews at Jerufalem,
or to thofe that dwelt in the neighbourhood, but fullered it to.
extend, itfelt through all the earth and iea, io far as was in fub-
jection to the Romans, and filled it with ten thoufand mif-
chiets ; fo many indeed in number as no former hiftory relates,
But Rome itfelt felt the inofl difmal effects of what he did,
while he cjeemed that not to be any way more honourable than
the reft of the cities but he pulled and hauled its other citizens,
but efpecially the fenate, and particularly the nobility, and iuch
as had been dignified by illuftriousanceftors ; he alfb had ten
thoufand devices againfl fuch of the equeftrian order, as it was
ityled, who were elteemed by the citizens equal in dignity
and wealth with the fenators, becaule out of them the fenators
were themfelves chofen ; thele he treated after an ignominious
manner, and removed them out of his way, while they were
at once flain and their wealth plundered ; becaufe he flew men
generally in order to feize on their riches. He a Mb aflerted
his own divinity, and infilled on greater honours to be paid
him by his fubjecls, than are due to mankind. He alfo fre-
quented that temple of Jupiter which they ftile the capitol,
which is with them the molt holy of all their temples, and
had boldnefs enough to call himfelf the brother of Jupiter.
And other pranks, he did like a, madman ; as when he laid a
* In this and the three next chapters, we have, I think a larger and more diftinft
account of the (laughter of Caius, and the fuccession of Claudius, than we have of
any fuch ancient fads whatfoever eliewhere. Some of the occafions of which prob-
ably were, jofephus's bitter hatred againfl tyranny, and the pleafure he took, in
giving tin- hiftory of the (laughter of iuch a barbarous tyrant as was this Cains Cali-
gula, as alto the delivc-rance his own nation had by that daughter, of which he
Ipeaks left. 2. together with that great ii.timacy he had with Agrippa junior,
whofe lather was deeply concerned in the advancement of Claudius, upon the
death of Caius ; from which Agrippa junior. Jofephus might be ful.y informed of
this hiftory.
1 C-:!ea Caligula by the Romans.
3&2 ANTIQUITIES OP THE JEWS. [Book XIX,
bridge From the city Dicerchia, which belongs to Campania,
to Mifenum, another city upon the fea fide, from one pro-
montory to another, of the length of thirty furlongs, as
meafured over the fea. And this was done, becaufe he efteem-
cd it to be a moft tedious thing to row over it in a fmall fhip,
and thought withal, that it became him to make that bridge,
frince he was lord of the fea, and might oblige it to give marks
of obedience as well as the earth ; fo he enclofed the whole
bay within his bridge and drove his chariot over it, and thought
that, as he was a god, it was fit for him to travel over fuch
roads as this was. Nor did he obftain from the plunder of any
of the Grecian temples, and gave order that all the engravings
and fculpters, and the reft of the ornaments of the ftatues and
donations therein dedicated, mould be brought to him, faying,
that " the beft things ought to be fet no where but in the beft
place, and that the city of Rome was that beft place." He
alfo adorned his own houfe and his gardens with the curiofities
brought from thofe temples, together with the hpufes he lay
at when he travelled all over Italy ; whence he did not fcru-
ple to give a command, that the ftatue of Jupiter Olympius,
fo called, becaufe he was honoured at the Olympian games
by the Greeks, which was the workot Phidias the Athenian,
(hould be brought to Rome. Yet did not he compafs his end,
becaufe the architects told Memmius Regius, who was com-
manded to remove that ftatue of Jupiter, that the workman-
fhip was fuch as would be fpoiled, and would not bear the re-
moval. It was alfo reported that Memmius, both on that ac r
count, and on account of fome fuch mighty prodigies as are
of an incredible nature, put off the taking it down, and wrote
to Caius thofe accounts, as his apology tor not having done
what his epiftle required of him ; and that when he was thence
in danger oi perifliing, he was faved by Caius's being dead
himfelf, before he had put him to death.
a. Nay, Caius's madnefs came to this height, that when he
had a daughter born he carried her into the Capitol, and put
her upon the knees of the ftatue, and faid, that the child was
common to him and to Jupiter, and determined that (he had
two fathers, but which of thefe fathers were the greateft, he
left undetermined ; and yet mankind bore him in fuch his
pranks. He alfo gave leave to (laves to accufe their mailers,
of any crimes whatfoever they pleafed ; for all fuch accufa-
tions were terrible, becaufe they were in great part made to
pleafe him, and at his fuggeftion. infomuch that Pallux,
Claudius's flave, had the boldnefs to lay an accufation
againft Claudius himfelf, and Caius was not afhamed to
be prefent at his trial of life and death, to hear that trial
of his own uncle, in hopes of being able to take him off, al-
though he did not fucceed to his mind. But when he had
filled the whole habitable world, which he governed, with
falfe accufations and miferies, and had occafioned the great*
Chap. 1.] ANTIQUITIES OF THB JBWS. 383
eft infult of flaves againft their matters, who indeed in great
meafure ruled them, there were many fecret plots now laid a-
gainft him ; fome in anger, and in order for men to revenge
themfetves, on account of the miferies they had already un-
dergone from him ; and others made attempts upon him, in
order to take him off before they fhould fall into fuch great
miferies, while his death came very fortunately for the pref-
ervation of the laws of all men, and had a great influence upon
the public welfare ; and this happened moft happily for our
nation in particular, which had almoft utterly perifhed it
he had not been fuddenly (lain. And I confefs I have a mind
to give a full account of this matter, particularly becauie it
will afford great affurance of the power of God, and great
comfort to thofe that are under afflictions, and wife caution to
thofe who think their happinefs will never end, nor bring
them at length to the moft lafting miferies, if they do not con-
duel their lives by the principles of Virtue.
1. Now there were three feveral confpiracies made in order to
take off Caius, and each of thefe three were conducted b
cellent perfons. Emilius Regulus, born at Corduba in
got fome men together, and was defirous to take Caius
ther by them, or by himfelf. Another con fpiracy there was
laid by them, under theconduft of Cherea Caffius, the tribune
[of the Pretorian band] ; Minucianus Annius was alfo one of
great confequence among thofe that were prepared to oppofe his
tyranny. Now the feveral occafions of thefe mens feveral ha-
tred and confpiracy againft Caius were thefe : Regulus had
indignation and hatred againft all injuftice, for he had a mind
naturally angry, and bold, and free, which made him not
conceal his counfels ; fohe communicated them to many of
his friends, and to others, who feemed to him perfons of ac-
tivity and vigour : Minucianus entered into this confpiracy,
becaufe of the injuftice done to Lepidus his particular friend,
and one of the heft character of all the citizens, whom Caius
had flain, as alfo becaufe he was afraid of himfelf, fince Cai-
rn's wrath tended to the {laughter of all alike : And for Che-
rea, he came in, becaufe he thought it a deed worthy of a free
ingenuous man to kill Caius, and was afhamed of the reproach-
es he lay uader from Caius, as though he were a coward ; as
alfo becaufe he was himfelf in danger every day from his
f riendfhip with him, and the obfervance he paid him. Thefe
men propofed this attempt to all the reft that were concerned,,
who faw the injuries that were offered them, and were defir-
ous that Caius's (laughter might fucceed by their mutual affif-
tance of one another, and they might themfelves efcape being
killed by the taking off Caius ; that perhaps they mould gam
their point, and that it would be an happy thing if they fhould
gain it, to approve themfelves to fp many excellent perfons ag
earneftly wifhed to be partakers with them in their defign, for
the delivery of the city and of the government, even at the
384 ANTIQUITIES OF THE JEWS. | Book XIX,
hazard of their own lives. But ftill Cherea was the rrioft
zealous of them all, both out of a defire of getting himfelf the
greateft name, arid alfo by reafon of his accefs to Caius's pref-
ence, with lefs danger, becaufe he was tribune, and could
therefore the more eafily kill him.
4. Now at this time came on the horfe races fCircenfian
games] ; the view of which games was eagerly defired by the
people of Rome ; for they came with great alacrity into the.
hippodrome [circus] at fuch times, and petition their empe-
rors, in great multitudes, for what they ftand in need of ;
who ufually did not think fit to deny them their requefts, but
readily and greattully granted them. Accordingly they mofl
importunately defired, that Caius would now eafe them in
their tributes, and abate fomewhat of the rigour of the taxes
impofed upon them ; but he would not hear their petition :
and, when their clamours increafed, he lent ioldiers, fome
one way, and fome another, and gave order, that they flhould
Jay hold on thpfe that tnade the clamours, and without any
more ado, bring them out, and put them to death. Thefe
were Caius's commands and thofe who were commanded ex-
e.c^t^the f ame . an d tne num ber of thofe who were (lain on
this 'occafion was very great. Now the people faw this and
bore it fp far^ that they left off clamouring, becaufe they faw
with their own eyes, that this petition to he relieved, as to the
payment ot their money, brought immediate death upon them.
Thefe things made Cherea more refolute to go on with his
plot, in order to put an end to this barbarity ot Caius againil
men. He then at feveral times, thought to fall upon Caius e-
ven as he was teaiting ; yet did he reftrain himiell by fome
confiderations ; not that he had any doubt on him about kill-
ing him, but as watching for a proper feafon, that the attempt
might not be frustrated, but that he might give the blow fo aS
might certainly gain his purpofe.
5. Cherea had been in the army a long time, yet was he not
pleafed with converting fo inuch with Caius. But Caius had
fet him to require the tributes, and other dues, which, when not
paid in due time, were forfeited to Casfar's treafury ; and he
had made fome delays in requiring them, becaufe thofe burdens
had been doubled.and had rather indulged his own mild difpoli-
tion.than performed Caius's command ; nay .indeed, he provok-
ed Caius to anger by his (paring men, and pity ing the hard fort-
unes, of thoie from whom he demanded the taxes, and Caius up-
braided him with his [loth and effeminacy in being folong about
collecting the taxes. And indeed he did not only affront him in
other relpefts. but when he gave him the watch word of the
day, to whom it was to be given by his place, he gave him
feminine words, and thofe ot a nature very reproachful ; and
tbefe watch- words he gave out, as having been initiated in the
fecrets of certain mylleries, which he had been himfelt the
author of. Now, although he Jiad fometiraes put on womens
Chap. I.] ANTIQUITIES OF THE JEWS. $$$
clothes, and had been wrapt in fome embroidered garments
to them belonging, and done a great many other things, in
order to make the company miitake him for a woman ; yet
did he, by way of reproach, objeft the like womanifli behav-
iour to Cherea. But when Cherea received the watch word
from him, he had indignation at it, but had greater indigna-
tion at the delivery ot it to others, as being laughed at by thofe
that received it ; infomuch that his fellow-tribunes made him
the fubjetl of their drollery ; tor they would foretel that he
would bring them fome of his ufual watch-words, when he
was about to take the watch-word from Caefar, and would
thereby make him ridiculous ; on which accounts he took the
courage ot affuming certain partners to him, as having juft
reafons for his indignatiou againft Caius. Now there was one
Pompedius a fenator, and one who had gone through almoft
all ports in the government, but otherwise an Epicurean, and
for thatreafon loved to lead an unaclive life. NowTimidius,
an enemy of his had informed Caius, that he had ufed inde-
cent reproaches againft him, and he madeufe of Quintilia for
a witnefs to them ; a woman fhe was much beloved by manj^
that frequented the theatre, and particularly by Pompedius,
on account of her great beauty. Now this woman thought it
an horrible thing to atteft to an accufation that touched the
life of her lover, which xvas alio a lie. Timidius, however,
wanted to have her brought to the torture. Caius was irritat-
ed at this reproach upon him, and commanded Cherea, with-
out any delay, to torture Quintilia, as he ufed to empl'oy Che-
rea in luch bloody iratters, and thofe that required the torture,
becaufe he thought he would do it the more barbaroufly, in
order to avoid that imputation of effeminacy which he had
laid upon him, Bnt Quintilia, when fhe was brought to the
rack, trod upon the toot of one ot her affociates, and let him
know, that he might be ot good courage, and not be afraid of
the confequenees of her tortures ; tor that fhe would bear them
with magnanimity. Cherea tortured this woman after a cru-
el manner ; unwillingly indeed, but becaufe he could not help
it. He then brought her, without being in the leaft moved at
what (he had fuffered, into the p re fence ot Caius, and that in
fuch a ftate as was fad to behold ; and Caius, being fomewhat
affected with the fight of Ouintilia, who had her body mifera-
bly difordered by the pains fhe had undergone, freed both her
and Pompedius of the crime laid to their charge. He alfo gave
her money to make her an honourable amends, and comfort
her for that maiming ot her body which fhe had fuffered, and
for her glorious patience under iuch unfufferable torments. -
6. This matter forely grieved Cherea, as having been the
caufeas far as he could, or the inftrument ot thofe rniferies
to men, which feemed worthy of conlolation to Caius himlelf ;
on which account he faid to Clement ami to Papinius (oi
whom Clement was general of the army, and Papinitfs was $
VOL, II. A 3
AN'TIO'JITIES OF THE JEWS. [Book X '
tribune). " To be fun , Clement, we have no way tailed in
our guarding th-j e'rperor ; fo r as to tbofe that have made con
fpiracics againtthis government, fome have '<ecr, fbin by our
care and pains, and, fome have been by us tenured, and thin
to fu- h ,: degree th:>t he h;ifh himfeif p'tied them. How great
then i& our virtue ; n fubmitting to conduct his armies ?" Cle-
ment heKi liis pracr, out (hewed the fhame he was under in
obeying Cair.s's orders, both by his eyes and his blulhing coun-
tenance, while he thought it by no means right to sccufe the
ompTor in cxprefs -words, left their own fafety fhould be en-
dangered thereby. Upon which Cherea took courage, and
i'pake to Mm without fear of the dangers that were before him,
and .!ifcourfed largely ot the lore calamities undf-i which the
ci.ty and the government then laboured, and faid. ' We may
ir.lcid pretend in words, that Caius is the perfon unto whom
the caufe of fuch miferies ought to be imputed ; but, in the
opinion of fuch as aie able to judge uprightly, it is I, O Cle-
menr, and this P;>pinius, and before usthou thyfelf who bring
thefe tortures upon the Romans, and upon al! mankind. It
is not done by our being fubfervient to the commands of Cai~
us, bat it is done by our own confent ; for whereas it is
in our power to put an end to the life of this man, who hath
fo terribly injured the citizens and his fubjefls, we are his
guard in mifchiet and his executioners, inflead of his foldiers,
and are the initruments of his cruelty. We bear thefe weap-
ons, not lor our liberty, not for the Roman government, but
only for his prcfcrvation, who hath enllaved both their bodies
and their minds ; jnd we are every day polluted with the blood
that we fhed, and the torments we irvfiitt upon others ; and this
we do, tiil lomebody becomes Caius's 'initrument in bri:
the like miferies upon ourfelvcs. Nor does he thus employ
us, becaufe he hath a kindnefs for us; but rather becaufe he
hath a fufpicion ot us, as alfo becaufe when abundance more
have been killed (for Caius will (et no bounds to his wrath,
fince he aims to do all, not out of regard to juftice but to his
tfwn p'cai'ure), we (hall alfo ourfelves be expofed to his cruel-
ty ; whereas we ought to be the means ot confirming the fe-
curity and liberty of all, and at the fame time to refolve to
free ourfelvcs from dangers."
7. Hcrf upon Clement openly commended Cherea's inten-
tions ; but bid him " hold his tongue ; for that in cafe his
words ihould get out among many, and fuch things fhould be
fpread abroad as were fit to be concealed, the plot would come
to be difcovered beiore it was executed, and they (hould be
brought to punifhment ; but that they Ihould leave all to fu-
turity, and the hope which thence arofe, that fome fortunate
event would come to their afilftance : That, as for himfeif, his
age would net permit him to make any attempt in that cafe.
However, although perhats I could fuggeft what may be
fafer than what thou, Cherea, halt contrived, and.faid, yet.
Chap. I.] ANTIQUITIES OF THE JEWS. .
how is it pofllble for any one to fuggeft what is more for thy
reputation ?" So Clement went his way home, with deep re-
.flections on v*hat he had heard, and what he had himfelt faid.
Cherea alfo was under a concern, and went quickly to Cor-
nelius Sabinus, who was himfelf one of the tribunes, and
whom he otherwife knew to be a worthy man, and a lover of
liberty, and on that account very uneafy at the prefent man-
agement of public affairs, he being defirous to come imme-
diately to the execution of what had been determined, and
thinking it right for him -to propofe it to the other, and afraid
left Clement Ihould difcover them, and betides looking upon
delays and puttings off to be the next to defifting trom the en-
terprife.
8. But as all was agreeable to Sabinus, who had himfelf,
=equally with Cherea, the lame defign, but had been filent for
want of a perfon to whom he could fai'ely communicate that
dciign, fo having now met with one, who not only promifed
to conceal what he heard, but who had already opened his
mind to him he was much more encouraged, and defired of
Che/ea, that no delay might be made therein. Accordingly
they went to Minucianus, who was as virtuous a man and as
zealous to do glorious alions as themfelves, and fufpefted by
.Caius on occaTion ot the {laughter of Lepidus ; for Miuucia-
nus and Lepidus were intimate friends, and both in fear of
the dangers that they were under ; for Caius was terrible to
all the great men, as appearing .ready to acr a mad part up-
wards each of them in particular, and towards all of themiu
general ; and thele men were afraid ot one another, while
they 'vcre yet uneafy at the polture of affairs, but avoided to
declare their mind and their hatred againfl Caius to one anoth-
er, outoi tear of the dangers they might be in thereby, al-
though they perceived by other means their mutual ha'red a-
gainit Caius, aad on that account were not averfe to a mutu-
al kindnefs one towards another.
9 When Minucianus and Cherea had met together, and
faluted one another (as they had been ufed in former conver-
fations to give the upper hand to Minucianus both on account
of his eminent dignity for he was the noblelt ot all the citi-
zens, and highly commended by all men especially when he
made fpeeches to them), Minucianus began firlt, and afked
Cherea, What was the watch-word he had received that day
from Caius? for the affront, which was offered Chorea in
giving the watch-words, was famous over the city. But Che-
rea made no delay, fo long as to reply to that queftion, out ot
the joy he had that Minucianus would have Inch confidence
in him as to difcourfe with him " But do thou," faid he v
" give me the watch-word o>t liberty. And I return ihee my
thanks, that thou hail fo greatly encouraged me to exert my-
felf after an extraordinary manner ; nor do I (land in aecd of
many words to encourage me, fince both thou and I are ot the
388 ANTIQUITIES OF THE JEWS. . [Book XIX.
fame mind, and partakers ot the fame refplutions, and this be-
fore we have conferred together. I have indeed but one fvvord
girt on, but this, one will ferve us both. Come on, therefore,
let us fet about the work. Do thou go firft, it thou haft a
mind, and bid me follow thee. orelfe 1 will go firft, and thou
Jhalt aflift me, and we will aflift one another, and truft one
another. Nor is there a ncceflity for even one fword to fuch
as have a mind difpofed to fuch works, by which mind the
fword ules to be fucceisful. I am zealous about this aclion,
nor am' I folicitous what 1 may myfeU undergo ; tor 1 am not
at leifure to corifider the dangers that may corne upon myfelf,
fo deeply am I troubled at tiie ilavery our once tree country is
now under, and at the contempt caft upon oui excellent laws,
and at the deftru^tion which hangs over all men by the means
ot Caius. I with that I may be judged by thee, and that thou
mayft efteem me worthy of credit in thefe matters, feeing we
are both of the fame opinion, and there is herein no difference
between us."
10. When Minucianus faw the vehemency with which Che-
rea delivered himfelf, he gladly embraced him, and encour-
aged him in his bold attempt, commending him. and embrac-
ing him ; fo he let him go with his good withes ; and iome
affirm, that he thereby confirmed Minucianus in the prote-
cution ot what had been agreed among them ; for, as Cherea
entered into the court, the report runs, that a voice came
from among, the multitude to encourage him, which bid him
ftnifh what ne was about, and take the opportunity that prov-
idence afforded ; and that Cherea at firft fufpe6led that fome
one of the confpirators had betrayed him, and he was caught,
but at length perceived that it was by way ot exhortation.
Whether fomebody *, that was confcious of what he was a-
bout, gave a fignal for his encouragement, or whether it were
God hirnfelf, who looks upon the aftions ot men, that en-
couraged him to go on boldly in nis defign, is uncertain. The
plot was now communicated to a great many, and they were
all in their armour ; fome of the confpirators being Senators,
and fome ot the equeftrian order, and as many of the foldiery
as were made acquainted with it ; tor there was not one of
them who would not reckon it a part of his happinefs to kill
Caius, and on that account they were all very zealous in the
affair, by what means foever any one could come at it, that
lie might not be behind hand in thefe virtuous defigns, but
might be ready with all his alacrity or power, both by words
and actions, to complete this (laughter of a tyrant. And be-
fides thefe Calliftus alfo, who was a freed-man of Caius, and
* juft fuch a voice as this is related to be, came, and that from an unknown
original allo, to the famous Polycarp, as he was going to piartyfdom, bidding
him ' play the man ;" as the church of Smyrna afhires us in their account <t th<rt
[-n< martyrdom, feft 9.
Chap. J.] ANTIQUITIES OF THE JEWS. 389
"was the only man that had arrived at the greateft degree of
power under him ; iuch a power, indeed, as was in a man-
ner equal to the power of the tyrant himfelt, by the dread
that all men had ot him, and by the great riches he had ac-
quired ; for h took bribes moll plenteoufly, and committed
injuries without bounds, and was moreextravagant in the ufeof
his power in unjuft proceedings than any other. He alfo
knew the difpofition of Caius to be implacable, and never to
be turned from what he had refolved on, He had withal ma-
ny other reafons why he thought himfelf in danger, and the
vaftnefs ol his wealth was riot one of the leaft ot them : On
\vhich account he privately ingratiated himfelf with Claudius,
and transferred his courtfhip to him, out of this hope, that in
cale upon the removal of Caius, the government (hould come
1o him his intereit in fuch changes fhould lay a foundation
lor his preferving his dignity under him, fince he laid in be-
fore-hand a flock ot merit, and did Claudius good offices in
his promotion. He had ailo the boldnefs to pretend, that he
had been perlunded to make away Claudius, by poifoning
him, but had ftill invented ten thoufand excufes lor delaying
to do it. But it feems probable to me, that Calhilus only
counterfeited this, in order to ingratiate himfelt with Clau-
dius ; tor, it Caius bad been in earnell re'olved to take off
Claudius, he would not have admitted ut CallifUis's excufes,
nor would Calliftus, if he had been enjoined to do (uch an
aft as was defired by Caius have put it off, nor if he had
difobeyed thofe injunctions of his mailer, had he efcaped im-
mediate punifhment ; while Claudius was preserved from the
madnels of Caius by a certain divine providence and Callif-
tus pretended to fuch a piece of merit as he no way deferved.
ii. However, the execution ot Cherea's defigns was put
off from day to day by the iloth of many therein concerned ;
for as to Cherea himfelf, he would not willingly make any
delay in that execution, thinking every time a lit time tor it ;
for frequent opportunities offered themlelves ; as when Caius
went up to the Capitol to facrificc for his daughter, or when
he ftood upon his royal palace, and threw gold and filver
pieces ot money among the people, he might be pulheddown
headlong, becaufe the top of the palace, that looks toward
the market-place was very high ; and alfo when he celebrat-
ed the myfleries, which he had appointed at that time ; for he
was then no way fecluded from the people, but folicitous to
do every thing carefully and decently, and was free from all
fufpicion, that he fhould be then affaulted by any body ; and
although the gods fhould afford him no divine affiftance to
enable him to take away his life, yet had he ftrength himfelf
fufficient to difpatch Caius, even without a fword. Thus
was Cherea angry at his fellow-confpiraiors, for fear they
fhould fuffer a proper opportunity to pafs by ; and they were
themfelves fenfible that he had juft caufe to be angry at them,
39 ANTIQUITIES Of THE JEWS. fBook X\K.,
aad that his eagernefs was for his advantage ; yet did they de-
iire he would have a little longer patience, left, upon any
difappointment they might meet with, they fhould put the
city into diforder, and an inquifition fhould be made alter
the con r piracy and fhould render the courage of thofe that
were to anack Caius without fuccels, while he would then
fecure bimfelt more caretully than ever ar :::;!( tV^m ; that it
would therefore be the beft to let about the work when the
Ihews were exhibited in the palace. Thefe (hews were acted
in honour ot that Caefar, * who firll of all changed the popu-
lar government, and transferred it to himfel! ; galleries being
xed before the palace, where the Romans that v/ere Patri-
cians became fpeclators, together with their children and their
wives, and Caeiar himfeif was to be alfo a (pehlator ; and they
reckoned among thofe many ten thouLnds, who would there
be crowded into a narrow cornpafs, they fhould have a favour-
able opportanity to make their attempt upon him as he came
in ; becaufe his guards that mould protect him, if any of
them fhouid have a mind to do it, would not here be able to
give him any afiiftance.
12. Cnerea confented to this delay, and when the fhews
were exhibited, it was relolved to do the work the firfl day.
But loitunj, which allowed a farther delay to his {laughter,
was too hard for their foregoing refolution ; and, as three days
of the regular time for theie ihews were now over, they had
much ado to get the bufinefs done on the laft day. Then
Cherea called the confpiratori together, and fpake thus to
them: " So much time palled away without eff'eft is a re-
proach to us, as delaying to go through fuch a virtuous de-
iign as we are engaged in . but more fatal will this delay
prove, if we be difcovered, and the defign be frustrated ;
ior Caius will th^n become more cruel in his unjuft proceed-
ings. Do not we fee how long we deprive all our friends ot
their liberty, and give Caius leave Uill to tyrannize over them ?
While we ought to have procured them fecurity for the fu-
ture, and, by laying a founaa'u:i ioi the happinefs of others,
-gain to ourfeives great admiration and honour for all time to
come." Now, while the confpirators had nothing tolerable
to fay by way of contradiction, and yet did not quite relift
what they were doing, but flood fslent and aftonifhed, he
{aid farther, " O, my brave comrades, why do we make
iuch delays ? Do not you fee that this is the laft day of
thefe Ihews, and that Caius is about to go to fea ? For he is
preparing to fail to Alexandria, in order to fee Egypt. Is
it therefore tor your honour to let a man go out of your hands
who is a reproach to mankind, and to permit him to go aft^r
* Hers Jofephus fuppofes that it was A'ignfliis, and n^t Julius Caefar, wh.) firft
changed the Roman common \'C.iltli into a monarchy ; for thele {hows were ifi
honoui of AuguduSj as we ;}> . ! le^rn in the next leiiion but oue.
.J ANTiquiTIES OF THE JEV
? pompous rianncr, triumphing both at land and fea ? Shall
not we be juftly afhamed of ourfelves, it we give leave to
fome Egyptian or other, who (hall think his injuries iufuflfer-
able to Tree men, to kill him ? As for myfelf, 1 will no longer
bear your flow proceedings, but will expofe rnyfelf to the dan-
gers ot the enterprifethis very day, and bear cheerfully what-
foever fhall be the confequence of the attempt ; nor, let them
be ever fo great, will I put them off any longer; for to a wife
and courageous man what can be more miierable than that,
while I am alive, any one elfe fhould kill Caius,and deprive
me of the honour of fo virtuous an aftion."
13. When Cherea had fpoken thus, he zealoufly fet about
the work, and infpired courage into the reft to go on with it,
and they v/ere all eager to tall to it without farther delay. So
he was at the palace in the morning, with his equeflrian fword
girt oa him ; tor it was the cuftom that the tribunes fhould aflc-
tor the watch-word with their fwerds on, and this was the day
on which Cherea was by cuftom, to receive the watch-word j
and the multitude were already come to the palace, to be foort
enough for feeing the (hews, and that in great crowds, and
one turnultuouily crufhing another, while Caius was delight-
ed with this eagernefs ot the multitude ; tor which reafon
there was no order obferved in the (eating men, nor was any
peculiar place appointed for the fenators, or lor the equeftrian
order ; but they fat at random, men and women together, and
free men v/ere mixed with the flaves. So Caius came out in
a lolem.ii manner, and offered facrifice to Auguftus Cfcfar, in
\s'hofe honour indeed the(e (hews were celebrated. Now it
happened, upon the fall of a certain prieft, that the garment
ot Afprenas, a fenator, was filled with blood, which made
Cams laugh, although this was an evident omen to Afprenas,
tor he was (lain at the fame time with Caius. It is alfo related,
that Caius was that day, contrary to his ufual cuftom, fo very
affable and good-natured in his converfation, that every one
of thofe that were prefent were aftonifhed at it. Atter the
facrifice was over, Caius betook himfelt to fee the fhews, and
fat down tor that purpofe, asdid aHothe principal ot his friends
fit near him Now the parts of the theatre we fo fattened to-
? ether, as it uled to be every year, in the manner following i
t had two doors, the one door led to the open air, the other
was for going into, or going out of the cloifters, that thofe
within the theatre might not be thereby dillurbed ; but out ofe
one gallery there went an inward paffage, partly into partitions
alfo, which led into another gallery, to give rgom to the com-
batants, and to the muficians to go out as occafion ferved.
When the multitude were fet down, and Cherea, with the
other tribunes alfo, were fet down alfo, and the right corner
of the theatre was allotted to Caefar, one Vatiuius, a (enator 9
commander ot the pretorian band, afkcd of Cluvius, one that
lat by him, and was ot confular dignity alfo, " Whether he
3Q2 ANTIQUITIES OF THE JEWS. [Book XIX.
had heard any thing of news or not ?" But took care that no
body Ihould hear what he faid ; and whetf Cluvius replied,
That " he had heard no news." "Know then," faid Vatini-
us, " That the game of the {laughter ol tyrants is to be play-
ed this day." But Cluvius replied, O brave comrade hold
thy peace, left fome other of the Achaians hear thy tale."
And as there was abundance of autumnal fruit thrown among
the fpeHators, and a great number of birds, that were of
great value to fachas poffeifed them, on account of their rare-
nefs, Caius was' pleated with the birds fighting for the iruits,
and with the violence wherewith the fpetiators feized upon
them ; and here he perceived two prodigies that happ ned
there ; foran a6lor was introduced, by whom a leader of rob-
bers was crucified , and the pantomime brought in a play called
Cinyras, wherein he hirnfell was to be (lain, as well as his
daughter Myrrah, and wherein a great deal of fictitious blood
was fhed, both about him that was crucified, and alfo about
Cinyras. It is allo confefled, that this v/as the fame day where-
in Paufanias, a friend of Philip, the fon of Amyntas who was
king of Macedonia, flew him, as he was entering into the theatre.
And now Caius was in a doubt whether he fhould tarry-
to (he end of the fhews, becaufeit was the laft day or whether
he (hould not go firft to the bath, and to dinner, and then re-
turn and fit down as belore. Hereupon Minucianus, who
fat over Caius, and was afraid that the opportunity fhould
fail them, got up, becaufe he faw Cherea was already gone
out, and made halte out to confirm him in his refolution ;
but Caius took hold of his garment, in an obliging way, and
faid to him, " O brave man whether art thou going ?" Where-
upon, out of reverence to Csefar, as it leemed, he fat down
again ; but his 'ear prevailed over him, and in a little time he
got up again, and then Caius did no way oppofe his going
out, as thinking that he went out to perform fome neceffities
of nature. And Afprenas, who was one of the confederates,
perfuaded Cams to go out to the bath, and to dinner, and then
to come in again, as defirous that what had been refolved on
might be brought to a conclufion immediately.
14. So Cherea's affociates placed themfelves in order, as the
time would permit them, and they were obliged to labour hard,
that the place which was appointed them fhould not be left by
them ; hut they had an indignation at the tedioufnefs of the de-
lays, and that what they were abo:it {hould be put off any long.
er, for it vas already about the ninth* hour of the day; and
Cherea, upon Caius's tarrying (o long, had a great mind to go
in and fall upon him in his feat, although he lorefaw that this
could not be done without much bloodfhed, both of the (ena-
tors, and ot thofe of the equellrian order that were prefent ;
* Suetonius favs Caii:s was fla ; a about the feventh hour of the day, Jofephus
bout the ninth. The ieries of the narration favours Jofephus.
Chap. I.] AM TIO J ITI23 OF THE J3YVS. 293
and although he knew this mail happen, yet had he a great
mind to da fo, as thinking it a right thing to procure fecurity
and freedom to all, at theexpence or fuch as might perifh at
the fame time. And as they were juft going back into the
entrance to the theatre, word was brought them that Caius
was arifen, whereby a tumult was made ; hereupon the con-
fpiratois thurft away the crowd, uniier pretence as if Caius
WAS angry at them, but in realny as defirous to have a quiet
place, thar Ihould have none in it to defend him while they
fet about Caius'j (laughter. Now Claudius his uncle, wu>
gone out before, and Marcus Vinitius, his filler's hufband, a =
allb Valerius of Afia ; whom tho' they had had Inch a miriJ,
t out of their places, the reverence to their dignify hin-
dered them fo to do ; then followed Caius, with Paulus Ar-
ruritius : And becaufe Caius was now gotten within the pal-
ace, he left the direct road, along which thofe his fervants
flood that were in waiting, and by which road Claudius had
out before, Caius turned afide into a privaie narrow paf-
fage, in order to go to the place f< r bathing as alfo in order to
take a view of the boys that came out of Afia, who were fent
thence, partly to fing hymns in thefe my {{cries which were
now celebrated, and partly to dance in thepyrric way otdanc-
. -on tl'.-? theatres. So Cherea met him, and afked him
for the watch-word ; upon Caius's giving him one of his ri-
diculous words, he immediately reproached him, and drew
his fword, and gave him a terrible flroke with it, yet was not
this flroke mortal. And although there be thofe that fay, it
was fo con'.rived on purpofe by Cherea, that Caius Ihould not
be killed at one blow, but Ihould be puntlhed more feverely
by a multitude of wounds, yet does this Itoi y appear to :i;c
incredible ; becaufe the fear men are under in fuch <v
does not allow them to ufe their reafon. And if Cherea was
of that min 1, I eiteem him the greateU of all fools, in pleai-
i-ng himfdf in his fpite ( igainft Cains, rather than immediately
procuring falcty to hirnlelf and to his confederates Irom the
djr.gers tiuy were in ; becaufe there might many things Hill
A 'or helping Caius's efcape it he had not already giv-
en up the gholl ; lor certainly Cherea would have regard, not
:htothepuniihment of Caius, as to the affliction himieif,
.ends were in, while it was in his power, alter fuch
Is, to keep fi'.ent, and to efcape the wrath of Caius's de-
t leave it to uncertainty whether iie K
lie end he aimed at or not, and after an unreafop.abivi
manner to aft as it he had a mind to ruin himfeif, and We the
opportunity that lay before him ; but every body n:<>y gue^s
a? he plcaks about this matter. However, Caiu.s was itaggei -
( d with the pain that blow gave him ; for the ftroke of the
i falling in the middle between the moulder and the neck,
wus hindered 1-y the firft bone of the breafl from proceeding
any farther. Nor did he either cry out, in fuch aftjniihinent
VOL. II, B 3
ANTIQUITIES OP THE JEWS. [Book XlX.
he nor did he call out for any of his friends ; whether it
were that he had no confidence in them, or that his mind wa,
otherwife difordered. but he groaned under the pain he endur-
ed, and prefently went forward and fled ; when Cornelius Sa-
binus, who was already prepared in mind fo to do, thruft him
down upon his knee, where many of them flood round about
him, and ftruck him with their fwords, and they cried out,
and encouraged one another all at nrice to ftrike him again ;
but all agree that Aquila gave him the finifhing ftroke, which
direftly killed him. But one may juftly afcribe this aft to
Cherea ; for although many concurred in the aft itfelf, yet
xvas he the firft contriver ot it. and began long before all the
reft to prepare for it, and was the firft man that boldly {pake
of it to the reft ; and upon their admiffion ot what he faid a-
bout it, he got the difperfed confpirators together ; he prepar-
ed every thing after a prudent manner, and by fuggefting good
advice, (hewed hirnfeif far fuperior to the reft, and made o-
bliging fpeeches to them, infomuch that he even compelled
them all to go on, who otherwife had not courage enough for
that purpofe ; and when opportunity ferved to ufe his fword
in hand, he appeared firft of all ready fo to do, and gave the
firft blow in this virtuous flaughter ; he alfo brought Caius
eafily into the power ot the reft, and almoft killed him him-
ielf, infomuch that it is but juft to afcribe all that the reft did
to the advice, and bravery, and labours of the hands of Che-
rea.
15. Thus did Caius come to his end, and lay dead, by the
many wounds which had been given him. Now Cherea and
his aflbciates, upon Caius's flaughter, faw that it was impofli-
Me for them to fave themfelves, if they fhould all go the fame
way, partly on account of the aftoniihment they were under;
for it was no fmall danger they had incurred by killing an em-
peror, who was honoured and loved by the madnels of the
people, elpecially when the foldiers were likely to make a
bloody inquiry after his murderers. The paffages alfo were
narrow wherein the work was done, which were alfo crowded
\vith a great multitude of Caius's attendants, and of fuch of
the foldiers as were of the emperor's guard that day ; whence
it was that they went by other ways, and came to the houfe of
Germanicus, the father of Caius, whom they had now killed,
(which houfe adjoined to the palace ; for while the edifice was
one, it was built in its feveral parts by thofe particular per-
ions who had been emperors, and thofe parts haie the names
of thofe that built them, or the name ot him who bad begun
to build any ot its parts.} So they got away from the inf tilts
ot the multitude, and then were for the prefent out ot danger,
that is fo long as the misfortune which had overtaken the em-
peror was not known. The Germans were the firft that per-
ceived that Caius was (lain. Thefe Germans were Caius's
guard, and carried the name of the country whence they were
Chap. I.] ANTIQUITIES OF THE JEWS. 395
chofen, and compofed the Celtic legion. The men of that
country are naturally paflionate, which is commonly the tem-
per of fome other ot the barbarous nations alfo, as being not
ufed to confider much about what they do ; they are of robuft
bodies and fall upon their enemies as foon as ever they are at-
tacked by them, and which way foever they go, they perform
great exploits. When, therefore, thefe German guards un-
derflood that Caius was (lain, they were very forry for it, be-
caufe they did not ufe their reafon in judging about public
affairs, but meafured all by the advantages themfelves receiv-
ed, Caius being beloved by them, becaufe of the money he
gave them, by which he had purchafed their kindnefsto him :
So they drew their fwords, and Sabinus led them on. He was
one of the tribunes, not by the means of the virtuous aftions
ot his progenitors, for he had been a gladiator, but he had ob-
tained that poft in the army by his having a robuft body. So
thei'e Germans inarched along the houfes in queft of Csfar's
murderers, and cut Afprenas to pieces, becaufe he was the firft
man they fell upon, and whofe garment it was that the blood
ot the facrifices ftained, as I have faid already, and which fore-
told that this his meeting the foldiers would not be for his
good. Then did Norbanus meet them, who was one of the
principal nobility of the city, and could Ihew many generals
of armies among his anceilors ; but they paid no regard to his
dignity ; yet was he of fuch great ftrength, that he wrefted the
fword ot the firfl of thofe that aflatilted him out of his hands,
and appeared plainly not to be willing to die without a ftrug-
gle for his life, until he was furrounded by a great number of
aflailants, and died by the multitude ot the wounds which they
gave him. The third man was Anteius a lenator, and a few
others with him. He did not meet with thefe Germans by
chance, as the reft did before, but came to fhew his hatred to
Caius, and becaufe he loved to fee Caius lie dead with his
own eyes, and took a pleafure in that fight; tor Caius had
banimed Anteius's lather, who was of the fame name with
himfelt and being not fatisfied with that, he fent out his fol-
diers, and flew him ; fo he was come to rejoice at the fight of him,
now he was dead. But as the houfe was now all in a tumult,
when he was aiming to hide himfelf, he could not efcape that
accurjfte fearch Avhich the Germans made, while they barbar-
oufly flew thofe that were guilty, and thofe that were not guil-
ty, and this equally alfo. And thus were thefe [three] perfons
ilain.
16. But when the rumour that Caius was {lain reached the
theatre, they were aftonifhed at it, and could not believe it :
Even fome that entertained his deitruclion with great pleafure,
and were more defirous of its happening than almoftany other
fatisfaclion that could come to them, were under fuch a tear,
that they could not believe it. There were thofe alfo who
greatly diftrufted it, becaufe they were uriwilling that any fuch
39t> AKTIQUATIES OF THK JEWS. [Book XiX.
tiling fhouid come to Cains, nor could believe it, though it
were ever fo true, becaufe they thought no man could poffibly
have fo much power as to kill Cains. Thefe were the wonK-n,
.-:iri the children, and the (laves, and fome ot the foldiery.
This lall iort had taken his pay. and in a manner tyrannize'.!
with him, and had abufed the beft ot the citizens, in !
ftibterviem to his utijuft commands, in order to gain honours
<\\i:l advantages to themfelves ; but for the women, and t bu-
yout!], they had been inveigled with Ihews, and the fighting-;
o! the gladiators, and certain distributions ot Hdli-meat among
them, which things in pretence were defigned lor th
of the multitude bui in reality to fatiate the barbarous cr
ami madnefs u! Cains. The Haves alfo were (on \
iliey were by Cains allowed to accule, and to diii
jn.alrers, and they could have recourfe to his affiftance when
'.ad unjuflly affronted them ; for he was very enfy in be-
I'cving thc-n agaiull their t-riafi'.'rs, even wiien they accuier
laiiely ; arid i! they would di (cover what m>
mailers had they might loon obtain both riches and blv;
the rewards ot theiraccufations, becaufe the rew<v
in formers was the eighth * part of the criminal';;
As to the nobless, although the report appcv.ivd c
iorneofthem, either bec-.'.iife they knew ot the plot be
hand, or becaufe they wiiiied it might be true ; ho.-.
concealed not only the joy they had at the re!
that they had heard any thing at !] about it. T
io out ot the t-;r they ind. that if the repo;
;i be punifht-d, ior having fo foon let rr;.
Is. But thofe th U knew Caius was dead, he
partners with the confpirators they cor.;
y, as not knowing one anothc:
tearing left they Ihould fpeak of it to fomc of tliofc
the continuance pi tyranny was advantageous :
fhould prove to be alive, they might be informed .
punidiecl. And another report went about, that y It!;
us had been wounded indeed, yet was not he dead, but :ifi
a:u3 under the phyficians hands. Nor was any one !
on by another as iaithful enough to be trufted, and to \
one wouldopen his mind ; tor he was either a friend to',
and therefore fufpecled to favour his tyranny, or i
that hnted him, who therefore might be fufpeled to d
lefs credit, becaufe of his iil- will to him. Nay, it was faid by
fome, (and this indeed it was that deprived the nobility of
hopes, and made them fad,) that Caius was in a condition to def-
pife the dangers he had been in, and took no care of iK-aling- his
wounds, but was gotten away into the market place, and, bi
* The rewards propof d by the Roman laws to informers, was fometin.
pighth jwt of the criminals goods, as here, snd fometim;s a fourth part, .
beim allures us. from Suetonius and Tacitus.
Chap. L] ANTIQUITIES OF THE JEWS. 397
as he was, was making a harangue to the people. And thefe
were the conjefctural reports of tnofe that were fo unreaionahle
as to endeavour to raiie tumults, which they turned different
ways, according to the opinions of the hearers. Yet did they
not leave their feats, for tear ot being acculed, if they IhouKi go
out before the reft ; for they Ihould not be Sentenced according
to the real intention with which they went out, but according
to the fuppofalsot the accufers, and o\ the judges.
17. Bui now a multitude ot Germans had furrounded the
theatre with their f words drawn ; all the fpe&ators looked tor
nothing but death, and at every one's coming in a it-ar feized
upon iiiern as it they were to be cut in pieces immediately j
and in great diftrefs they were, as neither having courage e-
noug'i to go out ot the theatre, nor believing themfelves iafe
from dangers il they tarried there. And when the Germans
came upon them, the cry was fu great, the theatre rang again
with the entreaties of the fpectators to the foldiers, pleading
that they were entirely ignorant of every thing that related to
fuch feditious contrivances, and that i! there were any fedi-
ih,'ii raifed, they knew nothing of it ; they therefore begged
that they would fpare them, and not punifh thqfe that had not
the lea it hand in fuch bold crimes as belonged to other perfons,
hey neglected to fearch aiter inch as had really done
r it be that hath been done, Thus did thefe people
. to God, and deplore their infelicity with (bedding of
tears and beating their faces, and {aid every thing thai the
moil imminent, danger, and the utinoft concern for their lives
could dictate to them. This brake the fury of the foldiers,
:ade them repent of what they minded to do to the fpec-
tators, which would have been the greiteft inftance of cruel-
ty. And f.) u appeared to even thefe favages, when they had
once fixed the heads ot thole that were (lain Afprenaa upon the
altar ; at which fight the fpccJators were forely afllicled, both
upon tiie confederation ot the dignity of the perfons, and out
ot a c .lion ot their fu {tarings; nay indeed, they were
alrnoit in as great diforder at the proipecl of the danger them-
felves were in, feeing it was Hill uncertain whether ibey fliould
entirely efcape the like calamity. Whence it was, that fuch
as thoroughly and juftly hated Caius, could yet no v/ay enjoy
the pleaiure of his death, becaufe theywere themfelvcs in
jeopardy of peri (bin g together with him ;nor had they hith-
erto any firm ailurance ot lurviving.
18. There was at this time, oneEuariflus Arruntius, a pub-
lic crier in the market, and therefore of a ftro:;g and audible
voice, who vied in wealth with the ric Melt ot" the Romans, and
was able to do what he pleated in the city, both then and af-
terward. This man put himfelt into the moll mournful habit
he could, although he had a greater hatred againft Caius than
any one elfe, his tear and his wife cantrivance to gain his fate-
ght him fo to do, and prevailed over his pa-fern pleaf-
39 ANTIQUITIES OF THE JEWS. ("Book XIX.
ure ; fo he put on fuch a mournful drefs as he would have
done had he loft his deareft friends in the world ; this man
came into the theatre, and informed them of the death of Cai-
us, by this means put an end to that ftate of ignorance the men
had been in. Arruntius alfo went round about the pillars,
and called out to the Germans, as did the tribunes with him,
bidding them put up their fwords, and telling them that Caius
was dead. And this proclamation it was plainly which faved
thofe that were collected together in the theatre, and all the
reft who any way met the Germans ; for while ihey had hopes
that Caius had ftill any breath in him, they abftained trom no
fort of mifchief ; and fuch an abundant kindnefs they ftill had
for Caius, that they would willingly have prevented the plot
againft him and procured his efcape from fo fad a misfortune,
attheexpence of their own lives. But they now left off the warm,
zeal they had to punifh his enemies, now they were fully fat-
isfied that Caius was dead, becaufe it was now in vain for
themto fhew their zeal and kindnefs to him, when he that
fhould reward them was perifhed. They were alfo afraid thatthey
fhould be punifhed by the fenate, if they mould go on in doing
fuch injuries, that is, in cafe the authority of the fupreme
governor fhould revert to them. And thus at length a flop
was put, though not without difficulty, to that rage which pof-
ieffed the Germans on account of Caius's death.
19. But Chcrea was fo much afraid for Minucianus, left
he Ihould light upon the Germans, now they were in their fu-
ry, that he went and fpake to every one of thefoldiers, and pray-
ed them to take care of his prefervation, and made himfelf
great inquiry about him, left he fhould have been (lain. And
tor Clement, he let Minucianus go when he was brought to
him, and, with many other of the fenators, affirmed the ac-
tion was right, and commended the virtue oi thofe that con-
trived it, and had courage enough to execute it ; and faid,
that " tyrants do indeed pleafe themfelves and look big tor a
while, -upon having the power to al unjuftiy ; but do not
however go happily out of the world, becaufe" they are hated
by the virtuous ; and that Caius, together with all his un-
happinefs, was become a confpirator againft himfelf, before
thefe other men who attacked him did fo , and by becoming
intolerable, in fetting afide the wife provifion the laws had
made, taught his deareit friends to treat him as an enemy ; in-
fomuch, that although in common difcourfe thefe confpirators
were thofe that flew Caius, yet that, in reality, he lies now
dead as perifliing by hisownfelf."
20. Now by this time the theatre werearifen from their feats,
and thofe that were within made a very great difturbance ; the
caufe of which was this, that the fpeclators were too hafty in
getting away. There was alfo one Alcyon, a phyfician, who
hurried away, as if to cure thofe that were wounded, and under
that pretence, he fent thofe that were with him to fetch what
Chap. II.] ANTIQUITIES OF THE JEWS, 399
things were neceiTary for the healing thofe wounded per-
fons, but in reality to get them clear ot the piefent dangers
they were in. Now the fenate, during this interval had met,
and the people alfo aflembled together in theaccuftomed form
and were both employed in fearching after the murderers ot
Caius. The people did it very zealoutly, but the fenate in ap-
pearance only : For there was prefent Valerius of Afia, one
that had been conful ; this man went to the people, as they
were in diforder, and very uneafy that they could not dilcov-
er who they were that murdered the emperor ; he was then
earneftly afked by them all, " Who it was that had done it ?"
He replied,-! wifh I had beed the man." The confuls * alfo
publilhed an edict, wherein they accufed Caius, and gave or-
der to the people then got together, and to the foldiers to go
home.and gave the people hopes of the abatement of the oppref-
fions they lay under; and promifed the loldiers, if they lay quiet
astheyufedtodo, and would notgoabroadtodomifchiefunjuft-
ly, that they would be flow re wards upon them ; for there was rea-
fon to tear left the city might fufferharmby their wild and ungov-
ernable behaviour, it they fhould once betake themfelves to
Ipoil the citizens or plunder the temples. And now the whole
multitude ot the fenators were aflembled together, and efpe-
cially thoie that had confpired to take away the life of Caius,
who put on at this time an air ot great afiuiance, and appeared
with great magnanimity, as if the adminiftration oi the public
affairs were already devolved upon them.
CHAP. H.
How the Senators determined to re/lore the Democracy ; but the
foldeirs were for preferving the Monarchy, Concerning
the Jlaughter of Caius' s wije and daughter. A character oj
Caius' s morals.
i. TYTHEN the public affairs were in this pofture, Clau-
VV dius was on the fudden hurried away out of his
houfe : For the foldiers had a meeting together, and when they
had debated about what was to be clone, they faw that a democ-
racy was incapable of managing fucha vaft weight of public
affairs ; and that if it (hould be let up, it would not be tor their
advantage ; and in cafe any one of thofe already in the govern-
ment mould obtain the f upreme power, it would in all refpefts
be to their grief, they were not affifting to him in that advance-
ment : That it would therefore be right for them while the
public affairs were unfettled, to choofe Claudius emperor, who
* Thefe confuls are named in the War of the Jews, B. II. ch. xi. feft. \. Vol.
III. Sentius Satuminus, and Pomponius Secundus, as Spanheim notes heie< The
fpetch of U.o former of them is ( *f c! ; -.-.\ in t!is next chapter, (eft. z.
40^ ANTIQUITIES OF THE JV/S, { Book XIX.
was uncle to the deceafed Caius, and of a fuperior dignitv and
worth to every one of thofe that were affembled together in the
fenate, both on account ohhe virtues of his anceftors.and o\ the
learning he had acquired in his education, and who, if oncf:
fettled in tiie empire, would reward them according to: 'their
deferts, and bellow largeffes upon them. Thefe were their
confultations, and they executed the 'ame immediately.
dius was theiefore feized upon fuddenly hy the foldiery.
Cneas Sentius Saturninus, although he undcrftood that C!a:i-
dius was feized, and that he in tended to cl.\ vernmenr,
unwillingly indeed in appearance, but in reality by his own
free confent, flood up in the fenate. and, without bein
mayed, made an exhortatory orarion to them, and inch a
indeed as was fit for men of freedom andgenenofity, and Ipake
thus.
2. " Although it be athing incredible, O Romans, becauh:
of the great length of time, that fo unexpected an event
happened, yet are we now in poffeflion of liberty. How
indeed this will lafl is uncertain, and lies at the difpufal or the
gods, whofe grant it is ; yet fuch it is as is {utT.cient to i;i ike
us rejoice, and be happy for the prefent, although we may lno!:
be deprived of it ; for one hour is fufficient to th'ofe that are ex-
ercifed in virtue, wherein we may live with a mind accounta-
ble to otirfelves, in our own country, now free, arid governed
by fuch laws as this country once flourilhed under. As tor
myfelt, I cannot remember our former time of liberty, as be-
ing born alter it was gone ; but I am beyond rneafure filieu
wish joy at the thoughts of our prefent freedom. I alfo ei
teem thofe, that were born and brought up in that our fonnei
liberty, happy men, and that thofe men are worthy of no iels
efteem than the gods themfelves who have given us a tal
it in this age ; and I heartily wifii that this quiet enjoy rneir
of it, which we have at prefent, might continue tc
However, this fingle day may (uffice for our youth, a^ well a-
for us that are in years. It will fee:n an age to our old men, j!
they might die during its happy duration : It may alfo i
the initi uction of the younger fort, what kind ot virtue thofr
men. from whole loins, we are derived, were exereifed in. As
forouiielves our bufinefs is, during the fpace of timt-, to live
virtuoully. than which nothing can be more to our i:
which cour(e of virtue it is alone than can prefervs our liheny ;
for, as to our ancient Rate, I have heard of it by the relations of
others, but us to our late Hate, during my liie-tinic. 1 have
known it by experience, and leained thereby what mu'chieb
tyrannies have brought upon this commonwealth, difcouragirig
all virtue, and depriving perfonsol magnanimity of their liber-
erty, and proving the teachers of flattery and ilavifh !ear, be-
caaie it leaves the public adminiflration not to be governed by
wife laws, but by the humour of thofe that govern. For fince
Julius Cjefai took it into his head to diflblvs our democracy,
Chap. II.] ANTIQUITIES OF THE JEWS. 40!
and, by overbearing the regular fyftem of our laws, to bring
diforders into our adminiftration, and to get above right and
juftice, and to be a Have to his own inclinations, there is no
kind of mifery but what hath tended to the fubverfion of this
city ; while all ihofe that have fucceeded him have itriven one
with another to overthrow the ancient laws of their country,
and have left it defthute of fuch citizens as were of generous
principles; becaufe they thought it tended to their fafety to
have vicious men to converfe withal, and not only to break
the fpirits of thofe that were beft efteemed for their virtue,
but to refolve upon their utter definition. Of all which em-
perors, who have been many in number, and who laid upon
us infufferable hardlhips during the times of their govern-
ment, this Caius, who hath been (lain to day, hath brought
more terrible calamities upon us than did all the reft, not only
by exercifing his ungoverned rage upon his fellow citizens,
but alfoupon his kindred and friends, and alike upon all oth-
ers, and by inflicting flill greater miferies upon them, as pun-
ifh'ments, which they never deferved, he being equally furi-
ous againft men, and againll the gods. For tyrants are not
content to gain their fweet pleafure, and this by afting inju-
rioufly, and in the vexation they bring both upon men's el-
tates, and their wives ; but they look upon that to be their
principal advantage, when they can utterly overthrow the
entire families of their enemies ; while all lovers ot liberty
are the enemies of tyranny. Nor can thofe that patiently en-
dure what iriieries they bring on them, gain their friendlhip ;
tor as they are confcious of the abundant mifchiets they have
brought on thele men, and how magnanimoufly they have
borne their hard fortunes, they cannot but be lenfible what
evils they have done, and thence only depend on fecurity
from what they are fufpicious of, if it may be in their power
to take them quite out of the world. Since then we are now-
gotten clear of fuch great misfortunes, and are only account-
able to one another (which form ot government affords us the
beft aflurance ot our prefent concord, and promifes us the
beft iecurity from evil defigns, and will be moft tor our own,
glory in fettling the city-in good order), you ought, every
one ot you in particular, to make provilion for his own, and,
in general, for the public utility; or, on the contrary, they
may declare their dilfent to fuch things as have been propofed,
and this without any hazard of danger to come upon them;
becaufe they have now no lord fet over them, who, without
fear of puniihment, could do mifchief to the city, and had an
uncontrpulable power to take off thofe that freely declared
their opinions. Nor has any thing fo much contributed to
this increafe of tyranny ot late as floth, and a timorous for-
bearance of con'radif ling the emperor's will ; while men had
an over-great inclination to the Iweetnefs of peace, and had
learned to live like (laves, and as many of, us as either heard
VOL, II, C 3
ANTIQUITIES OF THE JEWS. [Book XIX.
of intolerable calamities that happened at a diftance from us,
or fan- the miferies that were near us, out ot the dread of dy-
irs virtuoufly, endured a death joined with the utmoftiniamy.
We ought then, in thefirfl place, to decree the greateft hon-
ours we are able to thofe that have taken off the tyrant, efpe-
cialiy to Cherea Camus ; for this one man, with the affiftance
of thr gods, hath, by his counfel, and by his aciions. been
the procurer ot our liberty. Nor ought we to forget him now
we have recovered our liberty, who, under the foregoing ty-
lanny, took counfel beforehand, and beforehand hazarded
himfelf for our liberties ; but ought to decree him proper hon-
ours, and thereby freely declare, that he from the beginning
afled with our approbation. And certainly it is a very ex-
cellent thing, and what bepomes freemen, to requite their ben-
efa6k>rs, as this man hath been a benefactor to us all though
not at all like Callius and Brutus, who flew Caius Julius
[Caefarj ; for thofe men laid the foundations of fedition and
civil wars in our city, but this man, together with his Daugh-
ter of the tyrant, hath fet our city free from all thoie fad mif-
eries which arofe from the tyranny.* 7 '
j And this was the purport ot Sentius's oration which was
received with pleafure by the fenators, and by as many o 1 the
equeftrian order as were prefent. And now one Trebellius
Maximus rofe up nattily, and took off Sentius's finger a ring,
which had a (lone, with the image ot Caius engraven upon it,
and which, in his zeal in {peaking, and his earneftnefs in do-
ing what he was about as it w^s fuppofed, he had forgotten
to take off him felt. This fculpture was broken immediately.
But as it was now far in the night, Cherea demanded of the
confuls the watch- word, who gave him the word Liberty.
Thefe tacts were the fubjetts ot admiration to themfelvcs, and
almoit incredible; tor it was an hundred years t fi nee the
democracy had been laid afide, when this giving the watch-
word returned to the confuls ; tor, before the city was fub-
jeci to tyrants, they were the commanders of the foldiers.
Jjut, when Cherea had received that watch-word, he deliver-
ed it to thofe who weie on the fenate's fide, which were tour
regiments, who elleemed the government without emperors
to be preferable to tyranny. So thefe went away with their
tribunes. 1 he people alfo now departed very joyful, lull oi
hope and of courage, as having recovered their former de-
* In thisoration of Sentius Saturninns, we may fee the great value virtuous men
put upon puhiic liberty, and trw fad nnierythey underwent, whii they were ty-
;anr,'ued o\cr ijy fuch emperors as Ca ; u.s. 6ee ] Xephus's own Ihort but pithy re-
ilcd'tion at tl.e end of the chapter : " So difficult," fays he, " it is for thofe to ob-
tain ih virtue that is ncceflary to a wile man, who have the abiolute power to do
whbtthey p!c.ile, without cootroul." .
+ Hence we learn that, in the opinion of Saturninus, the fovereign authority of
tl;e cciiiuls and isnate had been taken away juft iQO years before the death of Cai-
us, A. D 41, or on the 6oth year befor- the Chriftian asia, when the full triura-
\-irate b-gau under Cxui, Pompey, and Ciaffus,
Chap. II.] ANTIQUITIES OP THE JEWS. 403
mocracy, and were no longer under an emperor ; and Cherea
was in a very great efleem with them.
4. And now Cherea was very uneafy that Caius's daughter
and wite were ftill alive, and that all his family did not perifh
with him, fince whofoever was left of them muft be left for
the ruin of the city and ot the laws. Moreover in order to
finifh this matter with the utmoft zeal, and in order to fatisfy
his hatred ot Caius he fent Julius Lupus, one oi the tribunes,
to kill Caius's wife and daughter. They propofed this office
to Lupus as to a kinfman ot Clement, that he might be fo far
a partaker of this murder of the tyrant, and might rejoice in
the virtue of having affi (led his tellow citizens, and that he
might appear to have been a partaker with thofe that were firft
in their defigns againft him. Yet did this aflion appear to
fome of the confpirators to be top cruel, as to this uGng fuch
feverity to a woman, becaufe Caius did more indulge his owu
ill nature, than ufe her advice in all that he did ; from which
ill-nature it was that the city was in io defperate a condition
with the miferies that were brought on it, and the flower ot
the city was deftroyed. But others accufed her ot giving her
confent to thefe things ; nay, they afcrihed all that Caius had
done to her as the caufe ot it, and faid, ilie had given a potion
to Caius, which had made him obnoxious to her, and had tied
him down to love her by fuch evil methods ; infomuch that
(he, having rendered him diftrafted, was become the author
of all the miichiefs had befallen the Romans, and that habit-
able world which was fubjeft to them. So that at length it
was determined, that fhe muft die ; nor could thofe ot the
contrary opinion at all prevail to have her faved ; and Lupus
was fent accordingly. Nor was there any delay made in exe-
cuting what he went about but he was fu'ofervient to thofe
that fent him on the firft opportunity, as defirous to be no
way blameable in what might be done tor the advantage oi the
people. So, when he was come into the palace, he found Ce~
foma, who was Caius's wife lying by her hufband's dead bo-
dy, which alfo lay down on the ground, and deftitute ot all
fuch things as the law allows to the dead, and all over herfelf
befrneared with the blood of her hufband's wounds, and be-
wailing the great affliction fhe was under, her daughter lying
by her alfo : And nothing elfe was heard in thefe her circura-
ftances, but her complaint of Caius, as if he had not regarded
what (he had often told him ot beforehand ; which words ot
hers were taken in a different fenfe even at that time, and are
now efteemed equally ambiguous by thofe that hear of them,
and are ftill interpreted according to the different inclinations
of people. Nor fome faid that the words denoted, that fhe had
advifed him to leave off his mad behaviour and his barbarous
cruelty to the citizens, and to govern the public with mode-
ration and virtue, leaft he (hould perifh by the fame way, up.
on their ufing him as he had ufed them. But fome faid, that,
404 ANTIQUITIES OF THE JEWS. [Book XIX.
as certain words had pafled concerning the confpirators, (he
defired Caius to make no delay, but immediately to put them
all to death, and this whether they were guilty or not, and
that thereby he would be out of the tear ot any danger ; and
that this was what fhe reproached him for, when fhe advifed
him fo to do, but he was too flow and tender in the matter.
And this was what Cefonia faid, and what theopinions ot men
were about it. But, when fne faw Lupus approach, fhe (hew-
ed him Caius's dead body, and perfuadedhim to come nearer,
with lamentation and tears , and as fhe perceived that Lupus
was in diforder, and approached her in order to execute fome
defign difagreeable to himfelt, the was well aware for what
purpofe he came, and ftretched out her naked throat, and
that very cheerfully to him, bewailing her cafe, like one ut-
terly defpaired ot her life, and bidding him not to boggle at
finilhing the tragedy they had refolved upon relating to her.
So fhe boldly received her death's wound at the hand of Lu-
pus as did the- daughter after her. So Lupus made hafle to
inform Cherea of what he had done.
5. This was the end of Caius, after he had reigned four
years, within tour months. He was, even before he came to
be emperor, ill natured, and one that had arrived at the utmoft
pitch ot wickednefs ; a flave to his pleasures, and a lover of
calumny ; greatly affecied by every terrible accident) and on
that account ot a very murderous dilpofition, where he durfl
{hew it. He enjoyed his exorbitant power to this only pur-
pofe, to injure thofe who leaft deferved it, with unrealonable
infolence, and got his wealth by murder and injuftice. He
laboured to appear above regarding either what was divine or
agreeable to the laws, but was a flave to the commendations of
the populace ; and whatsoever the laws determined to be
fhametul, and puniihed, that he efteemed more honourable
than what was virtuous. He vas unmindful of his friends,
how intimate foever, and though they wt-re perfons of the
higheft character; arid, if he was once angry at any of them,
he would inflict punifhment upon them on the fmalleft occa-
lions, and efteemed every man that endeavoured to lead a vir-
tuous hie his enemy. And whatibever he commanded, he
would not admit of any contradifcHon to his inclinations ;
whence it was that he had criminal converfation with his own
fifter * ; from which occafion chiefly it was alfo, that a bitter
hatred firft fprang up againft him among the citizen 1 -, that fort
of inceft not having been known of a long time ; and fo this
provoked men to diftrufl him, and to hate him that was guilty
* Spanheim here notes from Suetonius, tbit the name of Caius's filler, with
whom he was guilty of inceft, was Drujllla ; and that Suetonius adds,, he was guilty
ot" th-: iame crime wiih ail his fillers allo. He notes farther, that S-uetoniui omits
the mention of the haven for fhips, which our author efteems the only public work
for the good of the prefent and future ages which Caius left behind him, though w
en impi-rftft condition.
Chap. III.] ANTIQUITIES OF TUB JSWS. 405
ot it. And for any great or royal work that he ever did, which
might be tor the preient and tor future ages, nobody can name
any fuch, but only the haven that he made about Rhegium
and Sicily tor reception ot the fhips that brought corn trom
Egypt ; which was indeed a work without difpute, very great
in itfelt, and ot very great advantage to the navigation. Yet
was not this work brought to perletlion by him, but was the
one halt ot it left imperfect, by reafon of his want of appli-
cation to it ; the cauie ot which was this, that he employed
his ftudies about ufelefs matters, and that by fpendmg his
money upon fuch pleafures as concerned no one's benefit but
his own, he, could not exert his liberality in things that were
undeniably ot great conlequence. Otherwife he was an ex-
cellent orator, and thorougly acquainted with the Greek tongue,
as well as with his own country or Roman language. He
was alfo able off-hand and readily to give anfwers to compo-
fitions made by others, ot confiderable length and accuracy.
He was alfo more fkillul in perfuading others to very great
things than any one elte, and this from a natural affability ot
temper, which had been improved by much exercife and
pains-taking : For as he was the grandfon * of the brother of
Tiberius, whole fucceflbr he was, this was a ftrong induce-
ment to his acquiring of learning, becaufe Tiberius afpired
alter the higheit pitch of that fort of reputation ; and Caiua
afpired atter the like glory tor eloquence, being induced
thereto by the letters ot his kinfman and his emperor. He
was alfo among the fidt rank of his citizens. But the advan-
tages he received from his learning did not countervail the
mifchief he brought upon himfelt in the exercife ot his au-
thority ; fodiffi.ult it is for thofe to obtain the virtue that is
neceflary for a wife man, who have the abfolute power to do
what they pleafe, without controul. At the fidt he got him-
felt fuch friends as were in all refpets the molt worthy, and
was greatly beloved by them, while he imitated their zealous
application to the learning and to the glorious actions of the
beil men ; but when he became infolent towards them, they
laid alide the kindnefs they had tor him, and began to hate
him ; from which hatred came that plot, which they raifed
againft him, and wherein he perifhed.
CHAP. III.
How Claudius was fdzed upon, and brought out of his Houfe, and
brought to the Camp, and how theSenatefentan EmbaJJagetohim.
i. TVJOW Claudius, as I faid above, went out ot that
.iN way along which Caius was gone ; and, as the
* 'I his Caius was the fun of that excellent perfon GermznicuSj whp ws the
ion di' Druius, the brother pf Tiberius the emptror,
4<3>6 ANTIQUITIES OP THE JEWS. [Book XIX.
family was in a mighty diforder upon the fad accident oi the
murder of Caius, he was in great diftrefs how to fave himfelt,
and was found to have hidden himfeH in a certain narrow
place *, though he had no other occafion for fufpicion ot any
dangers, belides the dignity of his birth ; for, while he was
a private man he behaved himfelf with moderation, and was
contented with his prefent fortune, applying himfelf to learn-
ing, and elpecially to that of the Greeks, and keeping him-
felf entirely clear from every thing that might bring any dif-
turbance. But as at this time the multitude were under a
confternation, and the whole palace was full of the foldiers
madnefs, and the very emperor's guards feemed under the
like fear and dilorder with private perfons, the band called
pretorian, which was the pureft part of the army, was in
confultation what was to be done at this junfclure. Now all
thofe that were at this confultation, had little regard to the
pumfhment Caius had fuffered, becaufe he juftly deferved
i'uch his fortune ; but they were rather confidering their own
circumftances, how they might take the beft care ot them-
ifelves, efpecially while the Germans were bufy in punching
the murderers of Caius ; which yet was done to gratify their
own favage temper, than for the good of the public : All
which things diilurbed Claud us, who was afraid of his own
fafety, and this particularly becaufe he faw the heads of Af-
prenas and his partners carried about. His ftation had been
on a certain elevated place, whither a few fteps led him, and
whither he had retired in the dark by himfelf. But when
Gratus, who was one ot the foldiers that belonged to the pal-
ace law him, but did not well know by his countenance who
he was, becaufe it was dark, though he could well judge that
it was a man who was privately there on iome defign, he came
nearer to him, and when Claudius defired that he would retire,
de difcovered who he was, and owned him to be Claudius.
So he faid to his followers, '' This is a Germanicus t ; come
on, let us choofe him for our emperor." But when Claudius
faw they were making preparations tor taking him away by
iorce, and was afraid they would kill hiiji, as they had killed
Caius, he befought them to fpare him, putting them in mind
how quietly he had demeaned himfelf, and that he was un..
acquainted with what had been done. Hereupon Gratus
imiled upon him, and took him by the right hand and faid f
" Leave off Sir, thefe low thoughts of faving yourfelf, while
you ought to tuv^ greater thought*, even of obtaining the
empire which the gods, out of their concern for the habita-
* This firft plact- Claudius came to was inhabited, and called Hormeum, as Span-
hcim here informs us from Suetonius iii Ciaud cii. x.
t How Claudius, another ionot Dmfulus which Drufus was the father of Ger-
manicus, could be here himfelt called Cermanicu.i, Suetonius informs us, when he
affures us that, by a decree oi the ienate, die iirname of Germanicus was beftowed on
Drufus, and his pollerity allo. In Claud, ch. i.
Chap. HI.] ANTIQUITIES OF THE JEWS. 46?
ble world, by taking Caius out oi the way, commit to thy
virtuous conduft. Go to, therefore, and accept of the throne
of thy anceftors." So they took him up and carried him, be-
caufe he was not then able to go on loot, fuch was his dread
and his joy at what was told him.
2. Now there was already gathered together about Gratus a
great number ot the guards ; and when they faw Claudius
carried off, they looked with a fad countenance, as fuppofing
that he was carried to execution for the mifchiefs that had
been lately done ; while yet they thought him a man who nev-
er meddled with public affairs all his life long, and one that
had met with no contemptible dangers under the reign of Ca-
ius ; and fome ot them thought it reafonable, that the confuls
fhould take cognizance ot theie matters ; and, as ftill more
and more of the foldiery got together, the crowd about him
ran away, and Claudius could hardly go on, his body was
then fo weak ; and thoie who carried his fedan, upon an en-
quiry that was made about his being carried off, ran away and
faved themfelves, as defpairing of their lord's preservation.
But when they were come into the large court of the palace,
(which, as the report goes about it, was inhabited firft of all
the parts of the city ot Rome), and had juft reached the pub-
lic treafury, many more loldiers came about him as glad to
fee Claudius's face, and thought it exceeding right to make
him emperor, on account ot their kindnefs tor Germamcus.
who was his brother, and had left behind him a vaft reputation
among all that were acquainted with him. They reflected alfo
on the covetous temper of the leading men ot the fenate, and
what great errors they had been guilty of, when the fenate had
the government tormerly ; they alfo confidered the impofli-
bility of fuch an undertaking, as alfo what dangers they fhould
be in, if the government (hould come to a fmgle perfon, and
that fuch an one (hould poffefs it as they had no hand in ad-
vancing, and not to Claudius who would take it as their grant,
and as gained by their good-will to him, and would remember
the favours they had done him, and would make them a fuffi-
cient recompence tor the fame.
3. Thefe were the difcourles the foldiers had one with an-
other by themfeives, and they communicated them to all fuch
as came into them. Now thofe that inquired about this mat-
ter, willingly embraced the invitation that was made them to
join with the reft : So they carried Claudius into the camp,
crowding about him as his guard, and encompaffing him a-
bout, one chairman ftill fucceeding another, that their vehe-
ment endeavours might not be hindered. But as to the pop.
ulace and the fenators, they difagreed in their opinions. The
latter were very defirous to recover their former dignity, and
were zealous to get clear of the flavery that had been brought
on them injurious treatments of the tyrants, which the pref-
ent opportunity afforded them ; but tor the people who were
ANTIQUITIES OF THE JEWS. [Book XIX.
envious againft them, and knew that the emperors were capa-
ble of curbing their covetous t"*mper, and were a refuge from
them, they were very glad that Claudius had been feized up-
on, and brought to them, and thought, that it Claudius were
made emperor, he would prevent a civil w^r. fuch as there
was in the days of Pompey. But when the fenate knew that
Claudius was brought into the camp by the foldiers, they Tent
to him thofe of their body which had the bed character ior
tueir virtues, that they might inform him, " that he ought to
do nothing by violence, in order to gain the government ;
that he who was a fmgle perfon, one either already, or here-
aher to be a member ot their body, ought to yield to the fen-
ate, which confifted of io great a number : That he ought to
let the law take place in the difpofal ot all that related to the
public order, and to remember huw greatly the former ty-
rants had afflicled their city ; and what dangers both he and
they had elcaped under Caius ; and that he ought not to
the heavy burden of tyranny, when the injury is done Dy
others, while he did him felt wilfully treat his country alter a
mad and infolent manner ; that it he would comply '*'ith
them, and demonitrate that his firm refolution, was to live
quietly and virtuoufly, he would have the greated honours
decreed to him, that a tree people could beftow, and by fub-
jecling himfelf to the law, would obtain this branch ot com-
mendation, that he acted like a man ot virtue, both as a ruler
and a fubjeft ; but that if he would at foolifhly, and learn no
wifdom by Caius's death, they would not permit him to go on ;
that a great part of the army was got together for them, with
plenty of weapons, and a great number of flaves, which they
could make uie of : That good hope was a great matter in fuch
cafes, as was alfogood fortune, and that the gods would never
aflift any others but thofe that undertook to aft with virtue
and goodnefs, who can be no other than fuch as fight for the
liberty of their country."
4. Now thefe ambaffadors, Veranius and Brocchus, who
were both of them tribunes of the people, made this fpeech
to Claudius, and, tailing down upon their knees, they begged
of him, that he would by no means throw the city into wars
and misfortunes ; but when they faw what a multitude of fol-
diers encompalled and guarded Claudius, and that the forces
that were with, the confuls were, in comparifon of them, per-
fectly inconfiderable, they added, That, " it hediddeiirethe
government, he (hould accept ot it as given by the fenate ;
that he would prof per better, and be happier, if he came to it,
not by injuftice, but by the good will of thofe that would be-
llow it upon him."
Chap. IV.] ANTIQUITIES OP THE JEWS. 40$
CHAP. IV.
What things King Agrippa did for Claudius ; and how Clau-
dius, when he had taken the. government, commanded the Mur-
derers oj Caius to be J tain.
I. TVfpW Claudius, though he was fenfible after what an
JL\I infolent manner the fen ate had Cent to him, yet did
he, according to their advice, behave himfelf for the prefent
with moderation j but not fo far that he could not recover
bimfelf out of his fright : So he was encouraged [to claim the
government] partly by the boklnefs of the foldiers, and part-
ly by the perfuafion ot king Agrippa, who exhorted him not
to let fuch a dominion flip out of his hands, when it came thus
to him ot its own accord. Now this Agrippa, with relation
to Caius, did what became one that had been fo much honour-
ed by him ; ior he embraced Caius's body after he was dead, and
laid it upon a bed and covered it as well as he could, and
went out to the guards, and told them that Caius was ftill a-
live ; but he faid that they fhquld call for phyficians, fince he
was very ill of his wounds. But when he had learned that
Claudius was carried away violently by the foldiers, he rufh-
ed through the crowd to him, and when he found that he was
in diforder, and ready to ren'gn up the government to the fen-
ate, he encouraged him, and defired him to keep the govern-
ment ; but when he had faid this to Claudius, he retired home.
And upon the fenate's fending lor him, he anointed his head
with ointment, as if he had lately accompanied with his wife,
and had difmiffed her, and then came to them : He alfo afked
of the (enatora what Claudius did ; who told him the prefent
itate of affairs, and then afked his opinion about the fettlement
of the public. He told them in words, that he was ready to
lofe his life for the honour of the fenate, but defired them to
confider what was for their advantage, without any regard to
what was moft agreeable to them ; tor that thofe who grafp at
government, will (land in need of weapons, and foldiers to
guard them, unlefs they will fet up without any preparation
tor it, and fo fall into danger. And when the fenate replied,
That " they would bring in weapons in abundance, and mon-
ey, and that as to an army, a part of it was already collected
together for them, and they woald raife a larger one by giv-
ing the (laves their liberty." Agrippa madeanfwer, " O fen-
ators ! may you be able to compafs what you,have a mind to ;
yet will 1 immediately tell you my thoughts, becaufe they
tend to your prefervation : Take notice then, that the army
which will fight for Claudius hath been long exercifed in war-
like affairs ; but our army will be no better than a rude multi-
tude of raw men. and thofe fuch as have been unexpectedly
made free from flavery , and ungovernable ; we muft then fight
VOL. II. D 3
4^0 ANTIQUITIES OF THE JEWS. [Book
againftthofe that are flcillful in war, with men who know not
fo much as how to draw their fwords. So that my opinion is,
that we mould fend fome perfons to Claudius ; to perfuade
him to lay down the government, and 1 am ready to be one
of your ambaffadors."
2. Upon this fpeech of Agrippa the fenate complied with
liim, and he was lent among others, and privately informed
Claudius of the diforder the fenate was in, and gave inltruc-
tions to anfwer them in a fomewhat commanding ftrain, and
as one invefled with dignity and authority. Accordingly
Claudius faid to the ambaffadors, That " he did not wonder
the fenate had no mind to have an emperor over them, becaufe
they had been harraffed by the barbarity of thole that had tor-
merly been at the head of their affairs ; but that they mould
tafteofan equitable government under him, and moderate
times, while he fhould only be their ruler in name, buttheau-
thority mould be equally common to them all ; and fince he
Jiad paffed through many and various fcenes of life before
their eyes, it would be good for them not to diflrufl him."
So the ambaffadors, upon their hearing this his anfwer, were
difmiffed. But Claudius difcourfed with the army which was
there gathered together, who took oaths that they Would per-
fifl in their fidelity to him ; upon which he gave the guards
every man five thoufand * drachmae a piece, and a propor-
tionable quantity to their captains, and promifed to give the
fame to the relt of the armies wherefoever they were.
3. And now the confuls called the fenate together into the
temple of Jupiter the Conqueror while it was Itill night ; but
fome of thole fenators concealed themfelves in the city, being
uncertain what to do, upon the hearing of this fummons, and
fome of them went out of the city to their own farms, as fore-
ieeing whither the public affairs were going, and tlefpairing
of liberty ; nay, thefe fuppofed it much better for them to be
ilaves without danger to themfelves, and to live a lazy and un-
aftive life, than, by claiming the dignity of their forefathers,
to run the hazard of their own fafety. However, an hundred
and no more were gotten together ; and as they were in con-
fultation about the prefent poftureot affairs, a iudden clamour
was made by the foldiers that were on their fide, " Defiring
that the fenate would choofe them an emperor, and not bring
the government into ruin by fetting up a multitude of rulers."
So they fully declared themfelves to be for the giving the
government not to all, but to one ; but they gave the fenate
leave to look out for a perfon worthy to be let over them, in-
* This number of drachmae to be diftributed to each private foldier, 5000
mae equal to 23, coo lefterces, or L. \bi Sterling, dems much too large, and ctiuct-
lv contjadiQs Suetonius, chap. x. who makes them in all but 1.5 fefterces, or 2S. .jd.
Yet might Jofephus have this number from Agrippa junior, though I doubt :hc'
thoufands, or atleaft the hundreds have been added by ;lie tranfcribers, oi
we have bad fevera! examples already in Jofephus,
Chap. IV.] ANTIQUITIES OF THE JEWS, 4H
fomuch, that now the affairs of the fenate were much worfe
than before ; becaufe they had not only failed in the recovery
of their liberty, which they. boafted themfelves of, but were
in dread of Claudius alfo. Yet were there thofe that hanker-
ed after the government, both on account of the dignity of
their families, and that accruing to them by their marriages ;
tor Marcus Minucianus was illuftrious, both by his own no-
bility, and by his having married Julia, the filler ot Caius,
\vho accordingly was very ready to claim the government,
although the confuls difcouraged him, and made one delay af-
ter another in propofing it : That Minucianus alfo, who was
one of Caius's murderers, reftrained Valerius of Afia from
thinking of fuch things ; and a prodigious (laughter there had
been, if leave had been given to thefe men to fet up for them-
felves, and opppfe Claudius. There were alfo a confiderable
number of gladiators befides, and of thofe foldiers who kept
watch by night in the city, and rowers of fhips, who all ran
unto the camp ; infomuch that of thofe who put in for the
government, fome left off their pretenfions in order to fpare
the city, and others out of fear for their own perfons,
4. But as foon as ever it was day, Cherea, and thofe that
were with him came into the fenate, and attempted to make
fpeeches to the foldiers. However, the multitude of thofe
foldiers, when they faw that they were making fignals for fil-
ence with their hands, and were ready to begin to fpeak to
them grew tumultuous, and would not let them fpeak at all,
becaufe they were all zealous to be under a monarchy ; and
they demanded of the Senate one for their ruler, as not endur-
ing any longer delays : But the fenate hefitated about either
their own governing or how they mould themfelves be gov-
erned, while the foldiers would not admit them to govern,,
and the murderers oi Caius would not permit the foldiers to
diftate to them. When they were in thefe circumftances,
Cherea was not able to contain the anger he had, and promif-
ed, that it' they defired an emperor, he would give them one,
it any one would bring him the watch- word from Eutychus.
Now this Eutychus v, r as charioteer of the green-band talion,
ftyled Prafine, and a great friend of Caius, who ufedto harrafs
the foldiery with building ftables for the horfes, and fpent his
time in ignominious labours, which occafioned Cherea to re-
proach them with him, and to abufe them with much other
fcurrilous language ; and told them, " he would bring them
the head of Claudius ; and that it was an amazing thiug that
after their former madnefs, they fhould commit their govern-*
ment to a fool." Yet were not they moved with his words,
but drew they: fwprds, and took up their enfigns, and went to
Claudius, to join in taking the oath of fidelity to him. So the
fenate were left without any body to defend them, and the
very confuls differed nothing from private perfons. They
were alfo under confterttation and furrow, men not knowing
412 ANTIQUITIES OF THE JEWS. [Book XIX.
What would become of them, becaufe Claudius was very an-
gry at them ; fo they fell a reproaching one another, ami re-
pented ot what they had done. At which juncture Sabinus,
one of Caius's murderers, threatened that he would fooner
come into the midltof them and kill himfelf, than confent to
>nake Claudius emperor, andfeeflavery returning upon them ,-
he ajfo abufed Cherea for loving his life too well, while he
who was the firft in his contempt ot Caius, could think it a
good thing to live, when, even by all that they had done for
the recovery of their liberty, they found it impoffible to do it.
But Cherea faid, he had no manner of doubt upon him about
killing himfelf ; that yet he would firit found the intentions ot
Claudius before he did it.
5. Thefe were the debates, [about the fenate ;J but in the
camp every body was crowding on all fides to pay their court
to Claudius; and the other conful, Quintus Pomponius, was
reproached by the foldicry, as having rather exhorted the fen-
ate to recover their liberty ; whereupon they drew their f words,
and were going to affault him, and they had done it, if Claudi-
us had not hindered them, who {hatched the conful out of the
danger he was in, and fethimby him. But he did not receive
that part of the fenate which was with Quintus in the like hon-
ourable manner ; nay fome of them received blows, and were
thruft away as they came to falute Claudius ; nay, Aponius
went away wounded, and they were all in danger. However,
king Agrippa went up to Claudius, and dcfired he would treat
the fenators more gently ; ioi if any rnifchief fhould come to
the fenate. he would have no others over whom to rule. Clau-
dius complied with him, and called the fenate together into the
palace, and was carried thither himfelt through the city, while
the foldiery condu&ed him, though this was to the great vex-
ation of the multitude; for Cherea and Sabinus, two ot Cai-
us's murderers, went in the tore-front ot them, in an open
manner, while Polio, whom Claudius a little before had made
captain of his guards, and fent them an epiftolary edict, to for-
bid them to appear in public. Then did Claudius, upon his
coming to the palace, get his friends together, and defired their
Juffrages about Cherea. They faid, that the work he had done
was a glorious one, but they accufed him that he did it of per-
fidioufnefs, and thought it juft to inflift the punifhment [of
death] upon him, to difcountenance fuch aftions for the time
to come. So Cherea was led to his execution, and Lupus,
and many other Romans with him, now it is reported, that
Cherea bore this calamity courageoufly, and this, not only by
the firmnefs of his own behaviour under it, but by the re-
proaches he laid upon Lupus, who fell into tears ; tor when
Lupus laid his garment afide and complained of the cold*, he
faid, that cold was never hurtful to Lupus, [z. e. a wolf.J And
* This piercing cold hejre complained of by Lupus, agrep well tp the time ot
Chap. V.] ANTIQUITIES Or THE JEWS. 4*3
as a great many men went along with them to fee the fight,
\vhen Cherea came to the place, he afked the foJdier who was
to be their executioner, whether this office was what he was
ufed to ? or whether this was the firft time of his ufing his
fword in ihat manner, and defired him to bring him that very
fword with which he himfelf flew Caius. So he was happily
killed at one ilroke. But Lupus did not meet with fuch good
fortune in going out of the world, fince he was timorous, and
had many blows levelledat his neck,becaufehedidnotilretch
it out boldly, [as he ought to have done.J
6. Now a few days alter this, as the parental folemnities
were juft at hand, the Roman multitude made their ulual ob-
lations to their feveral ghofts, and put portions into the fire
in honour of Cherea and befought him to be merciful to
them, and not continue his anger againft them for their ingrat-
itude. And this was the end of the life that Cherea came to.
But for Sabinus although Claudius not only fet him atliberty,
but gave him leave to retain his former command in the army,
yet did he think it would be unjufl in him to fail of perform-
ing his obligations to his fellow confederates; fo he fell upon
his fword, and killed himfelf, the wound reaching up to the ve-
ry hilt of thelword.*
CHAP. V.
How Claudius rejloredto Agripfyahis grandfather's Kingdoms,
and augmented his dominions : And how he publijhed an
behalf of the Jews.
i. ATOWwhen Claudius had taken out of the way all
-L\ thofe foldier whom he fufpefcled, which he did im-
mediately, he published an edift, and therein confirmed that
kingdom toAgrippa, which Caius had given him, and there-
in commended the king highly Heallo made an addition to
it, of all that county over which Herod, who was his grandfa-
ther, had reigned, that is Judea and Samaria ; and this he re-
the year when Claudius began his reign ; it being for certain about the months of
November, December, or January, and moft probably a few days after Jan. 241)1,
and a few days before the Roman Parentalia
* It is both here and tllewhere very remarkable, that the murderers of the vil-
eft tyrants who yet highly deferved to die, when thofe murderers were under oeths,
or other thr like obligations of fidelity to them, were ulually revenged, and the
murderers were cut off ihemielves, and that after a remarkable manner ; and this
iotnetimes, as in the prefent cafe, by thofe very pt rlons who were not forry for
luch murders, but got kingdoms by them. TU? examples arc very numerous both
in facred and profane hiftories, and feem generally indication!) of divine vengeance
on fuch murderers. Nor is it unworthy of remark, that fuch murderers of tyrants
<3o it ufually on fuch ill principles, in inch a cruel manner, and as ready to involve
the innocent with the guilty, which was the cafe here. <:li?.p i. feft. 14. and chap.
>>. kft. 4. as juftly delervcd the divine vengeance upon them. Which feems to
4*4 ANTIQUITIES OF THE JEWS. [Book
ftoredto hima&dueto his family. But for Abila * of Lyfa-
nias, and all that Jay at mount Libanus,lie beftowed them up-
on him, as out of his own territories. He alfo made a league
with thi&Agrippa, confirmed by oaths, in the middle of the
Jorum, in the city of Rome : he alfo took away from Antio-
chus that kingdom which he was pofTefTed of, but gave him a
certain part of Cilicia and Commagena : He alfo fet Alexan-
der Lyfimachus, the alabarch, at liberty, who had been his
old friend, and fteward to his mother Antonia, but had been,
impnfoned by Caius, whofe fon [Marcus] married Barnice,
the daughter of Agrippa. But when Marcus, Alexander's
fon, was dead, who had married her when fhe was a virgin,
Agrippa gave her in marriage to his brother Herod, and beg-
ged tor him of Claudius the kingdom of Chalcis.
2. Now about this time there was a fedition between the
lews and the Greeks, at the city ot Alexandria ; lor when
Caius was dead, the nation of the Jews, which had been very
much mortified under the reign of Caius, and reduced to very
great diftrefs by the people of Alexandria, recovered itfelt,
and immediately took up their arms to fight for themfelves.
So Claudius fent an order to the prefident of Egypt, to quiet
that tumult : He alfp lent an edict, at the requelb of king A-
grippa and king Heiod, both to Alexandria and to Syria,
whofe contents vere as follows : " Tiberius Claudius Casfar,
Auguftus, Germznicus, high-prieft, and tribune of th peo-
ple, ordains thus. Since I am allured that the Jews ot Alex-
andria, called Alexandrians, have been joint inhabitants in the
earliell times with the. Alexandrians, and have obtained from
their kings equal privileges with them, as is evident by the
public records that are in their potTeflion, and the edicts them-
i'elves ; and that after Alexandria had been fubjefcled to our
empire by Augultus, their rights and privileges have been
preierved by thofe prefidents who have at divers times been
lent thither ; and that nodifpute had been raifed about thofe
rights and privileges, even when Aquila was governor of Al-
havc been the cafe of Jehu alfo, when, betides tlie Iioufe of Abab, for whofe flaugh-
trr he bad a commission from God, withourany iuch commission, any juRice or
commiferation, lie killed Ahab's great men, and acquaintance, and pridls, and
forty-two of the kindred of Ahariah, 2 Kings x. 11 14 See Hof. i 4. I do not
mean here to condemn Ehud or Judith, or the like executioners ol God's ven-
geance on tbofe wicked tyrants who had unjulHy opprefiVd God's own people
.:nder their theocracy; who, as they appear ftil! to have had'no ielfifh defigns ror
intentions to flay the innocent, Co had they (till a divine commission, or a divine
jrnpulfe, which was their commission for what they did, Judg. iii. 15, 19. 20.
Judith ix. 2. Teft. Lev; left. 5 in Authcnt. Rec. p. 312. Sec alfo page 432.
* Here St. Luke is in fome meafure confirmed, when he informs us, chap. Iii. i.
that Lyfanias wa* fome time before tetrarch of Abilene, whole capital was Abila;
as he is fart her confinred by Ptolemy, the great geographer, which Spanheim here
obferves, when he calls that city Abila of L\Jania.(. See the note on B. XVII. ch.
.xi. fcft. 4. Vol. II. and Prid. at the years 36. and 22. I efteem this princi-
pality to have belonged to the land of Canaan originally, to have been the buryinjr
place of Abe!, and referred to as iuch, Matt, xxiii. 35. Luke xi. 51. See Au-
thcnt. Rec. Part II. p 883885.
Chap. V.] ANTIQUITIES OF THB JEWS.
exandria ; and that when the Jewifh ethnarch was dead, Au-
guftus did not prohibit the making fuch eihnarchs. as will-
ing that all men fhould be fo fubjeft [to the Romans] as to con-
tinue in the obfervation of their own cuftotns, and not be for-
ced to tranfgrefs the ancient rules of their own country-reli-
gion ; but that in the time of Caius the Alexandrians became
infolent towards the Jews that were among them, which Cai-
us out of his great madnefs, and want ot underilanding, re-
duced the nation of the Jews very low, becaufe they would
not tranfgrefs the religious worfhip of their country, and call
him a god. I will, theretore, that the nation of the 'Jews be
not deprived of their rights and privileges, on account of the
rnadnefs of Caius ; but that thofe rights and privileges, which
they formerly enjoyed, be preferved to them, and that they
may continue in their own cuiloms. And I charge both par-
ties to take very great care that no troubles may arife after the*
promulgation of this edicl."
3. And fuch were the contents of this edil on behalf o[ the
Jews that was lent to Alexandria. But the edift that was
Tent into the other parts of the habitable earth was this which
follows: " Tiberius Claudius Caefar, Auguftus, Germanicus,
high-prieft, tribune of the people, chdfen conful the fecond
time, ordains thus. Upon the petition ot king Agrippa, and
king Herod, who are perfons very dear to me, that I would
grant the fame rights and privileges, fhould be preferved to
the Jews which are in all the Roman empire, which I have
granted to thofe of Alexandria, I very willingly comply there-
with ; and this grant I make not only tor the fake of the pe-
titioners, but as judging thofe Jews for whom I have been pe-
titioned worthy of fuch a favour, on account of their fidelity
and friendfhip to the Romans. 1 think it alfo very juft that
no Grecian city mould be deprived of fuch rights and privile-
ges, fince they were preferved to them under the great Au-
guflus. It will therefore be fit to permit the jews, who are in
all the world under us, to keep their ancient cuiloms without
being hindered fo to do. And I do charge them alfo to ufe
this my kindnefs to them with moderation, and not to (hew
a contempt of the fuperftitions obfervances of other nations,
but to keep their own laws only. And I will that this decree
of mine foe engraven on tables hy the magiltrates of the cities
and colonies, and municipal places, both thofe within Italy,
and thofe without it, both kings and governors, by ?he means
of the ambaffadors, and to have them expofed to the public
for full thirty days, in fuch a place *, whence it may plainly
be read troin the ground."
* This form was fo known and frequent among the Romans, as Dr Uudfon
here tells us, from the great Selden, that it ufei to be thus r?prefented at the bottom
? their edicts by the initial letters only, U. D. P. R. L. P. U*dt DC Pl*no R.i
it Legi Pojii. < ; Whenc* it may plainly be read from the ground."
416 ANTIQUITIES O? THE JEWS. [Book XIX.
CHAP. VI.
What things were done by Agrippa at jferufa'tm, when he was
returned back into Judta : And what it was that Petromus
wrote to the inhabitants of Dons, in behalj of the Jews.
I. TVTOW Claudius Csefar, by tliefe decrees of his which
1^1 was fent to AlexanJi ia, and to all the habitable earth,
made known what opinion he had of the Jews. So he foon
fent Agrippa away, to tal-e his kingdom, now he was advan-
ced to a more ilJuftrious dignity than before, and fent letters to
the prefidents and procurators of the provinces, that they mould
treat him very kindly. Accordingly he returned in haite, as
was likely he would, now he returned in much greater prof-
perity than he had before. He alfo came to Jerufalem, and of-
fered all the facrifices that belonged to him, and omitted noth-
ing * which the law required; on which account he ordained
that many of the Nazarites mould have their heads (horn. And
for the golden chain which had been given him by Caius, ok
equal weight with that iron chain wherewith his royal hands
had been bound, he hung it up within the limits of the temple,
over the treafury t, that it might be a memorial of the fevere
fate he had lain under, and a teflimony of his change for the
better ; that it might be a demonilration how the greateft prof-
perity may have a fall, and that God fometimes raifes up what
is fallen down : For this chain thus dedicated afforded a doc-
ument to all men, that king Agrippa had been once bound in
a chain torafmall caufe, but recovered his former dignity a-
gain ; and a little while afterward got out of his bonds, and
was advanced to be a more illuftrious king than he was before.
Whence men may underftand, that 'all that partake of human
nature, how great foever they are, may fall ; and that thofe
that fall may gain their former illuftrious dignity again.
2. And when Agrippa had entirely finimed all the duties of
the divine worfhip, he removed Theophihis, the Jon of Ana-
nius from the high priefthood, and beiiowed that honour of his
on Simon, the fon of Boethus, whofe name was alfo Canthe-
ras, whofe daughter king Herod had married, as i have relat-
ed above. Simon, therefore had the [high] priefthood with
his brethren, and with his father, in like manner as the fons
* Jofephus fhews both here and ch. vii, feet 3. that he had a much greater opin-
ion of I 4 ing Agrippa I than Simon the learned rabbi, than the people of Selarca,
and Sebafte, ch. vii. feft. 4. and ch. ix. feft. i. and indeed than his double deal-
ing between the fenateand Claudius, chap. iv. feft. 2. than his (laughter of James,
the brother of John, and his imprifonment of Fetcr, or his vain glorious behav-
iour before he died, both in A6ls xii. i, a, 3. and here, ch. iv. fecV i. will jufti-
fy or allow. Jofephus's charaftei was probably taken from his fon Agrippa jun.
t This treafury-chamber feems to have been the very fame in which our Saviour
taught, and where the people oifercd their charity-money fe;r the repairs or other u-
Vs of the temple. Markxit. 41, &c. I.uk.- x\i. t. John viii. ao.
Chap. VI.] ANTIQUITIES OF THB JEWS.
of Simon, the Ton of Onias, who were three, had it formerly
under the government ot the Macedonians, as we have related
in a former book.
3. When the king had fettled the high-priefthood after this
manner, he returned the kindness which the inhabitants of
Jerufalem had (hewed him ; for he reieafed them from the tax
upon houfes, every one of which paid it before, thinking it a
good thing to requite the tender afFeclion of thofe that loved
him. He alfo made Silus the general ot his foices, as a man
who ha:l partaken with him in many of his troubles. But af-
ter a very little while the young men ot Doris, preferring a
rafh attempt before piety, and being naturally bold and info-
lent, carried a ftatiie of Csefar into a fynagogue of the Jews,
and creeled it there. This procedure of theirs greatly pro-
voked Agrippa ; tor it plainly tended to the dilToiutiou ot the
laws of his country. So he carne without delay to Publius
Petronius, who was then prefident of Syria, and accufed the
people ot Doris. Nor did he lefs refent what was done than
did Agrippa ; for he judged it a piece of impiety to tranfgrefs
the laws that regulate the actions ot men. So he wrote the
following letter to the people of Doris in an angry (train :
" Publius Petronius, the prefiden.t under Tiberius Claudius
Caefar AuguftuS Germanicus, to the magiftrates ot Doris,
ordains as follows : Since fome ol you have had the boldnefs,
or madriefs rather, after the edict of Claudius Casfar Auguf-
tus Germanicus was published, tor permitting the Jews to
obferve the laws ot their country, not to obey the fame, but
have afcled in entire oppofition thereto, as forbidding the Jews
to aliemble together in the fynagogue, by removing Caefar's
ftatue, and letting it up therein, and thereby have offended
not only the Jews, but the emperor himfelf. whofe ftatue is
more commodioufly placed in his own temple, than in a for-
eign one, where is the place ot aflembling together ; while it
is but a part of natural juitice, that every one mould have the
power over the place belonging peculiarly to themfelves ac-
cording to the determination ot Caefar ; to lay nothing of my
own determination, which it would be ridiculous to mention
atter the emperor's edicl, which gives the Jews leave to make '
ufe of their own cuftoms, as alio gives order, that they enjoy
equally the rights of citizens with the Greeks themfelves. I
therefore ordain, that Proculus Vitelius the centurion bring
thofe men to me, who, contrary to Augustus's edict, have
been fo infolent as to do this thing, at which thofe very men,
who appear to be of principal reputation among them, have
an indignation alfo, and allege for themfelves, that it was noc
done with their confent, but by the violence of the multitude,
that they might give an account of what hath been done. 1
alio exhort the principal magiftrates among them, unlefs they
have a mind to have this aftion elteemedto be one with their
confent, and to inform the centurion of thole that were guilty
VOL, II. E 3
4l8 ANTIQUITIES OF THE JEWS. [Book XIX.
of it, and take care that no handle be hence taken for railing a
iedition or quarrel among them ; which thofe feem to roe to
]mnt after, who encourage fuch doings ; while both I my felt,
and king Agrippa, for whom t have the higheil honour, have
nothing more under our care, than that the nation ot the Jews
may have no occafion given them of getting together under
the pretence of avenging themfelves and become tumultuous.
And that it may be more publicly known what Auguftus hath
refolved about this whole matter, 1 have fubjoined thofe edifts
which he hath lately caufed to be publifhed at Alexandria,
and which, although they may be well known to all, yet did
king Agrippa, for -whom 1 have the higheft honour, read
them at that time before my tribunal, and pleaded that the
Jews ought not to be deprived of thofe rights which Auguftus
Bath granted them. I therefore charge you, that you do not,
for the time to come feek for any occafion of fedition or dif-
tmbance, but that every one be allowed to follow their own
religious cuftoms."
4. Thus did Petronius take Care of this matter, that fuch a
breach of the law might be corrected and that m> Inch thing
might be attempted afterwards againft the Jews. And now
king Agrippa took the [high] priefthood away from Simon
Cantheras, and put Jonathan, the Ion of Ananus, into it again,
and owned that he was more worthy ot that dignity than the
other. But this was not a thing acceptable to him, to recover
that his former dignity. So he refufed it, and faid, " O king
1 rejoice in the honour thou haft for me, and take it kindly,
that thou wouldeft give me fuch a dignity of thy own incli-
nations, although God hath judged that 1 am not at all worthy
ot the high priefthood. 1 am fatisfied with having once put
on the iacred garments ; for I then put them on after a more
holy manner, than 1 Ihould now receive them again. But it
thou defireft, that a perion more worthy than myfeif fhould
Lave this honourable employment, give me leave to name thee
iuch an one. I have a brother that is pure from all fin againft
God, and of all offences againfl thyfelf ; I recommend him
to thee, as one that is fit for this dignity.'' So the king wag
p leafed with thefe words of his, and pafled by Jonathan, and
according to his brother's defire, beftowed the high priefthood
upon Matthias. Nor was it long before Marcus fucceeded
Petronius as prefident of Syria.
Ch?p. VJL] AN ji.au i TIES PF THP j\vs
CHAP. VII.
Concerning Silas, and on what account it was that King Agrip-
pa was angry at him. How Agrippa began to encompafs
Jferujalem with a Wall ; and what benefits he bellowed on tlie
Inhabitants oj Berytus,
I. TVTOW Silas, the general of the king's horfe, becaufe
i.^1 he had been faithful to him under all his misfor-
tunes, and had never reiufed to be a partaker with him in any
of his dangers, but had oftentimes undergone the moft hazard-
"oii9'iangers lor him, was full of affurance, and thought he
might expeft a fort of equality with the king, on account of
the firmnefs of the friendfhip he had (hewed to him. Ac-
cordingly, he would no where let the king fit as his fupcrior,
and took the like liberty in fpeaking to him upon all occa-
fions ; till he became troubleiometo the king, when they were
merry together, extolling himfelt beyond meafure, and of put-
ting the king in mind of the leverity he had undergone, that
he might, by way of ollentation, demonstrate what zeal he had
Ihewed in his fervice ; and was continually harping upon tkis
firing, what pains he had taken for him, and much enlarged
ftill upon that fubjeQ. The repetition of this f'o frequently
feemed to reproach the king, inibmuch that he took the un-
governable liberty of talking very ill at his hands. For the
commemoration of times, when men have been under igno-
miny, ie by no means agreeable to them ; and he is a very fil-
ly man, who is perpetually relating to a perfon what kindnefs
he had done him. At laft, therefore, Silas had fo thoroughly
provoked the king's indignation, that he atted rather out of
paflion than good confederation, and did not only tura Silas
out of his place, as general of his horfe, but fent him in bonds
into his own country. But the edge of his anger wore off by
length of time, and made room for more juft reafonings as to
his judgment about this man, and he considered how many la-
bours he had undergone for his fake. So when Agrippa was
folemnizing his birth-day, and Jie gave feftival entertainments
to all his fubje)s, he fent for Silas on the fudden to be his
gueft. But, as he was a very frank man, he thought he had
now a jufl handle given him to be angry ; which he could
not conceal from thofe that came for him, but (aid to them,
" What honour is this the king invites me to, which 1 con-
clude will foon be over ? For the king hath not let me keep
thofe original marks of the good-will 1 bore him, whichlonce
had from him ; but he hath plundered me, and that unjultly
alfo. Does he think, that I leave off that liberty of fpeech,
which, upon the confcioufnefs of my deferts, I lhallulc more
loudly than before, and ihaH relate how many misfortunes I
"ANTIQUITIES OF THE JEWS. [Book XIX.
have delivered him from ? how many labours I have under-
gone for him, whereby I procured him deliverance and re-
fpect ? as a reward for which I have borne the haYdfhips of
bonds, and a dark prifqn. I mail never forget this ufage,
Nay, perhaps, my very foul when it is departed out of the
body, will not forget the glorious actions I did on his ac-
count." This was the clamour he made, and he ordered the
meflengers to tell it to the king. So he perceived, that Silas
was incurable in his tolly, and flill lufFered him to lie in prif-
6n.
2. As for the walls of Jerufalem. that were adjoining to the
new city [Bezetha,] he repaired them at the expence of the
public, and built them wider in breadth, and higher in alti-
tude ; and he had made them too flrong for all human power
to demblifh, unlefs Marcus, the then prefident of Syria, had
by letter informed Claudius Caefar of what he was doing.
And when Claudius had fome fufpicion of attempts for inno-
vation, he fent to Agrippa to leave off the building of thofe
walls p'refenUy. So he obeyed, as not thinking it proper to
contradicl Claudius.
3. Now this king was by nature very beneficent, and liber-
al in his gifts, and very ambitious to oblige people with fuch
large donations ; and he made him felt very illuftrious by the
many chargeable prcfents he made thero. He took delight in
giving, and rejoicing in living with good reputation. He was
not at all like that Herod who reigned before him ; for that
Herod was ill-natured, and ievere in his punifhments, and had
no mercy on them that he hated ; and every one perc
that he was more friendly to the Greeks than to the Jews ; tor
he adorned foreign cities with large prefents in money ; with
building them baths and theatres befides; nay, in iome of thofe.
places, fie creeled temples, and porticoes in others ; but he
did not vouchfafe to raife one ot the leart edifices in any Jew-
ilh city, or make them any donation that was worth mention-
ing. But Agnppa's temper was mild and equally liberal to
all men. He was humane to foreigners, and made them fen-
fible of his liberality. He was in like manner rather oi a gen-
tle and compaffionate temper. Accordingly he loved to live
continually at Jerufalem, and was exaclly careful in the ob-
fervance of the laws of his country. He therefore kept him-
i'elf entirely pure ; nor did any day pafs over his head without
its appointed facrifice.
4. However, there was a certain man of the Jewjfh nation
at Jerufalem who appeared to be very accurate in the knowl-
edge of the law. His name was Simon. This man got to-
gether an-afTembly, while the king was abfent at Cefarea, and
had the infolence to accufe him as not living holily, and that
he might juftly be excluded out of the temple, fince it be-'
longed only to native Jews. But the general of Agrippa'a
informed him, that Simon had made fuch a fpeech to
Chap. VIII.] ANTIQUITIES OF THE JEWS. 421
the people. So the king fent for him ; and, as he Was fitting
in the theatre, he bid him fit down by him, and faid to him
with a 1 >w arid gentle voice, " What is there done in this place
that is contrary to the law ?" But he had nothing to fay for
himtelf, but begged his pardon. So the king was more ea-
fily reconciled to him than one could have imagined, as ef-
teeming mildnefs a better quality in a king than anger, and
knowing that moderation is more becoming in great men
than paflion. So he made Simon a (mall prefent and dif-
miiTed him.
5. Now. as Agrippa was a great builder in many places, he
paid a peculiar regard to the people of Berytus ; forheereft-
ed a theatre tor them, fuperior to many other ot that fort,
both in iumptuoufnefs and elegance, as alfo an amphitheatre,
buik at vail expences ; and, befides theie, he built them baths
and porticoes, and ipared tor no cofts in any ot his edifices,
to render them both handfome and large. He alfo fpent a
great deal upon their dedication, and exhibited (hows upon
them, and brought thither muficiaiiS ot all forts, and luch as
made the moil delightful muhc ot the greateit variety. He
alfo ihewed his magnificence upon the theatre, in his great
number of gladiators ; and there it was that he exhibited the
feveral ant agon ifts, in order to pleafethe fpeftators ; no fewer
indeed than feven hundred men to fight with (even hundred
'other men*; and allotted all the malefactors he had for this
cxercife, that both the malefactors might recieve their pun-
ilhment, and that this operation of war might be a recreation
in peace. And thus were thefe criminals all deitroyed at once.
C H A P. VIII.
What other A&s were done by Agrippa until his Death ; and
ajter what manner he Died.
i. TT7HEN Agrippa had finifhed what I have above re-
V V lated at Berytus, he removed to Tiberius, a city
of Galiiee. Now he was in great efteem among other kings.
Accordingly there came to him Antiochus king of Comma-
gena, Sampfigeramus king of Emefa, and Cotys who was
king ot the lefler Armenia, and Polemo, who was king ot
Pontus, as alfo Herod his brother, who was king ot Chalcis.
All thefe he treated with agreeable entertainments, and after
an obliging manner and fo to exhibit the greatnefs ot his
mind, and foas to appear worthy of thofe refpecls which the
kings paid to him, by coming thus to lee him. However,
\vhije thefe kings flaid with him, Marcus the piefident ot
* A ftrange number of condemned criminal? to be under the fentencc of death
a 1 ouce ; no tcwer : it teems, than 1400,
422 ANTIQUITIES OF THE JBWS. [Book XIX.
Syria came thither. So the king in order to preferve that re-
fpeftthat was due to the Romans, went out ot the city to meet
him, as tar as feven Furlongs. But this proved to be the be-
ginning ot a difference between him and Marcus ; for he took
with him in his chariot, thofe other kings as his ailefTors. But
Marcushad a fufpicipn what the meaning could be of lo great a
friendihip of thefe kings one with another, and did not think
fo clofe an agreement of io many potentates to be tor the in-
tereft of the Romans. He therefore fent fome ot his domeftics
to every one of them, and enjoined them to go their ways
home without farther delay. This was very ill taken by A-
grippa, who after that became his enemy. And now he took
the high prieithood away from Matthias, and made Elioneus,
ion ol Cantheras, high prieft in his itead.
2. Now when Agnppa had reigned three years over all Ju-
dea, he came to the city Cefarea, which was formerly called
Strato's Tower ; and there he exhibited {hows in honour of
Caefar, upon his being informed that there was a certain feft-
ival celebrated to make vows for his fatety. At which feitz-
val, a great multitude was gotten together ot the principal
perfons, and inch as were ot dignity through his province.
On the fecond day of which (hows he put on a garment made
wholly oi fiiver, and ot a contexture truly wonderful, and
came into the theatre early in the morning ; at which time
the fiiver of his garment being illuminated by the frefh re-
flection of the fun's rays upon it, ihone out after a furpriiing
manner, and was io relplendent as to fpread an horror over
thofe that looked intently upon him ; and prefently his flat-
terers cried out, one trom one place and another from anoth-
er, (though not for his goodj, that " he was a god ;" and they
added, " Be thou merciiul to us ; tor although we have hith-
erto reverenced thee only as a man, yet lhall we henceforth
own thee as iupenor to mortal nature." Upon this the king
did neither rebuke them, nor reject their impious flattery.
JtSut as he prefently afterward looked up, he law an owl * fit-
* We have a -mighty cry made here by fome critics, as if the great Eufebius had
on purpoic ialfified this account of Jolcphus, io as to make it agree with the pa.
rallel account in the ads of ibe Apoftles ; becaufe the preient copies of his citation
of it, Hift. Ecckf. B. II. ch. x. omit the w urds ^s^wvat ini p^oms TJ>-, i e.
an owl en a certain rope, which Joiephus's preient copies retain, and only have
the explicatory word ayjiXo, or angel ; as it' he meant that angel *f the Lr r J,
xvhich St. Luke uventious as fmiting Herod, Ads xii 23. and no- that owl which
jofephus called zn'angel or mejenger formerly of good, but niiu of had news to A-
grippa. This accuiation is a iymcwhat ftrange one in the cale of the great Eul-bius,
who is known to have fo accurately and faithlully produced a vaft number o', other
ancient records and particular y not a few out ot our |oiephus alto, with
iafpicion ot prevarication. Now. not to allege how uncertain wf r.re, whether Jo-
iephus's and Eutebius's copies ot the fourth century were juil like the pr-
this claule, which we have no diftinft evidence of, the following words, preferved
ftill in Eufeb'us, will not admit of any fuch expofition. This \birf\ fays Eulebi-
us, Agrippa prefently perceived to be the caufe afillfo) tur.r, as it rua-
jfortur.c to him ; which can only belong to that bird he cu\', which, as it had for-
Chap. VIII.] ANTIQUITIES O? THE JEWS. 42j
ting on a certain rope over his head, and immediately under-
ftoocl, that this bird was the meifenger of ill tidings, as it had
once been the meflenger ot good tidings to him ; and tell in-
to the deepeft farrow. A fevere pamalfo arole in his belly,
and began in a moft violent manner. He therefore looked
upon his friends, and faid, "I, whom you call a g>d, am
commanded prefently to depart this lite; while providence
thus reproves the lying words you juil now laid to n-e ; and
I, who was by you called immortal, am immediately to be
hurried away by death. But 1 am bound to accept of what
providence allots, as it pleafes God ; tor we have by no means
lived ill, but in a Iplendid and happy manner." When he
faid this, his pain VMS become violent. Accordingly he was
carried irfto the palace ; and the rumour went abroad every
where, that he would certainly die in a little time. But the
multitude preiently fat in fackcloth, with their wives and chil-
dren, after the law of their country, and befought God tor
the king's recovery. All places were alfo full of mourning
and lamentation. Now the king refted in a high chamber,
and as he faw them below lying pro {irate on the ground, he
eould not himfelf torbear weeping. And when he had been
quite worn out by the pain in his belly tor five days, he de-
parted this life, being in the fifty-fourth year ot his age, and
in the feventh year ot his reign ; tor he reigned tour years
under Caius Cajfar, three of them were over Philip's Te-
trarchy only, and on the fotmh he had that of Herod added
to it ; and he reigned, befides thofe, three years under the
reign of Claudius Czefar. In which time he reigned over the
torementioned countries, and alfo had Jude* added to them, as
well as Samaria and Cefarea. The revenues that he received out
ot them were very great, no lefs than twelve * millions ot
drachmas. Yet did he borrow great fums from others ; tor
he was fo very liberal that his expences exceeded his incomes,
and his generofity was boundlefs.t
merly for'ooded this happy deliverance from imprifonment, Antiq. B. AVI I. ch.
vi. 7. Vol. II. ib was it then foretold to prove afterward the unhappy forerunner
of hib death in five days time. If the improper word a*To, or cattfe, be changed
for joleplius's proper word ay/E/\ox, angel ot mejjevgcr, and the foregoing words,
fbtoitHt -tar* ^Gtvia -m^, be inserted, Eufebius's text will truly reprclcnt that
in Joiephus. Had this impericciion been in fame heathen author, that was in good
efteem with our modern criticks, they would have r.adily conecled thefe, as barely
errors ia the copies ; but being in an ancient Chriftian writer, net to well reliihed
by many ot thole critics, nothing will iierve but the ill grounded luppolai of wilful
corruption and prevarication.
* This mm ot 12,000,000 drachma:, which is equal to 3,000,000 shekels./, er
at 2/iOa. a shekel, equal to ^25.OOO/. flerling, wis A^rippa tk; Great's yearly ic-
come, or about three quarters ot his grand-tathar Herod's income ; he having abat-
ed the tax upon houfes at Jerufalem, ch. vi. k 3. and was not io tyrannical as he
had been to the Jews. See the note on Antiq. B. AVi I. ch. xi. 5, 4 Vol.11. A
lirge turn this! but not, it items, furRci.ntfor his extravagant exuences.
+ Relaiid taker- notice here, ryjt improperly, that Joiephus omits the reconcilia-
tion oi this Hcioa Agrippa to the Tynans and Sidouiaas by the means of
424 ANTIQUITIES O* THE j EtVS. j_B(,ok XIJ?.
3. But before the multitude were made acquainted with A-
gnppa's being expired, Herod the king of Chaldis.and Hel-
cias the mailer of his horfe, and the king's friend, (e
rilto, one ot the king's mod faithful fervants, and flew Silas,
who had been their enemy, as if it had been done by the
king's own command.
CHAP. IX.
What things were done after the Dsath of Agrippa ; and how
Claudius, on account oj the, Youth and Unjkiltulntifs of A*
grippa Junior SentCufpius I adus to be Procurator oj Ju-
dea, and of the entire Kingdo?n.
i. A ND thus did King Agrippa depart this life. But
f~\. he left behind him a fon, Agrippa by name, a youth
in the feventeenth year of his age, and three daughters ; one
of which, Bernice, was married to Herod his father's broth-
er, and was fixteen years old ; the other two, Maria mne and
Drufilla, were itiil virgins ; the former was ten years old, and
Drufilla fix. Now thefe his daughters were thus efpoufed by
their father, Mariamne to Julius Archelaus Epiphanes, the
fon of Antiochus, the fon of Chelcias, and Drufilla to the
king ot Commagena. But when it was known, that Agrippa
was departed this liie, the inhabitants ot Cefareaand of Sebaile
forgot the kindnelles he had bellowed on them, and afted the
part of the bitterell enemies ; for they call inch reproachs up-
on the deceafed as are not fit to be fpoken ot ; and fo many
ot them as were then foldiers, which were a great number,
went to his houfe, and haltily carried off the ftatues * ot this
Icing's daughters, and all at once carried them into the broth-
el houfes, and, when they had fet them on the tops of thole
hpufes, they abuied them to the . utmoft of their power, and
did fuch things to them as are too indecent to be related. They
alfo laid themfelves down in public places, and celebrated
general feafting, with garlands on their heads and with oint-
ments and libations to Charon, and drinking to one another
for joy that the king was expired. Nay, they were not only
unmindful of Agnppa, who had extended his liberality to
them in abundance, but of his grandfather Herod alfo, who
had himfelf rebuilt their cities, and had railed them havens
and temples at vail expences.
2. Now Agrippa the fon of the deceafed, was at Rome, and
the king's chamberlain, mentioned Afts xii. 20. Nor is there any hiilory in the
world io complete, as to omit nothing that other hiftorians take notice of, uulcis
the one he taken out of the other, and accommodated to it.
* Photius, who madeaa extract out of this ieftion, lays, they were not the ftat-
ues or images, but the ladies them'.elves, which were thus bafeiy abuied by the
foldiers. Cod. CCA'XA'V'III.
. IX.] ANTIOJITISS OF 1HE JRWS, 42$
Brought up with Claudius Casfar. And when Caefar was in-
formed that Agrippa was dead, and that the inhabitants of Se-
bafte and Cefarea had ahufed him, he was forry for the firlt
news, and was difpleafed at the ingratitude of thofe cities.
He was therefore clifpofed to fend Agrippa junior away pref-
ently to fucceed his father in the kingdom, and was willing to
confirm him in it by his oath. But thofe freed men and
friends of his, who had the greateft authority with him, dif-
fuaded him from it, and faid, that " it was a dangerous exper-
iment to permit fo large a kingdom to come under the gov-
ernment ot fo very young a man, and one hardly yet arrived
at years of difcretion, who would not be able to take fufficient
care of its adminiltration ; while the weight of a kingdom is
heavy enough to a grown man." So Caefar thought what
they faid to be reafonable. Accordingly he fent Cufpius Fa-
dus to be procurator ot Judea, and ot the entire kingdom, and
paid that refpeft to the dcceafed, as not to introduce Marcus,
who had been at variance with him, into his kingdom. But
he determined in the firft place, to fend orders to Fadus, that
he mould chaitife the inhabitants of Cefarea and Sebafte for
thole abufes they had offered to him that was deceafed, and
their madnefs toward his daughters that were ftill alive ; and
that he fhould remove that body of foldiers that were at Cefa-
rea and Sebaile, with the five regiments into Pontus, that they
inight do their military duty there, and that he mould chooie
an equal number ot foldiers out ot the Roman legions, that
were in Syria to fupply their place. Yet were not thofe that
had fuch orders actually removed ; for by fending amhafladors
to Claudius they mollified him, and got leave to abide in Ju-
dea ftill ; and thefe were the very men that became the fource
of very great calamities to the Jews in after times, and fowed
the feeds of that war which began under Florus ; whence it
was, that when Vefpafian had fubdued the country, he remov-
: iem out of his province, as we fhall relate hereafter*.
* Thh h'ftory is now wanting.
VOL. II. F
ANTIQUITIES OP THE JEWS. [Book XX.
BOOK XX.
Containing the interval of twenty-two years.
{From FAD us the Procurator to FLORUS.J
CHAP. I.
A Sedition of the Philadelphians again/I the Jews ; and alfe
concerning the reftments of the High PnejL
I. T TPON the death of king Agrippa, which we have re-
LJ lated in the foregoing book, Claudius Casfar fent
Cafiius Longinus, as fucceifor to Marcus, out ot regard to the
memory of king Agrippa, who had often defiied of him by
letters, while he was alive, that he would not I uffer Marcus to
be any longer prefident of Syria. But Fadus. as foon as he
was come procurator into Judea, found quarrelfome doings
between the Jews that dwelt in Perea, and the people ot Phila-
delphia, about their borders, at a village called Mia, that was
filled with men of a warlike temper ; for the Jews of Perea
had taken up arms without the confentot their principal men,
and had cleftroyed many of the Philadelphians. When Fa-
dus was informed of this procedure, it provoked him very
imich, that they had not left the determination of the matter
to him, if they thought that the Philadelphians had done them
any wrong, but had rafhly taken up arms again!! them. So he
feized upon three of their principal men, who were alfo the
caufes of this fedition, and ordered them to be bound, and af-
terward had one ot them (lain, whofename was Hannibal, and
he banifhed the other two Amram and Eleazar. Tholomy al-
io, the arch robber was, after fome time brought to him
bound, and (lain, but not till he had done a world ot mifchiet
to Idumea, and the Arabians. And indeed, from that time,
Judea was cleared ot robberies by the care and providence of
Fadus. He aifo at this time fent for the high-priefts and the
principal citizens of Jerufalem, and this at the commands of
the emperor, and admonifhed them, that they fhould lay up
the long garment, and the facred veftment, which itiscuitom-
ary tor nobody but the high prieft to wear, in the tower of
Antonia, that it might be under the power of the Romans, as
it had been formerly. Now the Jews durft not contradift
xvhat he had faid, but defired Fadtis, however, and Longinus,
Chap. I.] ANTIQUITIES OF THE JEWS. 437
(which lad was come to Jerufalem, and had brought a great
army with him, out of a fear that the [rigid injunctions ot Fa-
dus fhnuld force the Jews to rebel,) that they might, in the
firft place, have leave to {end ambafladors to Caefar to petition,
him, that they may have the holy veftments under their own
power, and that, in the next place, they would tarry till they
knew what anfwer Claudius would give to that their requeft.
So they replied, that they would give them leave to (end their
ambafTadors, provided they would give them their fons as
pledges [for their peaceable behaviour.] And when they had
agreed fo to do, and had given them the pledges they defired,
the ambafTadors were fent accordingly. But when, upon their
corning to Rome, Agrippa junior, the fon of the deceafed, un-
derftood the reafon why they came, (for he dwelt with Clau-
dius Caefar, as we faid before,) he befought Csefar to grant
the Jews their requeft about the holy veftments, and to fend a
meffage to Fadus accordingly.
2. Hereupon Claudius called for the ambafTadors, and told
them, That " he granted their requeft ;" and bade them to re-
turn their thanks to Agrippa for this favour, which had been
beftowed on them upon this intreaty. And, befides thefe an-
fwers of his, he fent the following letter by them : " Claudi-
us Cxfar Germanicus, tribune of the people the fifth time,
and defigned conful the fourth time, and imperator the tenth
time, the father of his country, to the magiftrates, fenate, and
people, and the whole nation of the Jews fendeth greeting.
Upon the presentation of your ambaffadors to me by Agrip-
pa, my friend, whom I have brought up, and have now with
me, and who is a perfon of very great piety, who are come to
give me thanks for the care 1 have taken of your nation, and
to' entreat me, in an earneft and obliging manner, that they
Jnay have the holy veftments, with the crown belonging to
them, under their power ; I grant their requeft, as that excel-
lent perfon Vitellius, who is very dear to me, had done be-
fore rne. And I have complied with your defire, in the firft
place, out of regard to that piety which J profefs, andbecaufe
I would have every one worlhip God according to the laws
of their own country ; and this I do alfo becauie I (hall here-
by highly gratify king Herod, and Agrippa junior, whofe fa-
cred regards to me and earneft good- will to you, I am well ac-
quainted with, and with whom I have the greatefl friendfhip
and whom I highly efteem, and look, on as perfons of the belt
character. Now I have written about thefe affairs to Cufpius
Fadus, my procurator. The names of thofe that brought me
your letter are, Cornelius, the fon ot Cero, Trypho the ion of
Theudio, Dorotheus the fon of Nathaniel, and John the fon
of John. This letter is dated before the fourth of the calends
of July, when Rufus and Pompeius Sylvanus are cpnfuls.
3. Herod alfo, the brother of the deceafed Agrippa, who
was then poffefled of the royal authority over Chalc:s, petj.
42$ ANTIQUITIES OF THE JEWS. [Book XX.
tioned Claudius Casfar for the authority over the temple, and
the money ot the facred treafure, and the choice of the high-
prieirs, and obtained all that he petitioned tor. So that atter
that time this authority continued among * all his defcendants
till the end of the war. Accordingly Herod removed the lafl
high-pried, called Cantheras, and beftowed that dignity onhii
fucceflor Jofeph the Ion ol Camus.
CHAP. II.
How Helena, the Queen oj Adiabene, and her fon Izates c
ced the Jewijfi religion ; and how Helena fupplied the poor
with corn, when there was a great Ja?mne at jerufalem.
t i. A BOUT this time it was that Helena, queen ot A-
\. diabene, and her fon Izates changed their courfe of
life, and embraced the Jewifh cuftorns, and this on the occa-
fion following: Monobazus, the king ot Adiabene, who had
allo the name o! Bazeus, fell in love with his filter Helena,
and took her to be his wife, and begat her with child. But as
he was in bed with her one night, he laid his hand upon his
wife's belly, and fell afleep and fecmed to hear a voice, which
bid him take his hand off his wife's belly, and not hurt the in-
fant that was therein, which, by God's providence, would be
fafely born, and have an happy end. This voice put him in-
to diforder ; {o he awaked immediately, and told the ftory to
his wife ; and when his fon was born, he called him Izates.
He had indeed Monobazus, his elder brother, by Helena al-
io, as he had other fons by other wives befides. Yet did he
openly place all his affc&ions on this his only begotten t fon
Izates, which was the origin of that envy which his other
brethren, by the fame father, bore to him; while on this ac-
count they hated him more and more, and were all under great
afflittjon that their father fliould prefer Izates before them. Now
although their father were very fenfibleof thefe their paflions,
yet did he forgive them, as not indulging thofe paflions out of
lii> ill difpofition, but out of a defire each of them had to he
beloved by their father. However, he fent Izates, with many
prefents, to Abennerig, the king of Charax-Spafini, and that
outot the great dread he was in about him, left he Ihould
* Here is fomc error in the copies, or miftake in Jofephus; for the power of ?p-
pointi;:g high-priefts, after Herod king ot Chakis was dead, and Agrippa junior
was made king of Chakis in his room, belonging to him, and he ex ere i fed the lame
nil along till Jerufalem was deftroyed, as Jofephus elfewhere informs us, ch. viii.
1- t. 8. 11. ch. ix. fcft. i, 4, 6, 7.
* Jofephus here ufes the word (taoyttii an only begotten fon, for no other tl'za
one bfjl beloved, as does both the Old and New Teftament, I mean where there,
were one or more fons befides, Gen. xxii. a, Hcb. xi. 17. See the note on B. I,
ch. xiii. (eft. i. Vol. I.
Chap. II.] ANTIQUITIES OF THE JEWS. 423
come to fome misfortune by the hatred his brethren bore him ;
and he committed his Con's prefervation to him. Upon which
Abennerig gladly received the young man, and had a great
affeftion for him ;and married him to his own daughter, whofe
name was Samacha : He alfo bellowed a country upon him,
from which he received large revenues.
2. But when Monobazus was grown old, and faw that he
had but a little time to live, he had a mind to come to the fight
of his fon before he died. So he fent for him, and embraced
him alter the mofl affectionate manner and beftowed on him
the country called Carra. ; it was a {oil that bare ammomum
in great plenty : There are alfo in it the remains of that ark,
wherein it is related that Noah eicaped the deluge, and where
they are ftill (hewn to fuch as are defirous to fee them*. Ac-
cordingly Izates abode in that country until his father's death.
But the very day that Monobazus died,, queen Helena fent for
all the grandees, and governors of the kingdom, and for thofe
that had the armies committed to their command ; and when
they were come (he made the following fpeech to them : " I
believe you are not unacquainted that my hufband was defir-
ous Izates mould fucceed him in the government, and thought
him worthy fo to do. However, I wait your determination ;
for happy is he who receives a kingdom not from a (ingle per-
fon only, but from the willing fuffrages of a great many."
This (he faid in order to try thofe that were invited, and to
difcover their fentiments. Upon the hearing of which, they
firft of all paid their homage to the queen, as their cuftom was,
ajad then they faid, That " they confirmed the king's deter-
mination, and would fubmit to it ; and they rejoiced that Izates's
father had preferred him before the reft ot his brethren, as be-
ing agreeable to all their wifhes : But that they were defirous
firft of all to flay his brethren, and kinftnen, that fo the gov-
ernment might come fecurely to Izates ; becaufe if they were
once deftroyed, all that fear would be over which might arife
from their hatred and envy to him." Helena replied to this,
That " fhe returned them their thanks for their kindnefs to
herfelf and to Izates ; butdefired that they would however de-
fer the execution of this Slaughter of Izates's brethren till he
fhould be there himfelf, and give his approbation to it." So
fince thefe men had not prevailed with her, when they advif-
ed her to flay them, they exhorted her at leaft to keep them
in bonds till he fhould come, and that for their own fecurity ;
they alfo gave her counfel to fet up fome one whom fhe could
put the greateft truft in, as a governor of the kingdom in the
inean time. So queen Helena complied with this counfel of
theirs, and fet up Monobazus, the eldeft fon, to be king, and
* It is here very remarkable, that (he remains of Noah's ark were believed to
be fti:i in being in t!:e days of Joft-phas. S;e the note c. B- I. ch. 3. (eft. 5.
Vol. \.
4jd ANTIQUITIES OF THE JEWS. [Book XX.
put the diadem upon his head, and gave him his father's ring,
with its fignet ; as alfo the ornament which they call Sampfer^
and exhorted him to adminifler the affairs of the kingdom tilt
his hrother mould come ; who came fuddenly upon his hear-
ing that his father was dead, and fucceeded his brother Mon-
obazus, who refigned up the government to him.
3. Now during the time izates abode at Charax-Spafini, a
certain Jewifh merchant, whofe name was Ananias, got among
the women that belonged to the king, and taught them to wor-
Ihip God according to the Jewifh religion. He, moreover,
by their means, became known to Izates, and perfuaded him
in like manner to embrace that religion ; he alfo, at the earned
entreaty of Izates, accompanied him when he was fent for by
his father to come to Adiabene : It alfo happened, that Hele-
na, about the fame time, wasinftruftedby a certain other Jew,
and went over to them. But when Izates had taken the king-
dom and was come to Adiabene, and there faw his brethren,
and other kinfrnen in bonds, he was difpleafed at it ; and as he
thought it an inftance of impiety either to flay or to imprifon
them, but flill thought it an hazardous thing for to let them
have their liberty, with the remembrance of the injuries that
had bren offered them, he fent forne of them and their chil-
dren for hoftages to Rome, to Claudius Caefar, and fent the
others to Artabanus, the king of Parthia, with the like inten-
tions.
4. And when he perceived that his mother was highly pleaf-
ed with the Jewifh cuftoms, he made hafle to change and to
embrace thm entirely ; and as he fuppofed that he could not
be thoroughly a Jew unlefs he were circumcifed, he was ready
to have it done. But when his mother underftood what he
was about, fhe endeavoured to hinder him from doing it, and
faid to him, that " this thing would bring him into danger ;
and that, as he was a king, he would thereby bring himfelf in-
to great odium among his fubjefts when they mould under-
ftand that he was fo fond of rites that were to them flrange and
foreign ; and that they would never bear to be ruled over by
a Jew." This it was that fhe faid to him, and for the prefent
perfuaded him to forbear. And when he had related what fhe
had faid to Ananias, he confirmed what his mother had faid,
and when he had alfo threatened to leave him, unlefs he com-
plied with him, he went away from him, and faid, that " he
was afraid left fuch an aftion being once become public to all,
he fhould himfelt be in danger of punifhtnenf, for having been
the occafion of it, and having been the king's inftruftor in ac-
tions that were of ill reputation ; and he faid, that he might
worfhip God without being circumcifed, even though he did
refolve to follow the Jewifh law entireiy, which worfhip of
God was of a fuperior nature to circumcifion. He added,
that God would forgive him, though he did not perform the
operation, while it was omitted out of neceffity, and for fear
Chap. It. j ANTIQUITIES OF THE JEWS. 431
of his fubjets." So the king at that time complied with thefe
perfuafions of Ananias. But afterwards, as he had not quite
left off his defire of doing this thing, a certain other Jew that
came out of Galilee, whole name was Eleazar, and who was
efteemed very ikilful in the learning ot his country, perfuad-
ed him to do the thing ; for as he entered into his palace to fa-
lute him, and lourid him reading the law of Mofes, he faid to
him," Thou dolt not confider, O king, that thou unjuftly
breakefl the principal ot thole laws, and art injurious to God
liimfelf, [by omitting to be circumcifed ;] for thou oughteft
not only to read them, but chiefly to pra6tife what they enjoin
thee. How Ion;?; wilt thou continue uncircumcifed ? But if
thou haft not yet read the law about circumcifion, and dolt
not know how great impiety thou art guilty of by neglecting
it, read it now." When the king had heard what he {aid, he
delayed the thing no longer, but retired to another room, and
fent for a furgeon, and did what he was commanded to do.
He then fent for his mother, and Ananias his tutor, and in-
formed them that he had done the thing ; upon which they
were prefently ftruck with aftonifhment and tear, and that to
a great degree, left the thing mould be openly discovered and
cenfured, and the king fhould hazard the lots of his kingdom,
while his fubje61s would not bear to be governed by a man
who was io zealous in another religion ; and left they fhould
themfelves run fome hazard, becauie they would be fuppofed
the occafion of his fo doing. But it was God * himlelf who
hindered what they feared from taking effect ; for he preferv-
ed bothlzates himfelt, and his fons when they fell into aiany
dangers, and procured their deliverance when it feemed to be
impoflible, and demonftrated thereby, that the fruit of piety
does not perifh as to thofe that have regard to him, and fix
their faith upon him only. But thefe events we lhall relate
hereafter.
5. But as to Helena the king's mother, when fhe faw that
the affairs of Izates's kingdom were in peace, and that her fon
was an happy man, and admired among all men, and even a-
mong foreigners, by the means ot God's providence over him,
fhe had a mind to go to the city Jerufalem, in order to wor-
Ihip at that temple of God which was fo very famous among
all men, and to offer her thank-offerings there. So fhe defir-
ed her fon to give her leave to go tither :Upon which he gave
confent to what (he defired very willingly, and made great
preparation for her difmiflion, and gave her a great deal of
money, and fhe went down to the city Jerufalem, her fon con-
dueling her on her journey a great way. Now her coming
was of very great advantage to the people of Jerufalem ; for
* Jofephus is very full and exprefs in thefe throe chapters, iii. iv. and v. in ob-
ferving how carefully Divine Providence prefcrvjd this Izates, king ot Adiabene,
and his fons, while he did what he thought v;.u las b r .vjr.din duty, notwUhilancU
ing the ftrcr.g-ll politic*! mttivss to the
4^S ANTIQUITIES OF THE JSWS, [Book XX,
whereas a famine did opprefs them at that time, and many peo-
ple died for want of what was nccefiary to procure food with-
al, queen Helena fent fome of her fervants to Alexandria wilh
money to buy a great quantity of corn, and others of them to
Cyprus, to bring a cargo of dried iigs. And as foon as they
were come back, and had brought thofe provifions, which
was done very quickly, (he diftributed food to thofe that wen-
in want of it, and lett a mod excellent memorial behind her
of this benefaclion, which fhe bellowed on our whole nation.
And when her fon Izates was informed of this famine, he fent
great fums of money to the principal men in Jerufalem. How-
t-ver, what favours this queen and king conferred upon our
city Jerufalem (hall be farther related hereafter *.
CHAP. III.
How Artabanus the. King of Parthia, out of fear of the Jccrd
contrivances of his fuDJetls again jt him, went to Izates, and
was by him reinjlated in his Government ; as aljo how Barda-
nes, his fon denounced war again/I Izates.
I. tlUT now Artabanus king ot the Parthians, perceiv-
JL3 ing that the governors of the provinces, had framed
a plot againft him, did not think it fafe lor him to continue a-
mong them, but refolved to go to Izates, in hopes of finding
fome way for his prefervation by his means, and, if poffible,
for his return to his onw dominions. So he came to Izate?,
and brought a thoufand of his kindred and fervants with him,
and met him upon the road, while he well knew )zates, but
Izates, did not know him. When Artabanus Rood near him,
and, in the firft place, worfhipped him. according to the cul-
tom. he then faid to him : " O king, do not then overlook
me thy fervant, nor do thou proudly reject the fuit I make
thee ; for as I am reduced to a low effate, by the change of
fortune, and of a king am become a private man, I Hand in
need of thy alfiflance Have regard, therefore, unto the un-
certainty of fortune, and efteem the care thou fhalttake of me
to be taken of thy fell alfo ; for it I be neglefted and my fub-
jecls go offunpunifhed, many other fubjefts will become the
more infolent towards other kings alfo." And this fpeech
Artabanus made with tears in his eyes, and with a dejefcted
countenance. Now as foon as Izatesheard Artabanus's names,
and faw him (land as a fupplicant before him, he leaped down
irom his horfe immediately, and faid to him, "Take courage,
. * This farther account of t!:e bmrfaclions of Izates and Helena to the Jerufalem
jr->\"., which Jolcphus here promiies, is, I think, no where perforrreJ by him in
i.is p'efer.t wur'' s. But of this terrible famine itfelf in Jrdt-a, take L-r. Hudfon's
i-.cte here ; ' This (fays hr) is that famii e foretold by Agabus, Afts xi. 28 whicli
happened when Claiuiius WES con hi I the fourth time ; ar.d not that other which
Chap. III.] ANTIQUITIES OF THE JEWS. 433
O king, nor be difturbed at thy prefent calamity, as if it were
incurable ; for the change of thy fad condition (hall be fud-
den ; for thou (halt find me to be more thy friend and thy al-
fiitant than thy hopes can promife thee ; for 1 will either re-ef-
tablilh thee in the kingdom ot Parthia, or lofe my own."
2. When he had faid this, he lent Artabanus upon his horfe,
and followed him on toot in honour of a king whom he own-
ed as greater than himfelf ; which, when Artabaius faw, he
was very uneafy at it, and and fware, by his prefent fortune
and honour, that he would get down from his horfe, unlefs
Izates would ge-t upon his horfe again, and go before him.
So he complied with his defire, and leaped upon his horle ;
and, when he had brought him to his royal palace, he (hewed
him ail forts of refpe6l, when they fat together, and he gave
him the upper place at feftivals alfo, as regarding not his pref-
ent fortune, but his former dignity, and that upon this confid-
eration alfo, that the changes of fortune are common to all
men. He alfo wrote to the Parthians, to perfuade them to re-
ceive Artabanus again ; and gave them his right hand and his
faith, that he (hould forget what was pail and done, and that
he would undertake for this as a mediator between them. Now
the Parthians did not themfelves refufe to receive him again,
but pleaded that it was not now in theii power fo to dp ; be-
caufe they had committed the government to another perfon,
who had accepted of it, and whofe name was Oinnamus,. and
that they were afraid left a civil war (hould arife on this ac-
count. When Cinnamus undeHtood their intentions, he
wrote to Artabanus himfelt, for he had been brought up by
him, and was of a nature good and gentle alfo, and defired
him to put confidence in him, and to come and take his own
dominions again. Accordingly Artabanus truftad him, and
returned home ; when Cinnamus met him, worftnpped him,
and faluted him as king, and took the diadem off his own head,
and put it on the head ot Artabanus.
3. And thus was Artabanus reitored to his kingdom again
by the means of Izates, when he had loft it by the means of
the grandees of the kingdom. Nor was he unmindful ot the
benefits he had conferred upon him, but rewarded him with
fuch honours as were of greateft efteem among them ; tor he
happened when Claudius was conful the fccoad time, and Cxi'ina was his colleague,
as Scaligifr fays upon Eufebius, p. 174 " Now when Jolephus had laid a hale
afterward, ch. v. left. 2 that ' Tiberius Alexander fucceecied Cutpius Fadus as
procurator," he immediately fubjeins, That ;l under thcie procurators there hap-
pened a great famine in Judea.'' Whence it is plain that this famine ccntm;
inany years, on account ot ics duration under thole two procurators. Now Fadus
was not lent into juiiea til! after the death of king Agrip^a, i. e. towards the latur
end of the 4th year of Claudius ; io that this famine foretold by A^abus, happened,
upon the j,th, bin, and ;th years of Claudius, as lays Valerius on Euleb. II. 12.
Of this famine alfo, and queen Helena's iuppiies, and her monument, fee Moles
Chorenenlis, p. 144, 145, where it is obl'ervcd in the u.nes, that Paulaaias mentions
that her monutneut alfo.
VOL. II, G 3
ANTIQUITIES OF THE JEWS. [Book
gave him leaVe to wear his tiara upright *, and to fleep upon
a golden bed, which are privileges and marks ot honour pe-
culiar to the kings of Parthia. He alfo cut off a large and
fruitful country from the king of Armenia, and beftowed it
upon him. The name of the country is Nifibis, wherein the
Macedonian's had formerly built that city which they called
Antioch of Mygdonia. And thefe were the honours that
were paid Izates by the king of the Parthians.
4. But in no long time, Artabanus died, and left his king-
dom to his fon Bardanes. Now this Bardanes came to Izates,
and would have perfuadtd him to join him with his army, and.
to affift him in the war he-was preparing to make with the Ro-
mans ; but he could not prevail with him. For Izates fo well
knQw the ftrength and good fortune oi the Romans, that he
took Bardanes to attempt what was impoffible to be done ; and
having beiides lent his fons, five in number, and they but
young alfo, to learn accurately the language of -our nation,
together with our learning, as well as he had fent his mother
to worfhip at our temp'le as I' have laid already, was the more
backward to a compliance ; and restrained Bardanes, telling
him perpetually ot the great armies and famous actions of the
Romans, and thought thereby to terrify him, and defired thereby
to hinder him from that expedition. But the Parthian king was
provoked at this his behaviour, and- denounced war immedi-
ately again ft Izates: Yet did he gain no advantage by this
viar, becaufe God cut off all his hopes therein ; for the Par-
thians. perceiving Bardanes'S intentions, and how he had de-
termined to make war with the Romans, flew- him. and gave
his kingdom to his brother Gotarzes. He alfo, in no long
time, perifhed by a plot made agai-nil him and Vologafes, his
brother, fucceeded him. who committed two of his provinces
to two of his brothers, by- the fame father ; that of the Medef
to the elder, Pacorus, and Armenia to the youugfr, Tiridates.
C H A P. IV,
%jw liatfs was betrayed by his own Subjcfts, and fought a-
gainjl by the Arabians : And how Izates t by the. Providence -
of God, was delivered out of their hands*
I. TVTOW when the king's brother Monobazus, and hi
-1/N other kindred, faw how Izares, by his piety to God,
was become greatly efteemed by all men, they alfo had a de-
fire to leave the religion of their country, and to embrace the
cuftoms ot the Jew-s ; but that aft of theirs was discovered by
* This privilege of wearing the tiara upright, or with the tip o!" the cone ereft,
is known to have been of old peculiar to [great J kin^s, from Xcnoph >n and othc'v
^t-Df. Hudiou obfems here.
Chap. IV.] ANTIQUITIES OF THE JEWS.
Izates's fuhjefls. Whereupon the grandees were much dif-
pleafed, and could not contain their anger at them ; but ha<d
an intention, when they (hould find a proper opportunity, to
infli6t a punifhment upon them. Accordingly they wrote to
Abia, king of the Arabians, and promifed him great fums of
money, if he would make an expedition againft their king ;
and they farther promifed him, that, on the firft onfet, they
would defert their king, hecaufe they were defirous topunim
him, by reafon of the haired he had to their religious worlhip :
Then they obliged themfelves by oaths to he faithful to each
other, and defired that he would make ha'fte in this defign.
The king of Arabia complied with their deCres, and brought
: a great army into the-field, and marched againft Izates ; and,
in the beginning of the* firft onfet, and before they came to a
clofe fight, thole grandees, as if they had a panic terror upon,
them, all deferted izates, as they had agreed to do. and, turn-
ing their backs upon their enemies, ran away. Yet was not
Izates difmayed at this; but when he underftqod that the
grandees had betrayed him, he alfo retired into his camp, and
made inquiry into the matter ; and as foon as he knew who
they were that had made this confpiracy with the king of A-
rabia, he cut off thofe that were found guilty ; and renewing
the fight on the next day, he flew the greate/l part of his ene-
mies, and-iorced all the reft to betake themfelves to flight. He
alfo purfued their king and drove him into a fortrels called
Arfamus, and, following on the fiege vigoroufly, he took tha
fortreis. And when he had plundered it of all the prey that
was in it, which was not fmali, he returned to Adiabane : Yet
4id not he take Abia alive ; becaufe, when he found himfeif:
encompaffed on every fide, he flew himfeif.
2. But although the grandees of Adiabene had failed in their
.firft attempt, as being delivered up by God into their king's
hands, yet would they not even then be quiet, but wrote again
to Vologafes, who was then king of Parthia, and defired that
he would kill Izates, and let over them fome other potentate,
who fhould be of a Parthian lamily ; for they faid, That " they
hated their own king for abrogating the laws of their fore-
fathers, and embracing foreign cuftoms." When the king of
Parthia Heard this, he boldly made war upon Izates ; ana he
had juft pretence for this war, he lent to him, and demanded
back thofe honourable privileges which had been beftowed on
him by his father, and threatened, on his refufal, to make war
upon him. Upon hearing of this, Izates was under no fmaii
trouble of mind, as thinking it would be a reproach upon him
to appear to refign thofe privileges that had been bellowed
upon him, outot cowardice: yet becaufe he knew, that though
the king of Parthia fhould receive back thofe honours, yet
-would he not be quiet, he refolved to commit himfeif to God^
hisproteftor, in the prefcnt danger he was in of his life ; aafl
$s he efteemed him. to be his principal afiUlant,, he en
436 ANTIQUITIES OF THE JEWS. [Book XX.
his children and his wives to a very ftrong fortrefs, and laid
up his corn in his citadels, and fet the hay and the grafs on
fire. And when he had thus put things in order, as well as he
could, he awaited the coining ol the enemy. And when the
king of Parthia was come, with a.great army ot footmen and
horiemen, which he did iboner than was expected (tor he
marched in great hafle.) and had caft up a bank at the river
that parted Adiabene from Media ; Izates alfo pitched his
camp not tar off, having with him fix thoufand horfemen. But
there came a mefTenger to Izates, lent by the king of Parthia,
who told him, " How large his dominions were, as reaching
from the river Euphrates to Baclria and enumerated that king's
iubjecls : He alfo threatened him, that he fhould bepunifhcd,
as a perfon ungrateful to his lords ; and faid, that the God
whom he worlhipped could not deliver him out of the king's
hands." When the mefTenger had delivered this his mcllage,
Izates replied, That " he knew the king ot Parthia's power
was much greater than his own ; but ihat he knew alfo that
God- was much more powerful than all men." And when he
had returned him this anlwer, he betook himfelf to make fup-
plication* to God, and threw himfelf upon the ground, and
put afhes upon his head in teftimony ot his conlufion, and
tailed, together with his wives and children. When he call-
ed upon God, and faid, " QLord and Governor, ii 1 have not
in vain committed my felt to thy goodnefs, but have jull'y de-
termined that thou only art the Lord and principal ot oil be-
ings, crme now to my afiiilance, and defend me from v
emies, nut only on my own account, but on account oi
infolent behaviour with regard to thy power, while tb^y hav. 1 .
not iraied to lift up their proud and arrogant tongue a
thee." Thus did he lament and hemoan himfelf, wit!;
in his eyes ; whereupon God heard his prayer. And imme-
diately that very night Vob gales received letters, the contents
ot which were theie, that a great band of pah a; and Saha>, de-
fpifing him now be was gone fo long a journey from home,
bad made an expedition, and laid Pdrthia wade ; fo that fie
[ was forced to] rctiie back, without doing any thing. And,
thus it was that Izates efcaped the thrcatehings ot the Parthi-
ans, by the providence of God.
3. It was not long ere Izates died, when be bad completed
fifty-five years of his life, and had ruled his kingdom twenty-
four years. He left behind him twenty-tour fons and twenty -
four daughters. However, be gave order that his brother
Monobazus ihould lucceed in the government, thereby re-
quiting him, becaufe, while he was himfelf abfent, after their
* This mourning, and failing and praying ufed by Izates, with pro fl ration of
his body, and allies upon his head, are plain Tigris that he was liecorne either a jew,
or an Ebionite Chriltian, who indeed differed not much from proper fews. S-e
cfcap. vi. f> i. However, his fupplicatrons were heard, and he was j
^rlivered from that i in mine nt danger h was in.
Chap. V.] ANTIQUITIES OF THI JEWS, 437
father's death, he had faithfully preferved the government Jor
him. But when Helena, his mother heard of her fort's death,
fhe was in great heavinefs, as was but natural upon her lofs of
fuel) a moil dutituj fon ; yet was it a comfort to her, that fhe
hcaid the fucceflion came to her eldeftfon. Accordingly fhe
west to him in hafle ; and when fhe was come into Adiabene,
(he did not long outlive her fon Izates. But Monobazus lent
her bones, as well as thofeot Izates his brother, to Jerufalem,
and gave order that thej fbould be buried at the pyramids*,
wliKh their mother had ere6ted ; they were three in number,
and diflant more than three furlongs from the city Jerufalem.
15 ut tor the aftions of Monabazus the king; which he had dur-
ing the re It of his life, we will relate them hereaftert.
CHAP. V.
Concerning Theudas, and the Sons of Judas the Galilean : As
at/o what Calamity jell upon the Jtus on the Day oj the.
PaJ]o-uer.
i. I^TOW it came to pals, while Fadus was procurator of
i. N Judca, that a certain magician, whole name was
Theudas %, periuaded a great part ot the people to take their
effecls with them, and follow him to the river Jordan ; for
he told them he was a prophet, and that he would, by his own
command, divide the river, and afford them an eafy paffage
over it ; and many were deluded by his words. However.
JKatius did not permit him to wake any advantage of his wild
Attempt, but fent a troop of horfemen out againft them ; who,
Jailing upon them unexpectedly, Hew many otthem, and took
niany of them alive. They alfo took Theudas alive, and cut off
his head, and carried it to Jerufalem. This was what befel
the Jews in the time of Cufpius Fadus's government.
2. Then came Tiberius Alexander as fucceflbr to Fadus;
he was the fon ot Alexander the Alabarch of Alexandria,
which Alexander was a principal perfon among all his con-
fempories, both for his family and wealth: He was alfo more
eminent for his piety than this his fon Alexander, for he did
not continue in the religion of his country. Under thefe
procurators that great famine happened in Judea, in which
* Thcfe pyramids or pillars, erefled by Helena, queen of Adiabene, rear Jer;;-
falem, three in number.' are mentioned hy Eul'ebius, in his Ecclei". Hi ft. B. II. ch,
\vh:rh Dr Hurt)'')'; reters us to \ slrfuis's notes upon that place. They rr.-
:tioi:t(i hy P?,iiiiinia;. a 5>r:th bec;i already noted, chap, ii ^ 6. Kt!a:; i
guefii-s that that now called Abfalom 1 s piUw may be one of them.
t This account is now wai t
\ This Thrndas. wfioai Tad us the procurator, about A. D. 45 or $. ,
not he thst Theudas who arole in the days (if the taxir;:, un^cr <"\
or about A. I) 7 Afts v 36, >'- Who tbat earlier T h<ud?? \^:' c . '
B.xyii.ch. x., 5 . Vol. ii. '
43& ANTIQUITIES OF THE JEWS. [Book XX,
queen Helena bought corn in Egypt at a great expence, anl
diftributed it to thofe that were in want, as 1 have related al-
ready. And befides this the fons of Judas of Galilee were
now Cain, I mean ot that Judas who caufed the people to re-
volt, when Cyrenius came to take an account of the eftates ot
the Jews, as we have fhewed in a foregoing book. The
names ot thofe fons were James and Simon, whom Alexan-
der commanded to be 'Crucified. But now Herdd, king of
Chalcis, removed Jofeph, the fon of Camydus, from the
high-prieithood and made Ananias, the ion of Nebedus his
fucceffor. And now it was that Cumanus came afuccefforto
Tiberius Alexander ; as alfo that Herod, brother ot Agrippa
the great king, departed this life, in the eighth year of the
reign ot Claudius Casfar. He Jeft behind him three fons,
Anftobulus, whom he had by his firft wife, with Bernicta-
nus, and Hircanus, both whom he had by Bernice his broth-
er's daughter. But Claudius Cacfar beflowed his dominions
on Agrippa junior.
3. Now while the Jewifh affairs were under the adminif.
tjration of Camanus, there happened a great tumult at the city
of Jerufalem, and many of the Jews p<-rifhed therein. But
I (ball firft explain the occafion whence it was derived.
When that feait, which is called the PafTover, was at hand,
at which tine our cuftomisto ufe unleavened bread, and a great
multitude was gathered together, frorr all parts to that feaft, Cu-
manus wasafraid left fame attempt ot innovation fhould then be
made by them ; fo he ordered that one regiment of the army
ihould take their arms, and Rand in the temple cloifters, to re-
preis any attempts of innovation, if perchance any fuch
ihould begin ; and this was no more than what the former
procurators ot Judca did at fuch ieftivals. But on the fourth
day of the teaft, a certain foidjer let down his breeches, and
expend his privy members to the multitude, which put thofe
that faw h;:n inio a lurious rage, and made them cry out, that
this impious afction was not done to reproach them, but God
him fell ; nay fome of them reproached Cumanus and pre-
tended that the foldier was fet on by him, which, when Cu-
marius heard, he was aHo hitnfelf not a little provoked at fuch
reproaches laid upon him ; yet did he exhort them to leave
oft inch feditious attempts, and not to raife a tumult at the
feftival. But when he could not induce them to be cjuiet, for
they ft ill went on in their reproaches to him, he gave order
that the whole army (hould take their entire armour, and come
to Antonia, which was a iortrefs as we have faid already,
which overlooked the temple ; but when the multitude
the ioldiers there, they were affrighted at them, and ran away
hallily ; but as the paffages out were but narrow, and ss they
thought their enemies followed them, they were crowded to-
gether in their flight, and a great number Were preffed to death
in thofe narrow paffages ; nor indeed was the num-ber fewer
Chap. VI.] ANTIQUITIES or THB
than twenty thoufand that perimed in this tumult. So in-
itead of a feftival, they had at laft a mournful day of it; and
they all of them forgot their prayers and facrifices, and be-
took themfelves to lamentation and weeping ; fo great an af-
fliciion did the impudent obfcenenels of a fingle foldier bring
upon them *.
4 Now before this their firft mourning was over, another
mifchief befel them alfo ; tor fome of thofe that raifed the
foregoing tumult, when they were travelling along the pub-
lie road, about an hundred furlongs from the city, robbed
Stephanus a fervant of Cacfar, as he wa journeying, and
plundered him of all that he had with him. Which things
when Cumanus heard of, he Tent foldiers immediately, and'
ordered them to plunder the neighbouring villages, and to
bring the moil eminent perfony among them in bonds to him.
Now as this devaluation was making, one ot the foltliers feiz-
ed the laws of Mofes that lay in one of thofe villages, and
brought them out before the eyes of all prefent, and tore them
to pieces ; and this was done with reproachful language, and
much fcurrility. Which things when the Jews heard of, they
ran together, and that in great numbers, and came down to
Cclarea, where Cumanus then was, and befought him, that
he would avenge, not themfelves, but God himfeif, whofe
laws had been affronted ; for that they could not bear to live
any longer, if the lawsot their- forefathers mufl be affronted
after this manner. Accordingly Cumanus out of fear left the
multitude mould go into a fedition, and by the advice of his
friends alfo, took care tliat the foldier who had offered the af-
front to the laws fhould be beheaded, and thereby put a flop
to the fedition which was ready to be kindled a fecond time.
CHAP. VI.
Haw there kapbcned a Quarrel between the Jews and' the. Sama~
ritans, anctkotu Claudius put an End to their Differences.
i. T^TOW there arofe a quarrel between the Samaritans
IN and the Jews on occafion following : It was the
cuftom of the Galileans, when they came <o the holy city at
the feftivals, to take their journeys through the country of the
Samaritans t ; and at this time there lay, in the road they took,
a village that was called Ginoa, which was fituatedinthe limits
* This, and many more tumults and [editions, which arofe at the Jew Llh fefti-
vals, in Joiephus, illuftraie trut cautious procedure of the Jewilh governors, wt
they fa id, Malt >;xvi. 5. '-Let us not take jeius on the feaft-day, lelt there i>e
au uproar among the people;" as Reland well obierves on this place. Jofcpuus
9lto takes noiiceof the time th:ng, Of the War, B. I. ch. iv. (, 3 Vol. III.
t This contbnt paffage of ths Galileans through the country of Samaria, as they
-went to JudOa and jemlaicm, iliu-Ual^ i'?yeral paffagej iu the gpioeis K( UK l*ft
440 ANTIQUITIES O? THE JEWS. [Book XX.
of Samaria and the great plain, where certain perfons thereto
belonging fought with the Galileans, and killed a great many
of them. But, when the principal of the Galileans were in-
formed of what had been done, they came to Cumanus, and
defired him to avenge the murderer of thofe that were killed ;
but he was induced by the Samaritans, with money, to do
nothing in the matter : Up'm which the Qa'HIeans were much
difpleaTed, and perfauded the multitude of the Jews to betake
themfelves to arms, and to regain their liberty, fay ing, That'' (la-
very was in itfelf a bitter thing but that, when it was joined
with direft injuries, it was perfectly intolerable." And when
their principal men endeavoured to pacify them, and prom-
ifed to endeavour to perfuade Cumanus to avenge thofe that
were killed, they would not hearken to them, but took their
weapons, and entreated the afliftance of Eleazer, the fon of
Dineus, a robber, who had many years made his abode in the
mountains, with which affi fiance they plundered many vil-
lages of the Samaritans. When Cumanus heard of this ac-
tion ot theirs, he took the band of Sebafte, with four regi-
ments of footmen, and armed the Samaritans, and marched
out againft the Jews, and caught them, and flew many of them
and took a greater number ot them alive . Whereupon thofe
that were the moft eminent perfons at Jerufalem, and that
both in regard of the refpefl that was paid them, and the
families they were of, as foon as they faw to what an height
things were gone, put on fackclothj and heaped afhes upon
their heads, and by all poflible means befoiight the fedi-
tious, and perfuaded them that they would fet before their
eyes the utter fubverfion * of their country, the conflagration
of their temple, and the flavery of them'felves their wives
and children, which would be the confequences of what they
were doing, and would alter their minds, would caft away
their weapons, and for the future be quiet, and return to their
own homes. Thefe perfuafions of theirs prevailed upon them.
So the people difperfed themfelves, and the robbers vyent a-
way again to their places ot itrength ; and after this time all
Judea was over-ran with robberies.
2. But the principal ot the Samaritans went to UmmidiuS
Quadratus the prefident ot Syria, who at that time was at
1 yre, and accufed the Jews of fetting their villages on fire, and
plundering them ; and faid withal, That '' they were not fo
much difpleafed at what they had luffered, as they were at the
purpofe, as Dr Hudfon rightly obferves. See Lake xvii t. John iv. 4.. See alfo
Jofephas in his own life, ^ 52. Vol. II. where that journey is ciccerm'mud to three
days.
* Our Saviour had foretold, that the Jews' rejection of his gofpel would bring
upon them, among other miferies, thefe three, which they themfelves here fhev-/,
they expecled, would be the confequences of their prefeut tumults and (editions ;
the utter iubverfion of their country, tin; conflagration of their temple,
ery of themfeives, their wives an'd chilur-'n. See Luke xxi. 6 2 >
Chap, VI.] ANTIQUITIES OF THE JEWS. 441
contempt thereby {ho wed the Romans ; while, if they hac? re-
ceived any injury, they ought to have made them the judges
of what had been done, and not prefentlv to make fuch de-
vafration, as if they had not the Romans for their governors ;
on which account they came to him, in order to obtain that
vengeance they wanted.'* This was the accufation which the
Samaritans brought againftthe Jews, But the Jews affirmed,
that the Samaritans were the authors of this tumult and
ing, and that, in the firff place, Cumanus had been corrupt-
ed by their gifts, anH pa (Ted over the murder of tho'e that- wen;
flain, in filence. Which allegations when Cjuadratus heard,
he put off the hearing of the caufe, and promiied that he would
give fentence when he fhould come into Judea, and fhould
have a more exaft knowledge of the truth ot that matter. So
thefe men went away without fuccefs. Yet was it not long
ere Quadratus came to Samaria, where, upon hearing the caufe,
he fuppofed that the Samaritan's were the authors of that dif-
turbance. But, when he was informed that certain of the
Jews were making innovations, he ordered thofe to be cruci-
fied whom Cumanus had taken captives. From whence he
went to a certain village called Lyddia, which was not lefs
than a city in largenefs, and there heard the Samaritan caufe
a fecond time before his tribunal, and there learned from a
certain Samaritan, that one of the chief of the Jews, whofe
name wa&Dortus, and fome other innovators with him.
in number, perfuaded the multitude to a revolt from the Ro-
mans ; whom Quadratus ordered to be put to death : But it ill
he fent away Ananias the high-pfieft, and Ananus the com-
mander [of the temple}, in bonds to R'ome, to give an ac-
count or what they had done to Claudius Caefar. He allb or-
dered the principal men both of the Samaritans and of the
Jews, as alfo Cumanus the procurator, and Celer the tribune,
to goto Italy to the Emperor, that he might hear their caufe,
and determine their differences one with another. But he
came again to the city ot Jerufalem, out of his tear that the
multitude of the Jews fhould attempt fome innovations ; but
he found the city in a peaceable Hate, and celebrating one of
the ufual feftivals of their country to God, So he believed
that they would not attempt any innovations, and left them at
the celebration o\ the feftival, and returned to Antipch,
3. Now Cumanus, andthe principal of the Samaritans, who
were fent to Rome, had a day appointed them by the emperor,,
whereon they were to have pleaded their Caufe about the quar-
rels they had one with another. But now Caefar's freed- men,
and his friends, were very zealous on the behalf ot Cumanus
and the Samaritans ;and they had prevailed over the Jews, un-
lefs Agrippa junior who vvas then at Rome, had feen the
principal of the Jews hard iet, and had earneftly entreated A-
giippina, the emperor's wife, to perfuaded her hufband to hear
' he caufe, Jo as was agreeable to his juftice, and to condemn
VOL H 3
443 ANTIQUITIES OF THE JEWS. [Book XX,
thofe to be puniflied who were really the authors of this revolt
from the Roman government. Whereupon Claudius was fo
welldifpofed beforehand, that when he had heard the caufe,
and found that the Samaritans had been the ringleaders in thofe
mifchievous doings he gave order, that thofe who came up
to him mould be flam, and that Cumanus mould be banifhed.
He alfo gave order, that Celer the tribune mould be carried
back to Jerufalem, and mould be drawn through the city la-
the fight of all the people, and then mould be flain,
CHAP. VII.
Felix is made procurator cj Judea ; as alfo concernin
fa junior, and his Sifters.
i. QO Claudius lent Felix, the brother ot Pallans, totake
O care oi the affairs of Judea ; and, when he had already
completed the twelfth year of his reign, he had bellowed upon
Agrippa the tetrarchy of Philip, and Batanea.and added there-
to Trachonitis, with Abila ; which laft had been :he tetrarchy
ofLyfanias; but he took from him Chalcis, when he had
been governor thereof four years. And, when Agrippa
had received thefe countries as the gift of Casfar, he gave his
fifter Drufilla in marriage to Azizus, king of Emefa, upon his
confent to be circumciied ; for Epiphanes, the fon ot King
Antiochus, had refufed to marry her, becaufe, after he had
promifcd her father formerly to come over to the Jewifh reli-
gion, he would not now perform that promife. He alfo gave
Mariamne in marriage to Archelaus, the fon of Helcias, to
whom flie had been betrothed formerly by Agrippa her fath-
er ; from which marriage was derived a daughter, whofe
name was Ben.
2. But for the marriage of Drufilla with Azizus, it was in
no longtime afterward diffolved upon the following occafion :
While Felix was procurator of Judea, he faw this Drufilla,
and fell in love with her ; for fhe did indeed exceed all other
women in beauty ; and he fent to her a perfon whofe name
was Simon *, one ot his friends ; a Jew he was, and by birth
a Cypriot, and one who pretended to be a magician, and en-
deavoured to perfuade her to forfake her prefent hufband, and
* This Simon, a friend of Felix, a jcv/, born in Cyprus, though he pretended
to be a magician, and (terns to have been wicked enough, could hardly be that fa-
roous Simon the magician, in the Ads of the ApoiUes, viii. 9, &c. as fome are
ready to fuppoie. This Simon mentioned in the Acls was not properly a jew,
1 ut a Samaritan, of the town ot Gittae, in the country ot Samaria, as the Apoilol-
>ons, X' I. 7. the Recognitions of Clement. 11.6 and juftin Maityr,
born in the country of Samaria, Apology, I. 34. informs us. He was al-
i\> the author, not of any ancient Jewish, but of the firft Gentile ticreiies, as the fore-
n;entioned authors allure us. So I iuppoie him a different perfon from the ether.
'1 !t van tfc:s only upon the hypothecs, that Joiephus were uot mifntformed as to
Chap. VII.] ANTIQUITIES OF THE JEWS. 443
snarry him ; and promifed, that, if (he would not refufe him,
he would make her a happy woman. Accordingly fhe aOed
ill, and becaufe (he was defirous to avoid her filler Bernicc's
envy, For (he was very iH treated by her on account of her
beauty, was prevailed upon to tranfgrefs the laws ot her fore-
fathers, and to marry Felix : and, when he had had afon by her,
he named him Aprippa. But after what manner that young
man, with his wife, perimed at the conflagration * of the
mountain Vefuvius, in the days of Titus Caefar, (hall be re-
'ated hereafter f .
3. But as for Bernice, fhe lived a widow a long while af-
ter the death of Herod [king of Chalcis,] who was both her
hufband and her uncle ; but, when the report went that
ihe had criminal converfation with her brother, [Agrippa jun-
ior], (he perfuaded Polerao, who was king of Cilicia, to be
circumcifed, and to marry her, as fuppofing, that by this
means fhe mould prove thofe calumnies upon her to be falfe ;
and Polemo was prevailed upon, and that chiefly on account
ot her riches. Yet did not this matrimony endure long ; but
Bernice left Polemo, and, as was faid, with impure intentions.
So he forfook at once this matrimony, and the Jewifh reli-
gion: And at the fame time Mariamne put away Archelaus,
and was married to Demetrius, the principal man among the
Alexandrian Jews both for his family and his wealth ; and in-
deed he was then their alabarch. So (he named her fon, whom
ihe had by him, Agrippinus. But of all thefe particulars we
(hall hereafter treat more exaftly.J
his being a Cypriot jew ; for olherwife the time, the name, the profession, and
I .cdnels of them both, would ftrongly incline one to believe them the very
fanu- As to that Drufilla the filler of Agrippa junior, as jofephus informs us
here, and a jewefs, as St Luke informs us, Ails xxiv. 24. whom this Simon men-
tioned by Jofephus, perfuaded to leave her former husband, Azizus, king of Eme-
fd, a pvolelyte of jufUce, and to marry Felix, the Heathen procurator of Judea,
Tacitus, Hift. I'. 9. ir.ppofa her to be an heathen, and the grand-daughter of
Antonius and Cleopatra, contrary both to St Luke and Jofephus. Now Tacitus
lived fomewhat too remote both as to time and place, to be compared with either
of thofe J ewish writers, in a matter concerning the jews in judea in tlieir own
days, and concerning a fifter of Agrippa junior, with which Agrippa jotephus
was himfelf fo well acquainted. It is probable thst Tacitus may fay true when he
informs us, that this Felix (who had in all three wives, or queens, rs Suetonius in
Claudius, left. 28 affures us) did once marry fuch a grandchild of Antonius and
Cleopatra ; and, finding the name of one of them to have been Drufilla, he miftook
her for that other wife, whofe name he did not know.
* This eruption of Vefuvius was one of the greateft we have in hiftory. See Bi-
anchini's curious and important obfervations on this Vefuvius, and its feven fever-
al great eruptions, with their remains vitrified, and ftil! exifting, in fo many differ-
*ntjirata under ground, till the diggers came to the antediluvian waters, with their
proportionable interftices, implying the deluge to have been above 2500 years b*>
I'ore the Chriftian aera, according to our exafteft chronology,
f This is now wanting.
$ This alio if now wanting.
444 ANTIQUITIES O? THE JEWS. [Book XX.
CHAP. VIII.
After zvhat manner, upon the Death of Claudius, Nero fucceed'
ed in the Government ; as alfo what Barbarous things he did.
Conetrning the Robbers, Murderers, and I/npoflors, that a-
roje, white Felix and Fejlus were Procurators of Judea.
I. "rVTOW Claudius Caefar died when he had reigned thir-
L il teen years eight months and twenty days * ; and a
report went about, that he was poifoned by his wife Agrippi-
na. Her father was Germanicus, the brother of Casfar. Her
hufband was Domitius ^nobarbus, one of the moft illullri-
ous perfons that was in the city of Rome ; after whofe death,
and her own long continuance in widowhood, Claudius took
her to wife, She brought along with her a fon, Domitius, of
the fame narne with his father. He had before this flain his
wife Mattaiina out of jealou: om he had had his chil-
dren Britannicus and Octavia ; their elcleft filler was Antonia,
whom he had by Peliraa his firil wife. He alfo
via to Nero ; for that was the name that Casfar gave him af-
terward, upon his adopting him for I
2, Bu.t nowAgrippina was afraid, left whenBritahru
come to man's ellate, he fhorJ.d fucceed his tather in the gov-
ernment, and defired to feixe upon the principality before
hand lor her own {on [Nero ;j upon wh ,>ort went,
that fhe thence coropafled the death of Claudius. According-
ly (h:> fent Bun hus the general of the army, immediately, and
with him the tribunes, and fuch alfo of the ireed men a.s
oi the greateft authority, to bring Nero away into the camp,
and to ialute him emperor. And when Nero had thus obtain-
ed the government, he got Britannicus to be fo poifoned, that
the multitude fhould not perceive it ; although he publicly put
his own mother to death not long afterward, making her this
requital, not only for being born ot her, but by bringing it fo
about by her contrivances, that he obtained the Roman em-
pire. He alfo flew Oftavia his own wife, and many other il-
Juftrious perfons, under this pretence that they ploted againil
him.
3. But I omit any farther difcourfe about thefe affairs ; tor
there have been a great many who have compoled the hirtory
of Nero ; fome of which have departed from the truth of fafls
out of favour, as having received benefits from him ; while
:'s, out of hatred to him, and the great ill will which they
bare him, have fo impudently ravecf againft him with their
lies, that they juftly deferve to be condemned. Nor do I
* 1. -f the reign of Claudius agrees with Die, as Dr Hudfon here
remarks; ES hi- aUo remarks, that Nero's narne, which was at hril /.. -'
after Claudius had adopted him, was Nerc C'.audixs Caafar
Chap. VIII.] ANTIQUITIES OP THB JEWS. 445
\vonder at fuch as have told lies of Nero, fince they have not
in their writings preferred the truth of hiftory astothofe facts
tlv;t were earlier than his* time, even when the aftors could
luve no way incurred their hatred, fince thofe writers lived a
long time alter them. But, as to thofe that have no regard to
truth, they may write as they pleafe ; for in that they take de-
. But as to ourjelves, who have made truth our direft
aim, we (nail briefly touch upon what only belongs remotely
to this undertaking, bat (hall relate what hath happened to us
Jews with great accuracy, and (hall not grudge our paing in
giving an account both of the calamities we have fuffered, and
ot the crimes we have been guilty of. I will now therefore
return to the relation ot our own affairs.
4 For in the firfl year ot the reign of Nero, upon the death
of Azizus, king of Emefa, S.oemus * his brother f uccceded in
his kingdom, and Ariftobulus, the fon of Herod, king of Chal-
cis, was intruded by Nero with the government of LefTer Ar-
menia. Crefar alfo beftowed on Agrippa a certain part of
Galilee, Tiberias t, and Tarichese and ordered them to fub-
mit to his iurifdiction. He gave him alfo Julias, a city of
Perea, witTi fourteen villages that lay about it.
5. Now, as for the affairs of the Jews, they grew worfe and
worfe continually ; tor the country was again filled with rob-
beries, and importers who deluded the multitude. Yet did
Felix catch, and' put to death many of thofe impoftors every
any, together v/ifh the robbers. He alfo caught Eleazer, the
fon of Dineas, who had gotten together a company ot rob-
bers ; and this he did by treachery ; for lie gave him aflurance,
that he fhould fuffer no harm, and thereby periuaded him to
come to him ; but when he came he bound him, and fent him
to Rome. Felix alfo bore an ill-will to Jonathan the high
prieft, becaufe he frequently gave him admonitions about gov-
erning the Jewifh affairs better than he did, left he fhould
himfelt have complaints made of him by the multitude, fiwce
he it was who had defired Caefar to fend him as procurator 'of
Judea. So Felix contrived a method whereby he might get
rid of him, now he was become fo continually troublefome to
him ; for fuch continual admonitions are grievous to thofe
who are difpofed to a unjuftly. Wherefore Felix perfuad-
ed one of Jonathan's mod faithful friends, a citizen ot Jeru-
falem, whole name was Doras, to bring the robbers upon Jon-
athan, in order to kill him ; and this he did by promifing to
give him a great deal of money for fo doing. Doras compli-
>ed with the propofal, and contrived matters fo, that the robbers
* This Soemus is elfewhere mentioned [by Jofephus in his own Life, fe&. n.
Vol. 1 1. as alfoj by Dio Caflius and Tacitus, as Dr Hudfon informs us.
"* This agrees with Jofephus's frequent accounts clfcwhere in his own Life, that
Tiberias, and Tariche*, and Gamala, were under this Agrippa junior, till juftus,
the ion of Piftus, ieized upon them fur the Jews upon the breaking out of the
v'ar.
446 ANTIQUITIES OF THE JEWS. [Book XX,
after the following manner : Certain of
ent up to the city, as if they were going to
while they had daggers under their garments,
s mingling themfelves among the multitude, they
Jonathan*, and as this murder was never avenged, the
robbers went up with the greateft fecurity at the feftivals after
this time, and having weapons concealed in like manner as be-
fore, and mingling themfelves among the multitude they flew
certain ol their own enemies, and were fuhfervient to other
men for money, and flew others, not only in remote parts of
the city, but in the temple itfelf alfo ; for they had the bold-
nefs to murder men there, without thinking of the impiety of
which they were guilty. And this feems to me to have been
the reafons why God, out of his hatred of thefe mens wicked-
nefs, rejected our city ; and as for the temple, he no longer
efteemed it fufficienuy pure tor him to inhabit therein, but
brought the Romans upon us, and threw a fire upon the city
to purge it, and brought upon us, our wives, and children,
flavery, as defirous to make us wifer by our calamities.
6. Thefe works, that were done by the robbers, filled the
city with all forts ot impiety. And now thefe -Pimpoftors
and deceivers perfuadcd the multitude to follow them into the
* Tliis treacVrni:^ : ,u> murder of the good rti^h-prieft Jonathan, by
the contrivance of tbj -->c urator Felix, was the immediate occafion of the
enfuing mur r ruffians, and one great caufe of the following hor-
rid cruelties siid inileries of (K- has here iuppofcs ; whofc
excellent reflection on the grofs wickednefs of that nation, as the <iirel caufe of
their terrible de.fi ruftion, is ve'i worthy the attention of every Jewish, and of eve-
ly Chriftian reader. And, fine-' v/e are toon coming to the catalogue of the Jewish
high-prieft.3, it may not beamifs, with Reland, (o infert this Jonathan among them,
and to tranfcribe his particular catalogue of the laft twenty-eight high-priefts, ta' ea
out of Jofephus, and begin with Anauelus, who was made by Herod the Great.
See Antiq B XV. ch. ii. left. 4. Vol. II. and the note there.
i. Ananelus. 15 Theophilus, his brother, and for)
3. Ariftobulus. of Ananus.
3. Jefus, the fon of F <! 16 Simon, the fon of Boethus.
4. Simon, the fon of Boethus. 17. MaHhias, the brother of Jona-
5. Matthias, the f^/n of Theophilu^. than, arri Ion of Ananus.
6. Joazar, the foR of Boe thus. :8 Aljon
7. Eleazar, the fon of Boethus. 19. Jolephus, the fon of Camydus.
8 yefns, the fon of Sie 20. Ananias, the ion of Nebedeus.
9. [Annas, or] Ananus, the fon of 21 ]c>m< :
Seth 22 Ifmael, the fon of Fabi.
10. Iftnael, the fon of Fabus. 23. JoTeph Cabi, the fon of Simon,.
1 j. Eleazar, the fon of Ananus. 24. Aaanus, the fon of Ananus.
12. Simon, the fon of Camithus. 25 Jefus, the Ion of Damneus.
13. Jofephus Caiaphas, the fon-in-law 26. fefus, the fon of Gameliei.
f.o Ananus. 27. Matthias, the fon of Theophihis,
34.. Jonathan, the fon of Anapus. 28- Phannias, the fon ot Samuel.
As for Ananus, and Jofeph Caiaphas, here mentioned about the middle of this
catalogue, they are no other than thofe Annas and Caiaphas, fo often mentioned in
the four gofpels ; and that Ananias, the fon of Nebedeus, was that high-prieft be-
fore whom St. Paul pleaded his o'vn caufe, Als xxiv.
Of thefe Jewish importers and talfe prophets, with many other circumftaneen
Chap. VIII.] ANTIQUITIES OF TMI JEWS; 447
wildernefs, and pretended that they would exhibit maniFeft
wonders and figns, that fhould be performed by the provi-
dence of God. And many that were prevailed on by thetn
fuffered the punifhments ot their folly ; for Felix brought
them back, and then punifhed them. Moreover, there came
out of Egypt * about this time to Jerufalera, one that faid he
was a prophet, and adviied the multitude of the common peo-
ple to go along with him to the Mount of Olives, as it was
called, which lay over againft the city, and at the diftance of
five furlongs. He faid farther, that he would (hew them from
hence, how, at his command, the walls of Jerusalem would
fall down ; and he promifed them, that he would procure
them an entrance into the city through thofe walls, whei> they
were fallen down. Now, when Felix was informed of thele
things, he ordered his foldiers to take their weapons, and come
againft them, with a great number of horfemen and footmen,
from Jerufalem, and attacked the Egyptian and the people
that were with him. He aHo flew four hundred of them, and
took two hundred alive. But the Egyptian himfelt efcaped
out of the fight, but did not appear any more. And again
the robbers ftirred up the people to make war with the Ro-
mans, and faid, they ought not to obey them at all ; and when
any perfon would not comply with them, they fet fire to their
villages, and plundered them.
7, And now it was that a great fedition- arofe between the
Jews that inhabited Cefarea, and the Syrians who dwelt there
a'lfo, concerning, their equal right to the privileges belonging
to citizens, for the Jews claimed the pre-eminence, becaufe
Herod their king was the builder of Cefarea, and becaufe he
was by birth a Jew, Now the Syrians didnot deny what was
alledged about Herod ; but they faid, that Cefarea was former-
ly called Strato's tower, and that then there was not one Jew-
ifh inhabitant. When the prefidents of that country heard of
thefe diforders, they caught the authors ot them on both fides,
and tormented them with flripes, and by that means put a
flop to the disturbance for a time. But the Jewifh citizens
depending on their wealth, and on that account defpifmg the
Syrians, reproached them again, and hoped to provoke them
by fuch reproaches. However, the Syrians, though they
were inferior in wealth, yet valuing themfelves highly on this
account, that the greatelt part of Roman foldiers that were
there, \vere either of Cefarea or Sebalte, they a4fo for fome
time ufed reproachful language to the Jews ailb ; and thus it
was, till at length they came to throwing {tones at one anoth-
ther, and feveral were wounded, and fell on both fides, though
Hill the Jews were the conquerors. But wnen Felix faw that
and miferics of the Jews, till their utter deftruftion, foretold by our Saviour. Ses
Lit. Accompl of Proph. p. 58 7;.
* Of this Egyptian iin.; :rs in Jofcph
448 ANTIQUITIES OF THE JEWS. [Book XX,
this quarrel was become a kind of war, he came upon (hem
on the fudden, and defired the Jews to defift ; and when they
refufed fo to do, he armed his foldiers, and lent them out up-
on them, and flew many of them, and took more of them a-
live, and permitted his foldiers to plunder fomc of the ';:
of the citizens, which were tull of riches; Now thofe Jews that
were more moderate, and of principal dignity among them,
v ere afraid of themfelves, and defired of Felix that he v
found a retreat to his foldiers, and ipare them for the future,
and afford them room for repentance for what they had done ;
and Felix was prevailed upon to do (o.
8. About this time king Agrippa gave the high priefi;
to ifmael, who was the fon of Fabi, And now arofe a (edi-
tion between the high pi lefts and the principal men of the
multitude of jerufalem ; each of which got them a con
o! the boldefl fort of men, and of thofe that loved innovations,
about them, and became leaders to them ; and when they ftrug-
gled together, they did it by catting reproachful words againft
one another, and by throwing flones alfo. And there was no
body to reprove them ; but thefe disorders were done after a
licentious manner in the city as if it had no government over
it. And fuch was the impudence * and boldnefs that had feiz-
ed on the high priefts, that they had the hardinefs to lend their
fervants into the threfhing floors, to take away thofe tithes
that were due to the priefts, info,much that it fo fell out. that
the poorer fort of the priefts died for want. To this degree
did the violence of the {editions prevail over all right and juf-
tice !
9. Now, when Porcius Fcflus was fent as fucceflbr to Felix
by Nero, the principal ot the Jewilh inhabitants of Cefare;i
went up to Rome to accufe Felix ; and he had certainly been
brought to punifhment, unlefs Nero had yielded to the impor-
tunate felicitations of his brother Pallas, who was at that time*
had in the greateft honour by him. Two of the principal
Syrians in Cefarea perfuaded Burrhus, who was Nero's :
and fecretaiy for his Greek epiftles by giving him a great
fum of money, to difannul that equality ot the Jewilh privil-
eges of citizens which they hitherto enjoyed. So Burrhus,
by his Coliciiatidns, obtained leave of the emperor, that an e-
piftle mould be written to that purpofe. This epifHe bet
the occafion ot the following mifciies that befel our nat
for, when the Jews of Cefarea were informed of the con
of this epiille to the Syrians, they were more diforderly than
before, till a war was kindled,
10. Upon Feltus's coming into Judea, it happened that Ju-
dea was afflicled by die robbers, while all the villag;
* Tl'i
should | riefts, as to iiarve the r-
Chap. VIII.] ANTIQUITIES OF TH1 JEV7I. 44$
on fire, and plundered by them, And then it was that the Si-
carii, as they were called, who were robbers, grew numerous,
They made ufe of Imall fwords, not mucn different in length
from the Perfian acinaca, but fomewhat crooked, and like
the Roman_/?r# for ficklesj, as they were called : And from
thofe weapons thefe robbers got their denomination ; and with
thofe weapons they flew a great many ; for they mingled
themfelves among the multitude at their feftivals, when they
were come up in crowds from all parts to the city to worfhip
God, as we laid before, and eafily (lew thoie that they had a
mind to flay. They alfo came frequently upon the villages
bdonging to their enemies, with their weapon?, and plundered
them, and fet them on fire. So Fellus fent forces, bothhorfe-
tnen and footmen, to tall upon thofe that had been Jeduced
by a certain impoftor, who promifed them deliverance and
freedom from the miferies they were under, if they would but
follow him as far as the wildernefs. Accordingly thofe for-
ces that were fent deflroyed both him that had deluded them,
and thofe that were his followers alfo.
II. About the fame time king Agrippa built himfelf a very
large dining-room in the royal palace at Jerufalem, near to the
portico. Now this palace had been erefted of old by the
children of Afamoneus, and was fituate upon an elevation 4
and afforded a moft delightful profpet to thofe that had a mind
to take a view of the city which profpect was defired by the
king ; and there he could lie down, and eat, and thence ob-
ferve what was done in the temple : Which thing, when the
chief men of Jerufalem faw, they were very much difpleafed
at it ; for it was not agreeable to the inftitutions ot our coun-
try or law, that what was done in the temple fhould be viewed
by others, efpecially what belonged to the facrifices. They
therefore erefted a wall upon the uppermofl building which
belonged to the. inner-court ot the temple towards the weft,
which wall, when it was built, did not only intercept the
profpecl of the dining-room in the palace, but alfo of the weft-
ern cloifters that belonged to the outer-court of the temple
alfo, where it was that the Romans kept guards for the tem-
ple at the feftivals. At thefe doings both king Agrippa, av'd
principally Feftus the procurator, were much difpleafed; and
Feftus ordered them to pull the wall down again ; but the
Jews petitioned him to give them leave to fend an arobaffage
about this matter to Nero ; for they iaid they could not en-
dure to live if any part ot the temple fhould be demolifhed :
And when Feftus had given them leave fo to do, they fent
ten of their principal men to Nero, as alfo Ifmael the high-
pneft, and Helcias the keeper of the facred treafure. And
\vhen Nero had heard what they had to lay, he not only for-
gave * them what they had already done, but alfo gave thera
* We have here one emijisnt example of Nero's mildnefs and goodnels in his
VOL. II, I 3
,V)0 ANTIQUITIES Of THE JWS. ["iiodk XX;
leave to let the wall they had built ftand. This was granted
them in order to gratiiy Poppea, Nero's wife, who was a reli-
gious woman, and had requeued thefe favours of Nero, and
who gave order to the ten amballadors to go their \vay home ;
but retained Helcias and Ifmael as hoffages with herfelf. As
loon as the king heard this news, he gave the high-priefthood
to Jofeph, who was called Cabi, the ion of Simon, formerly
high-prieft.
CHAP. IX.
Concerning Albinus, under whofe Procurator/Jitp James was
'lain ; as al/o what Edijices vert bmit by Agrippa.
i. A ND now Caefar, upon hearing the death of Feftu,
-t\. fent Albinus into Judea, as procurator. But the
king deprived Jofeph of the high-priefthood, and beftowed
the fucceilion to that dignity on the fon of Ananus, who was
alfohimfelf called Antrim s. Now the report goes, that this
eldeft Ananus proved a moft fortunate man ; for he had five
fons, who had all r>ei formed the cffice ot an high-prieft to
God, and who hadnimfelf enjoyed that dignity a long time
formerly, which had never happened to any other of our
high-priefts. But this younger Ananus, who, as we have told
you already, took the h^jh-priefthood, was a bold man in his
temper, and very infolent : He was alloof thefeft of the Saddu-
cees * who are veiy rigid in judging offenders above all the
left of the Jews, as we have atready obferved ; when there -
ioie Ananus was of this difpofition, he thought he had now a
proper opportunity [to exercife his authority]. Feffus was
now dead, and Albinus was put upon the road ; fo he affem-
bled the fanhedrim of judges, and brought hefore them the
brother of Jefus, who was called Ghrijl, whofe name was
James, and fonie others, for, fomeof his companions]. And
when he had formed an accufation again ft them as breakers ot
the law, he delivered them to be ftoned : But as for thofe
vho feemed the moil equitable of the citizens, and fuch as
govt-v rnent towart's the Jews, dining the firft five years of his reign, fo famous in
antiquity '> we ^ ave i erhaps another in Joiqjhus's own Life, left. 3. Vol. II. and
a third, though of a very different nature here, in feft. 9 ju ft before. However,
tiv.li the geivrous afts of kinanels were oL t.iiried of Nero by his queen Poppea,
who wa; a religious lady, and perhaps privately a Jewifh piofelyte, and fo werfc
not owing en ireJy to Xero's own goodnefs.
* It heixe iviii?iit'y appears, that Sadducees might be liigh-prteHs in the days of
Jo! ,'!ius.<nd th.it t'lcfcSadduc e* wrre ulually very fevcre and inexorable judges,
\vt,i L the Fhanfers were much milder, and more merciful, as appears by Reland's
ir.ftar.ces in'his no'.e on this place, and n Jofephus's Life, feft. 34, Vol. II. and
thole taken from the New Teftament, from Jofephus himfelf, and from the Rahu,
birs; nor do we meet with sny Sadducees latei thaa this high-prieft in aS Jofs-
Chap. IX.] ANTIQUITIES or THE JEWS. 451
were the mofl uneafy at the breach of the laws, they difliked
what was done ; they alfo fent to the king, [Agrippa], defir-
ing him to fend to Ananus that he fhould aft fo no more, for
that what he had already done was not to be juftified : Nay*,
fome of them went alfo to meet Albinus, as he was upon his jour-
ney fromAlexandria,andinformedhim,thatitwasnotlawful for
Ananus to affemble a fanhedrim without his confent. Where-
upon Albinus, complied with what they faid, and wrote in
anger to Ananus, and threatened that he would bring him to
puniftiment lor what he had done ; on which king Agrippa,
took the high-priefthood from him, when he had ruled but
three months, and made Jefus, the fon ot Damneus, high-
prieft.
2. Now as foon as Albinus was ct>me to the city of Jerufa
lem, he ufed all his endeavours and care that the country
might be kept in peace, and this by deftroying many of the
Sicarii. But as tor the high-pried Ananias t, he increafed in
glory every day, and this to a great degree, and had obtained
the favour and eftc-em of the citizens in a fignal manner ; for
he was a great hoarder up of money : He therefore cultivated
the fnendfhip of Albinus, and ot the high-prieft [JefusJ, by
making them prefentg ; he had alfo fervants who were very-
wicked, who joined themfelves to the boideft fort of the peo-
ple, and went to the threfliing-floors, and took away the tithes
^hat belonged to the priefts by violence, and did not refrain
from beating fucli as would not give thefe tithes to them. So
the other high-priefls afled in the like manner, as did thofe his
fervants, without any one's being able to prohibit them ; fo
that [fome of thej priefts, that of old were wont tobefupport-
ed with thofe tithes, died lor want of food.
3. But now the Sicarii went into the city by night, juft
before the feilival, which was now at hand, and took the f cribe
belonging to trje governor of the temple, whofe name was
* Of this condemnation of James the Juft, and its caufes, as alto that he did
rot die tilllong after wards, fee Prim. Qhrift. Revived, Vol. JII. ch. 43 46.
The fanhedrim condemned our Saviour, but could not put him to death without
the approbation of the Roman procurator; nor could therefore Ananias and his
Sanhedrim do more here, lince they never had Albtnus's approbation for the put-
ting this James to death.
+ This Ananias was not the fon of Nebedeus, as I take it, but he who was called
Annas or Ananus the elder, the gth in thecatalogue,and who had been efteemed high-
prieft for a long time ; and, belides Caiaphas his lon-in-law, haal five of his own
ions high-prielb after him. which were thofe of numbers 11, 14, 15, 17, 24, in
the foregoing catalogue. Nor ought we to pafs (lightly over what Jofephus here
fays of Annas or Ananias, that he was high-pried a long time before his children
v/ere fo ; he was tbe fon of Seth. and is fet down firfl ior high-prieft in the fore-
going catalogue, under number g He was made by Quirinus, and continued till
Ilmael, the ioth in number, for about 23 years, which long duration of his high-
priefthood, joined to the fuccessions of his fon-in-law, and F.ve children of his
own, made him a fort of perpetual high-prieft, and was perhaps the occafion that
t high-priefts kept theirtitles ever afterwards; for I bdieve it is hardly rce';
with before him.
452 ANTIQUITIES or THE JEWS. [Book XX.
Eleazar, who was the fon of Ananus [Ananias] the high-priell,
and bound him, and carried him away with them ; after
which they fent to Ananias, and faid, that they would lend
the fcribe to him it he would perfuade Albinus to releafe ten
ot thole prifoners which he had caught of their party ; fo
Ananias was plainly forced to perfaade Albinus, and gained
hisrequefl of him. This was the beginning ot greater calam-
ities ; tor the robbers perpetually contrived to catch fome of
Ananias's fervants, and when they had taken them alive* they
would not let them go, till they thereby recovered fome of
their own Sicani. And as they were again become no fmall
number, they grew bold, and were a great affliclion to the
whole country.
4. About this time it was that king Agrippa built Cefarea
Philippi larger than it was before, and in honour of Nero,
named it Neronias. And when he had built a theatre at Be-
rytus, with vaft expences, he bellowed on them fhows, to be
exhibited every yeat, and fpent therein many ten thoufand
f drachmae] : He allo gave the people a largefs ot corn, and
diltributed oil among them, and adorned the entire city with
ilatues of his own donation, and with original images made by
ancient hands ; nay, he almofl transferred all that was mo'!
ornamental in his own kingdom thither. This made him
jnore than ordinarily hated by his fubjecls : Becaufe he took,
thofe things away that belonged to them, to adorn a foreign
city. And now Jefus the fon 0} Gamaliel, became the TLIC-
ceilbr ot Jelus, the fon ot Bamneas, in the high prjeftiu;>d,
which the king had taken from the other ; on which account
a fedition arofe between the high priefts, with regard to one
another ; tor fhey got together bodies of the boldeft fort of
the people, and frequently came from reproaches to throwing
of ftonesateach other. But Ananias was too hard for the
reft, by his riches, which enabled him to gain thofe that were
molt ready to receive. Coftobarus alfo, and Saulus did thern-
felves get together a multitude ot wicked wretches, and this
becaufe they were of the royal family ; and fo they obtained
favour among them, becaufe of their kindred to Agrippa :
But itill they tiled violence with people, and were very ready
to plunder thole that were weaker thanthcmfelves. And from
that it principally came to pafs, that our city was greatly dif-
ordered, and that all things grew worfe and worfe among us.
,5. But when Albinus heard that Geflius Floi us was coming
to fucced him, he was defirows to appear to do iomewhat that
might be grateful to the people ot Jerufalem ; fo he brought
out all thole prifoners whofeemed to him to be the. moll plain-
ly worthy of death, and ordered them to be put to death ac-
cordingly. But as to thole who had been put into prifon on
fome trifling occafions, he took money ot them, and difrniffed
them ; by which means the prifons were emptied, but tb.r-.
sountiy wa* filled with robbery
Chap. IX.] ANTIQUITIES OF THE JEWS. 453
6. Now as many of the levitae *, which is a tribe of ours,
as were fingers ot hymns, perfuaded the king to affeinble a
ianhedrim. and to give them leave to wear linen garments, as
well as the priefts ? for they faid, that this would be a work
worthy the times of his government, that he might have a
memorial of fuch a novelty, as being his doing. Nor did
they fail of obtaining their defire ; for the king, with the fuf-
fi'ages of thofe that came into the fanhedrim, granted the fing-
ers of hymns this privilege, that they might lay afide their for-
mer garments, and wear fuch a linen one as they defired ; and
as a part of this tribe miniftered in the temple, he alfo permit-
ted them to learn thofe hymns as they had befought him for.
Now all this M'as contrary to the laws of our country, which,
whenever they have been tranfgrefled, we have never been a-
ble to avoid the punifhment of fuch tranfgreffions.
7. And now it was that the temple t wasfiniihed. So when
the people faw that the workmen were unemployed, who
were above eighteen thoufand, and that they, receiving no
wages, were in want, becaufe they had earned their bread by
their labours about the temple, and while they were unwilling
to keep them by the treafures that were there depofited, out of
fear of [their being carried away by] the Romans : And while
they had a regard to the making prbvifion tor the workmen,
they had a mind to expend tlxoie treafures upon them ; for if
any one of them did but labour for a fingle hour, he received
his pay immediately ; fo they perluaded him to rebuild the
eaitern cloifters. Thefe cloifters belonged to the outer court,
and were fi.tuated in a deep valley, and had walls that reached
four hundred cubits [in length,] and were built of fquare and
very white Hones, the length of each of which flones was
twenty cubits, and their height fix cubits. This was the work
of king Solomon +, who firft of all built the entire temple.
But king Agrippa, who had the care ot the temple committed
to- him by Claudius Czefar, confidering that it is eafy to demol-
i(h any building, but hard to build \{ up again and that it was
particularly hard to do it to thefe cloifters, which would re-
quire a cpnfiderable time, and great fums of money, he denied
the petitioners their requeft about that matter ; but he did not
obltruft them when they defired the city might be paved with
white ftone. He alfo deprived Jefus, the fon of Gamaliel, ot
* This infolent petition of fomeof the Levites, to wear the facerdota' garments,
v.l en they lung hymns to God in the temp'e, was very probably owing to the great
depression and contempt the haughty hijjh-priefts had now brought th.ir brethren
the priefts into ; of which fee chap, viii left. 8. and chap, ix left, z-
+ Of this rimming, not of die Naoj, or holy houfe, but of the 'upltj or courts a-
bout it, called in general the tcmblc, fee the note on B. XVII. ch. x. fel. 2.
Vol. II.
J Of thefe cloifters of Solomon, fee the defcription of the temple, ch. xiii.
They J'ecm. by Jofephus's words, to have been built from the bottom of ths
valley.
454 ANTIQUITIES OF THE JEWS, [Book XX,
the high-priefthood, and gave it to Matthias, the fon of The-
ophilus, under whom the Jews war with the Romans took its
beginning.
CHAP. X.
An Enumeration of the
I. A ND now I think it proper, and agreeable to this hif-
\. lory, to give an account ot our high-priefts ; how
they began, and who thofe are which are capable of that dig-
nity, and how many of them there had been at the end ot the
war. In the firft place, therefore, hiftory informs us, that
Aaron, the brother of M;>fe$ officiated to God as an high-
prieft, and that, after his death, his fons fucceeded him imme-
diately ; and that this dignity hath been continued down from
them to all their poflerity. Whence it is a cuftom of our
country, that no one fhould take the high-priefthood of God,
but he who is of the blood of Aaron, while every one that
is of another ftock, though he were a king, can never obtain
that high-priefthood. Accordingly, the number of all the
high-prk'fts from Aaron, of whom we havefpoken already, a&
of the firfi of them, until Phanas, who was made high-pried
during the war by the faditious, was eighty-three : Of whom
thirteen officiated as high-priefts in the wildernefs, from the
days of Mofes, while she tabernacle was Handing, until the
people came into Judea, when king Solomon ere6ied the tem-
ple to God : For at the firlt they held the higb-priefthood till
the end ot their life, although afterward they had fucceffors
while they were alive. Now thefe thirteen, who were the de-
fcendants ot two ot the fons of Aaron, received this dignity by
fircceffion one after another ; for their form of government
was an ariflocracy, and after that a monarchy, and in the third
place a government wag regal. Now the number of yearg
during the rule ot thefe thirteen, 4rom the day when our fa-
thers departed out of Egypt under Mofes their leadCT, until
the building of that temple which king Solomon creeled 1 at Je-
rufalem, were fix hundred and twelve. After thofe thirteen
high-priefts, eighteen took the high-priettho<i at Jerulalem,
one in fucceffion to another, from the days of king Solomon,
until Nebuchadnezzar king of Babyloo made an expedition
againft that city, and burnt the temple, and removed our na-
tion into Babylon, and then took Jofadek the high-priefl captive ;
the times of thefe high-priefts was four hundred fixty-fix years
fix months and ten days, while the Jews were ftill under the
regal government. But after the term ot feventy years cap-
tivity under the Babylonians, Cyrus king of Perfia, fent the
Jews from Babylon to their ov.'n land again, and gave them
leave to rebuild their temple ; at which time Jefus, the fon e*
X;] ANTIQUITIES OF THE J K VVS. 455
Jofadek, took the, high-priefthocd over the captives when!
they were returned home. Now he and his pofterity who
were in all fifteen, until king Arrtiochus Eupator, were under
a democratical government lor fourteen years ; and then the
forementioned Antiochus, and Lyfia the general of his army,
deprived Onias who was alfo called Menelaus, ot the high-
priefthood, and flew him at Berea, and driving away the (on
[of Onias the third,] put Jacimus into the place of the high-
prieft, one that was indeed ot the ftock of Aaron, but not of
that family ot Onias. On which account Onias, who was the
nephew of Onias that was dead, and bore the fame name with
his father, came into Egypt, and got into the friendfhip o
Ptolemy Philoncetor, and Cleopatra his wife, and perfuaded
them to make^ him the high-prieft of that temple which he
built to God in the prefecture of Heliopolis, and this in imi-
tation of that at Jerafalern ; but as for that temple which was
built in Egypt, we have Ipokenof it frequently already. Now
when Jacimus had retained the priefthood three years, he di-
ed, and there was no one that iuceeeded him, that the city-
continued feven years without an high-pvieft ; but then the
pofterity of the fbns ot Afomoneys, who had the government
of the nation conferred upon them, when they had beaten the
Macedonians in war, appointed Jonathan to be their high-priefr,
who ruled over them feven years. And when he had been
llain by the treacherous contrivance of Trypho, as we have
related fomewhere, Simon his brother took the high-prieft-
hood ; an<4 when he was deilroyed at a feaft by the treachery
of his ibn-in-law, his own fon whofe name was Hyrcanus, fuc-
ceeded him, after he had held the high-priefthood one year
longer than his brother. This Hyrcanus enjoyed that dignity-
thirty years, and died an old man, leaving the fucceffion to
Judas who was alfo called Ariftobulus, whofe brother Alex-
ander was his heir ; which Judas died of a fore diftemper, af-
ter he had kept the priedhood, together with the royal author-
ity ; for this Judas was the firft that put on his head a diadem
for one year. And when Alexander had been both king and
high-prieft twenty-feven years, he departed this life, and per-
mitted his wife Alexandra to appoint him that fhotild be high-
prieft ; fo (he gave the high-priefthood to Hyrcanus, but re-
tained the kingdom herfelt nine years, and then departed this
life. The like duration [and no longer] did her fon Hyrcan-
us enjoy the high-priefthood ; for alter her death his brothci
Ariftobulus fought againft him, and beat him, and deprive.!
him ot his principality ; and he did himfelf both reign, and
perform the office ot high-prieft to God. But when he had
reigned three years and as many months, Pompey came upon
him, and not only took the city of Jerufalem by force, but
put him and his children in bonds, and fent them to Rome;.
He alfo reftored the high-priefthood to Hypcanus, and made
him governor of the nation, but forbade him to wear a diademu
456 ANTIQUITIES 0* THB JEWS. [Book *
This Hyrcanus ruled, befides his fir ft nine years, twenty-four
years more, when Barz^pharnes and Parcorus, the generals of
the Parthians, paifed over Euphrates, and tought with Hyr-
canus and took him alive, and made Antigonus the (on of Ar-
i&obulus, king ; and when he had reigned three years and
three months, Sofius and Herod befieged him, and took him,
when Antony had him brought to Antioch, and flain there.
Herod was then made king by the Romans, but did no longer ap-
pointhigh-prieilsoutof. the family of Afamoheus jbutmade cer-
tain men to be(o that were of no eminent families, but barely of
thofe thatwere priefts, excepting that hegave that dignity to Ar-
iftobulus; for when he had made this Ariilobulus thegrandfonof
that Hyrcanus who was then taken by the Parthians, and had
taken his fifter Mariamne to wife, he thereby aimed to win the
good-will of the people, who had a kind remembrance of Hyr-
canus [his grandfather. J Yet did he afterward, out of his
fear leu they mould all bend their inclinations to Ariftobulus,
j)ut him to death, and that by contriving how to have him fuf-
focated, as he was (wimming at Jericho, as we have already
related that matter ; but after this man he never intrufted the
high-priefthood to the pofterity ot the fons of Afamoneus.
Archelaus alfo, Herod's ion, did like his father in the appoint-
ment of the high priefts, as did the Romans alfo, who took the
government over the Jews into their hands afterward. Ac-
cordingly the number of the high-priefts, from the days of
Herod until the day when Titus took the temple, and the city,
and burnt them, were in all twenty-eight ; the time alfo that
belonged to them wfts an hundred and feven years. Some ot
thefe were the political governors of the people under the
reign of Herod, and under the reign of Archelaus his Ton, al-
though after their death the government became an Ariftocra-
cy, and the high priefts were intrufted with a dominion over
the nation. And thus much may fuffice to be faid concern-
ing our high-priefts.
CHAP. XL
Concerning Florus the Procurator, who neccjjitated the Jews to
take up Arms again/I the Romans. The conclitjion.
i. 1VTOW GafTius Fiorus, who was fentas fucceflbr to A!-
i. A| binus by Nero, filled Judea with abundance of mif-
eries. He was by birth of the city Clazomena::, and brought
along with him his wife Cleopatra, (by whofe friendfhip with
Poppea, Nero's wife, he obtained this government.) who was
no way different from h-urv in wickednefs. This Florus was
fo wicked, and fo violent in the ufe of his authority, that the
Jews took Albinus to have been [comparatively] their bene-
faftor ; fo exccflive were the mifchiefs that he brought upon
Chap. XL] ANTIQUITIES OF THE JEWS. 457
them. For Albinus concealed his wickednefs, and was care-
iul that it might not be difcovered to all men ; but Gefllus
Flprus, as though he had been fent on purpofe to (hew his
Crimes to every body, made a pompous oftentation of them to
bur nation, as never omitting any fort of violence, nor any
unjuft fort of punifhment ; for he was not to be moved by
pity, and never was fatisfied with any degree ot gain that came
in his way ; nor had he any more regard to great than to final I
acquifitions, but became a partner with the robbers thernfelves.
For a great many fell then into that practice without fear, as
having him for their fecurity, and depending on him, that he
would fave them hannlels iri their particular robberies ; fo
that there were no bounds fet to the nation's miferies ; but the
unhappy Jews when they were not able to bear the devaluations
which the robbers made among them, were all under a necef-
fity of leaving their own habitations, and of flying away, as ho-
ping to dwell moreeafily any where elfe in the world among
foreigners, [than in their own country]. And what need I
fay any more upon this head ? fince it was this Floras who ne-
ceffitated us to take up arms againft the Romans, while we
thought it better to be deftroyed at once, than by little and lit-
tie. Now this war began in the fecond year of the govern-
ment of Florus. and the twelfth year of the reign ot Nero,.
But then what aftions we were forced to do, or what miferies
we were enabled to fuffer, may be accurately known by fuch
as will perufe thofe books which I have written about the Jew-
ifh war.
2, I fhail now. therefore, make an end here of Antiquities;
after the conclufion ot which evev.ts, 1 began to write that
account of the war ; andthe'e Antiquities contain what hath
been delivered down to us from the original creation of man,
until the twelfth year of the reign ot Nero, as to what hath be-
fallen the Jews, as well in Egypt as in Syria, and in Paleftine,
and what we have fuffered from the Afiyrians and Babyloni-
ans, and what afflictions the Perfians and Macedonians, and
after them the Romans, have brought upon us ; for 1 think 1
may fay that I have compofed this hiftory with fufficient accura-
cy in all things. I have attempted to enumerate thofe high
priefts that we have had during the interval of two thoufand
years: I havealfo carried down the fuccefTion ot our kings,
and related their a6lions, and political adminiftration with-
out [confiderable] errors, as alfothe power ot our monarchs;
and all according to what is written in our facred books ; for
this it was that Ipromifed to do in the beginning otthis hif-
tory. And I am fo bold as to fay, 'now I have fo completely
perfected the work I propofed to my (elf to do, that rfo other
perfon whether he were a Jew or a foreigner, had he ever
fo great an inclination to it, could fo accurately deliver thefe
accounts to the Greeks as is done in thefe books. For thofe of
nsy own nation freely acknowledge, that I far exceed tjiem in.
OL. II. K 3
45^ ANTIQUITIES OP THE JEWS. [Book;.
the learning belonging to Jews ; I havealfo taken a great deal
of pains to obtain the learning of the Greeks, and underftand
the elements ot the Greek language, although I have fo long
accuftomed my (elf to fpeak our own tongue, that I cannot
pronounce Greek with diffident exaftnefs ; for our nation
does not encourage thofe that learn the languages of many na-
tions, and fo adorn their difcouries with the fmoothnefs of
their periods ; becaufe they look upon this fort of accomplifh-
inent as common, not only to all forts office men, but to a?
rnany of the fervantsas pleafe to learn them. But they give
him theteffimony of being a wife rnan who is fully acquainted
\vithour laws, and is able to interpret their meaning; on
vhich account, as there have been many who have done their
endeavours with great patience to obtain this learning, there
have yet hardly been fo many as two or three that have fuc~
ceeded therein, who were immediately well rewarded for their
pains.
And now it will not be perhaps an invidious thing, if I treat
briefly of my own family, and of the afciions of my own life,
while there is ftill living fuch as can either prove what i fay
to be talfe, or can atteft that it is true ; with which accounts
I fhall put an end to thefe Antiquities, which are contained in
twenty books and fixty thoufand verfes. And if God * per-
mit me, 1 will briefly run over this war again, with what be-
* What Jofephus here declares his intrntian to do, if -
public again an abridgement uf the Jcwifli War, and to' add /,.
to that very day, the 13^ of Domitian, or A. D. 93, is nnf. that 1 have o
taken diftiitft notice of by any : N->r do we ever he.ir of >t el !'ew he-
performed what he now intended <.r not. Some ol
might poflibly be hio observation of t'r.e many errors he '
two firltof thofe fevrn hooks ot the war, which were written when he was com-
paratively young, and lels acquainted with the Jcv es ilian he no
and in which abridgement we might have hoped to find
him (elf, as well as thofe leveral y him.
but which are not extant in hi* p- However, !<nc.' many oMi-
c.i to what he had written el few here, as well as moil ot hi' o wn errors, he-
lorg to Inch early times as could not wtli con;e ii t i th;^ abridgement oft!
ifhvar; and fince none of thofe that quo-.e friinps not
including himfelf as well as others, ever cite any v
rather to fuppofe that he r.ever did puMish ,?! v ' ch work ?t all ; 1 .
tipft from his own life, written hv fiirrf. If, for a:i appc
and tlis at lenft above fever) years niter tliete Autiq^'.i'.iis were {ini.ihed. Nor in-
deed do. s it appear to me, that Jofephus ever published that other work, her
lioned, as iat^ndod by him for the public alfo. I mean the three or fmr books
ccvrtrriing God and hit efince, and concerning the Jewi/J
me things we permitted the Jews, a<u' ofltfrs prd^'otfd ; which iaft fcenu
to be the fame work which Jofephus had alfo promifc.'.
eonclufion of his preface to thefe Antiquities ; nor do I iu'/r >
lished any of them The death of all his friends at court, Veipaiian, Titus, and:
Domitian, and the coming of thofe he had no acquaintance with to the crown, I
mean Nerva and Trajan, together with his removal from Rome to Jude.-i,
w rat followed it, n.irjit eafiiy interrupt inch his intentions, and prevent his .
cation oi thofe wt
Chap. XI.] ANTIQUITIES OF THE JEWS.
fel us therein to this very day which is the thirteenth year oi
the reign of Caefar Domitian, and die filty-fixth year of my
own lite. I have alfoan intention to write three books con-
cerning our Jewifh opinions about God, and his eflence, and
about our laws ; why, according to them forae things are
permitted us to do, and others are prohibited.
THE
LIFE
OF
FLAVIUS JOSEPH US.
I. 'TpHE family from which I am derived is not an ignoble
A one, but hath defcended all along from the priefts ;
and a nobility among feveral people is of a different origin.
fo with us to be of a facerdotal dignity, is an indication of the
fplendour of a family Now I am not only fprung from a fa-
cerdotal family in general, but from the firft of the twenty -
four * eourfes ; and as among us there is not only a confider-
able difference between one family of each courle and anoth-
er, lam of the chief family of that firft courie alfo; nay, far-
ther, by my mother I am of the royal blood ; for the children
of Afamoneus, from whom that family was derived, had both
-ce of the high-priefthood, and the dignity ot a king for
a long time together. 1 will accordingly let down my pro-
genitors in order My grand-father's father was named Si-
mon, with the addition of Pfellus : Ke lived at the fame time
vith that fon of Simon the high priefl, who firft ot all t!,-
pnefts was named Hyrcanus. This Simon Pieilus he: ;
ions, one ot which was Matthias, called Ephlias ; he n\
the daughter of Jonathan the high pried which Jonathan was
the firft of the fons of Afamoneus, who was high pn'efi, and
was the brother of Simon the high priefl alfo. This Matthias
had a fon called Matthias Curtus, and that in the firft year of
the government of Hyrcanus ; his fon's name was Jofeph,
born in the ninth year of the reign of Alexandra ; His ion
* We may hence correct the error of the L?tin copy of the fecom'.
Apion, teft 7, 8. Vol. Ill (for the G >fc,) whic!'
only four tribes or courles ot priefts, inltead of twenty- iour x >>r i:> this
r.y to be difregarded, as if Jokphus there contradicted what he had affirm
becaule even the account there given, better agrees to twenty-four thr.::
ile he fays that each of thole courles contained above 5000 men, whi
'oy only four, will make not many more than 20,000 priefis ; \\\,
i so.ooo. as multiplied by 24. ic-.-ms much the moik probable, they beiiiLj
ie people, even s'ter the captivity. S e Ezra ii
Nchem. vii 35 42. i Efd. v. 24, 25 v;;th Ezra ii. 64. Nehem. vii. t6. : titl.
v. 41. Nor will this common reading or notion of but four courfos of y
j;rce with Jofepbus's own farther affertion tllewhere, Antiq. B. VII. ch. xiv. ftfr.
i Vol.1, that David's parution of the prL'flo Into twenty-four c<j^'
tn.ued to that day.
THE LIFE OF FLAVIUS JOSEPHUS. 46*
Matthias was born in the tenth year of the reign of Archela-
us : As was I born to Matthias on the firit year ot the reign o
Caius Caefar. 1 have three fons ; Hyrcanus the eldeft, was
born on the fourth year of the reign ot Vefpafian, as was Tuf.
tus born on the feventh, and Agnppa on the ninth. Thus
have I fet down the genealogy ot" my family as I have found
it defcribed * in the public records., and fo bid adieu to thofe
who calumniate me, fas of a lower original.J
2. Now my father Matthias was not only eminent on ac-
count of his nobility, but had an higher commendation on ac-
count of his righteoufneis, and was in great reputation in Je-
rufalem, the greateft city we have. I was myfelf brought up
with my brother, whofe name was Matthias, for he was my
own brother, by both lather and mother; and I made mighty
proficiency in the improvements ot my learning, and appear-
ed to have both a great memory and underftanding. Moreo-
ver, when I was a chiM, and about fourteen years of age, I
was commended by all for the love I had to learning ; on which
account the high priefts arid principal men of the city, came
then frequently to me together, in order to know my opinion,
ibout the accurate underitanding of points ot the law. And
when I was about fixteen years old.lhada raind to make trial
of the feyeral feels that were among us. Thele feels are three ;
the firit is that ot the Pbarifees, the fecond that of the Saddul
cees, and the third that of the Ellens, as we have frequemly
told you ; for I thought that by this means 1 might choofe the
belt, if I were once acquainted with them all : So I contented
rnyfelt with hard fare, and underwent great difficulties, and
went through them allf. Nor did I content myfelf with thefe
:nals only ; but when 1 was informed that one whofe name
was Banus, lived in the defart, and ufed no other clothing
than grew upon trees, and had no other food than what grew
of its own accord, and bathed himfell in cold water frequent-
ly, both by night and by day, in order to preferve his chaifity,
I imitated him in thofe things, and continued with him three'
yearsi. So when I had accomplished my defires, 1 returned
* An eminent example of the care of the Jews about their genealogies, efpecial-
y as >!> tiieprieits. See Contr. Ap B. I. ch. 7.
* \Vhen Jofephas here lays, that from fixteen to nineteen, or for three years he
made trijl of the three jewifh fefts, the Pharilees, the Sadducees, an-.
and yet (ays pret.ntly, in all our copies, that he ftayed betides with ore pa:
aicetick, called Banus, ira civru, with him, and this flill before he WPS ni
ther.- is httie^oom left for his trial or the three other (efts. 1 fuppoi. i re)
that for no.? <x.vra, with him, the old reading might be sratrat/roiV.
yrtrich is a Very fmal! cmencia:ion, and takes away ihe jifficult . Xor
Dr. Hudfon's conjeaure, hinted at by Mr. Hal!, in his prel .ftor'i
edition of Jofephus, at all improbable, that this Banus, by. .lotion,
might well be a follower of John the Baptift, and that from hi , might
eafily imbibe fuch notions, as afterward prepared him to have a favi &[.. opinion
jbout Jefus Chrift himlelf, who was attefted to by John the Bap::::.
462 YHE LIFE OF FLAVIUS JOSEPHUJ,
back to the city, being now nineteen years old, and began to
conduft myfelt according to the rules of the feel of the Phar-
ifees which is of kin to the left of the Stoics, as the Greeks
call them.
3 But, when I was in the twenty-Gxth year of my age, it
happened that I took a voyage to Rome, and this on the occa-
fion which I (hall now defcnbe. At the time when Felix was
procurator of Judea there were certain priefta of my ac-
quaintance, and very excellent perfons they were, whom on
a fmall and trifling occafion he had put them in bonds, and
fent to Rome to plead their caufe before Cyefar. Thefe I was
defirous to procure deliverance for, and that efpecialiy be-
caufe I was informed that they were not unmindful of piety
towards Cod even under their afflictions, but iuppoited them-
ielves with figs and nutst. Accordingly I came to Rome,
though it were through a great number of hazards by fea ; for,
as our (hip was drowned in the Adriatic fea we that were in
it being about fix hundred in number t, fwam for our lives all
the night ; when upon the firft appearance of the day, and
upon our fight of a (hip of Gyrene, 1 and fome others, eigh-
ty in all, by God's providence, prevented the reft, and were
taken up into the other fhip. And when I had thus efcaped
and was come to Dicearchia, which the Italians call Puteoli,
I became acquainted with Aliturius, an a6tor of plays, and
much beloved by Nero but a Jew by birth ; and through his
intereft became known to Poppea, Csefar's wife, and took
care as foon as poflible to intreat her to procure, that the
prieils might be fet at liberty. And when, befides this fa-
vour, I had obtamed^many prefents from Poppea, I returned
home again.
4. And now 1 perceived innovations were already begun,
and that there were a great many very much elevated in hopes
of a revolt from the Romans. 1 therefore endeavoured to put
a flop to thefe tumultuous perfons and perfuaded them to
change their minds ; and laid before their eyes againft whom
it was that they were going to fight, and told them that they
were inferior to the Romans not only in martial (kill but alfo
in good fortune ; and defired them not rafhly, and after the
rnoft foplifh manner, to bring on the dangers of the moft ter-
rible mifchiefs upon their country, upon their families, and
upon themfelves. And this I laid with vehement exhorta-
* We may note here, that religious men among the Jews, or at lezft thofe that
were priefts, were fometimes afceticks alfo, and li- e Daniel and his companions in
Babvlon, Dan. i. 8 16. ate no flesh, but Jigs and nuts, &c. only. This -wts like
the e<Jopy, or auftere die t of ^he Chriflian afceticks in Passion week, Con-
ftitut. V. i&
+ It hath been thought the number of Paul and bis companions on shipboard,
Afts xxvii. 38 which are 276 in our copies, are too many ; whereas we find here
that Jofephus and hi* companions, a very few years after the other, were about
600
THE LIFE Of FLAVIUS JOSKPHUS. 463
tions, becaufe I forefaw that the end of fuch a war would be
moft unfortunate to us. But I could not p rfuade them ; tor
the madnefs of defperate men was quite too hard for me.
5. I was then afraid, left, by inculcating thefe things fo of-
ten, I mould incur their hatred and their fufpicions, as it I
were of pur enemies party, and fhould run into the danger of
being feized by them and (lain ; fince they were already pof-
fefled of Antonia, which was the citadel ; fo I retired into the
inner court of the temple. Yet did I go out of the temple a-
gain, after Manahem and the principal of the band of robbers
were put to death, when I abode among the high priefts and
the chief of the Pharifees. But no fmall fear teized upon us
when we faw the people in arms, while we ourfelves knew
not what we fhould do, and were not able to reilrain their fe-
ditions. However, as the danger was^direftly upon us, we
pretended that we were ot the fame opinion with them, but
only advifed them to be quiet for the prefent, and to let the
enemy go away, ftill hoping, that Geffius [Florus] would not
be long ere he came and that with great forces, and fo put an
end to thefe feditious proceedings.
6. But, upon his coming and fighting he was beaten, anri
a great many of thofe ihat were with him fell. And this dif-
grace [which Geffius with CaUius | received, became the calam-
ity of ourwhole nation ; for thofe that were fond of the war were
fo far elevated with this fuccefs.that they had hopesof finally con-
quering the Romans. Of which war another occau'on was
miniflcred ; which was this, Thofe that dwelt in the neigh-
bouring cities of Syria feized upon fuch Jews as dwelt among
them, with their wives and children, and flew them, when
they had not the leaft occafion of complaint againft them ; for
they did neither attempt any innovation or revolt from the
Romans, nor had they given any marks ot hatred or treache-
rous defigns towards the Syrians. But what was done by the
inhabitants of Scy thopolis was the moft impious and moft high-
ly criminal ot all* ; tor, when the Jews their enemies came upon
them from without, they forced the Jews that were among them
fco bear arms againft their own countrymen, which it is unlaw-
ful for us to do t ; and when, by their affiftance, they had joined
battle with thole that attacked them, and had beaten them, af-
ter that viftory they forgot the aflurances they had given
thefe their tellow-citizens and confederates, and flew them ail,
being in number many ten thoufands [i^oooj. The line
miferies were undergone by thofe Jews that were the inhabi-
* See Of the War, 3. II. ch xviii. feft 3.
+ The jews might colleft this unla vfulnct's of fighting a^ainft their brethreti.,
from that law of M >ies, Levit xix. 16. "Thou shalt not ftaud againft the b,lood
of thy neighbour ;'' and that, ver. 17. "Thou shall not avenge, nor bear any
grudge againft the children of thy people ; but thou shalt love thy neighbour 3-'-
; " as well as Crom many other placts in the Pentateuch and Prophets. S^
. B. VIH. ch. viii. feft. 3. Vol I.
44 THE LTFE OF - JOSEFH'JJ.
tants of Damafcus. But we have given a more accurate ac-
count of thefe things in the books of the Jewifh war. I only
mention them now becaufe I would demonftrate to my read-
ers, that the Jews war with the Romans was not voluntary,
but that, for the main, they were forced by neceflity to enter
into it.
7. So when Geflius had been beaten, as we have faid al-
ready, the principal men of Jerufalem, feeing that the robber*
and innovators had arms in great plenty, and fearing left they,
while they were unprovided of arms, fhould be in fubjettion
to their enemies, which alfo came to be the cafe afterward ;
and. being informed that all Galilee had not yet revolted iroru
the Romans, but that fome part of it was dill quiet, they fent
me and two others of the prielts, who were men of excellent
characters. Jozar and Judas, in order to perfuade the ill men
there to lay down their arms, and to teach them this leilbn,
that it were better to have thofe arms referred for the moil
courageous men that the nation had, j then to he kept t;,
for that it had been refolved, that thofe our beft men Ihouhi
always have their arms ready againll futurity, but {till fo, that
they (hrmld wait too fee what the Romans would do.
8. Wen I had therefore received thefe inftruttions, I
into Galilee, and found the people of Sepphoris i
agony about their country, by reafon that the Galileans had
refolved to plunder it, on account of the friendfhip the.'.
with the Romans, and becaufe they had given their right-hand,
and made a league with Ceftius Gallus, the prt fident of Sy-
ria. But I delivered them all out of the fear they were in, arul
pcrfuaded the multitude to deal kindly with them, and per-
mitted them to fend to thofe that were their own hoftages u ith
Geffius to Dora, which is a city of Phenicia, as ohen as they
pleafed ; though I ftill found the inhabiran'.s of Tiberias ready
to take arms, and that on the occafion following :
9. There were three taftions in this city. The firit was com-
pofed of men of worth and gravity ; of thefe Julius Capcllus
was the head, Now he, as well as all his companions Herod
the fon ofMiarus, and Herod the Ion of Gamdhu.,and Comp-
fus, the fon ot Compeus (for as to Compeus's brother Cnfpus,
who had once been governor of the city under the great
king * [AgrippaJ, he was beyond Jordan in hrs own poilef-
fions) ; all thefe perfons before-named gave their advice, that
the city mould then continue in their allegiance to the Ro-
mans, and to the king. But Piftus, who was guided by his
fon, Juftus, did not accjuiefce in that refolution ; otherwile he
was himfelf naturally of a good and virtuous character. But
the fecond faction was compofed of the moil ignoble perfons.
and was determined lor war. But as for Julius, the fon of
* That this Kernel Agrippa, the father, war. of old called a Great King, as he:"-
appcars by bis coiiii ftill remaining ; to vvliich HaVsrcainp refers us.
465
pjftus who was the head of the third faftion, although he pre-
tended to be doubtful about going to war, yet was he really
defirous of innovation, as fuppofing, that he mould gain pow-
er to himleU hy the change of affairs. He therefore came in-
to the mid ft ot them, and endeavoured to inform the multi-
tude, That " the city Tiberias had ever been a city of Gali-
lee, 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 Sephoris fhould be Subordinate to the city Tibe-
rias ; that they had now loft this pre-eminenceeven under A-
grippa the father, but had retained it until Felix was procura-
tor of Judea. But he told them, that now they had been fo
unfortunate as to be made a prefent by Nero to Agrippa jun-
ior ; and that, upon Scpphori's fubmiflion of itfelfto the Ro-
mans, that was become the capital cily of Galilee, and that
the royal treafury and the archives were now removed irom
them." When he ha.i fpoken thefe things, and a great ninny
moreagainil Agrippa, in order to provoke the people to a re-
volt, he added, That " this was the time for them to take arms,'
and join with the Galileans as their confederates (whom
might command, and who would now willingly afliit them,
out of the hatred they bare to the people of Sepphoris, btcauie
they preferved tru-ir fidelity to the Romans), and to gather a
great number of forces in order to punifh them." And, as
he faid this, he exhorted the multitude fto go to war | ; foi
his abilities lay in making harrangues to the people, and in
being too hard in his Speeches for fuch as oppoled him though
they advifed what was more to their advantage, and this by
his crattinefs and his fallacies ; tor ho was not unfkilful in the
leaining of the Greeks, and in dependence on that (kill it
was. that he undertook to write an hiftory of thefe affairs, as
aiming by this way of harranguing to difguife the truth. But
as to this man, and how ill were his character and conduct of
life, and he and his brother were, in great rneafure, the au-
thors of our defh action, I mall give the reader an account in
the progrefs of my narration. So when Jultus had by his
perfuafions, prevailed with the citizen ot Tiberias to take
arms, nay, and had forced a great many fo to do again ft their
wills, he went out, and fet the villages that belonged to Ga-
dara, and Hippos on fire ; which villages were iituated on
the borders of Tiberias, and of the region of Scythopolis.
jo. And this was the ftate Tiberias was now in. but as for
Giichala, its affairs were thus : When John, the fon ot Livi,
faw fome of the citizens much elevated upon their revolt from
the Romans, he laboured to re ft rain them, and entreat them,
that they would keep their alliance to them. But he could
not gain his purpofe, although he did his endeavours to the ut-
moft ; for the neighbouring people of Gadara, and Gabara, and
Sogana, with the Tyriaas, got together a great army, and fell
upon Gifchala. and took Gifchala by force, and fet it on fire ;
VOL. II. L 3
sf
66 THE LIFE OF FLAV1US JOSiPH
and when they had entirely demolifhed it, they returned ;
Upon which John was fo enraged, that he armed all his men,
and joined battle with the people forememioned, and rebuik
Gifchala after a manner better than before, and fortified it
with walls tor its future fecurity.
ii. But Garnalaperfevrel in its alliance to the Romans for
the reafon following : Philip the Ton <,f Jacimus. who was
their governor under king Agrippa. had been unexpectedly
preferved when the royal palace at Jerusalem had been befieg-
ed ; but, as he fled away, h.- ,;er danger, and
that was of being lulled by Manahem, and the robbers that
were with him ; but certain Babylonians, who were of his
kindred, and wcie then in Jerufalem, hindered the robbers
irom executing their licfign. So Philip ffaid there four
and fled away on the filth, having difguifed hi h fic-
titious hair, that he might not be diiccvered
was come to one of the villages to him belc;
that was fituated at the borders of the ci:adel of (..
fent to fome ot thofe that were under him, and c-
them to come to him. But God himfelf hindered <.
tention, and this for his own advantage a Ho :
fo happened, he had certainly perifhed, Tor
feized upon him immediately, he wrote letiers to A : ; ;
-Bernice, and gave them to one of his freed- men to ca;
Varus, who at this time was procurator of the kin;;
which the king and his filler had in-ruffed them wit!
they were gone to Beiytus with an intention of meeting Gei-
fais. When Varu* had received thefe letters of Philip, and
had learned that lie was preserved, he wa- -.-aiy at it,
as fuppofii . fhouid appear u-felefs to ti >d his
lifter, novv '.vas come. He therefore pr
carrier of the letiers before the multitude, at ! him
of forging the fame ; and- faid, that he fpake falfely when he
rekited that Philip was at lerufalern, fighting among t:,c Jews
againil the Romans-. So he ilew him. And when this treed
man ot Philip did not return again, Philip was doubtful what
ihould be the otcafion of his ftay, and fenr a fecond me
ger with letters, that he might, upon his return, inform him
what had befallen the other that had been fent before, and
Avhy he tarried fo long. Varus accufed this meflcnger alio,
when he came, of telling a ialfehocd, and flew him. For he
was puffed up by the Syrians that were at Cefarea, and had
great expectations ; for they faid, that Agrippa would be {lain
by the Romans for the crimes which the Jews had committed,
and that he fhouid himfelf take the government, as derived
from their kings ; for Varus was by the confeflion of all, of
the royal family, as being a defcendant of Sohemus, who had
enjoyed a tctrarchy about Libanus ; for which reafon it was
that he was puffed up, and kept the letters to himfelf. He
contrived ahb that the king fhouid not meet with thofe writ-
THE LITE OF FLAVIU3 JOSEPHUS. 467
D Y guarding all the paffes, left any one fhoulc! efcape
and inform the king what had been done. He moreover flew
many oi the Jews, in order to gratify the Syrians of Cefarea.
He had a mind alfo to join with the Trachoniies in iiatanea,
and to take up arms and make an a (Fault upon the Babylonian
Jews that were at Ecbatana ; for that was the name they went
L>y. He therefore called to him twelve of the Jews of Ce-
iarea, oi the belt: character, and ordered them to go to Ecba-
tana, and inform their countrymen who dwelt there, that Varu*
hath heard, that " you intend to march againfl the king ; but,
believing that report, he hath lent us to periuade you to
lay down your arms, and that, this compliance will be a fign,
that he did well not to give credit to thofe that raifed the re-
concerning you." He alfo enjoined them to fend feven-
f their principal men to make a defence for them as to the
acculation laid againrt them. So when the twelve meffeners
came to their countrymen at Ecbatana, and found that they
had no deilgns oi innovation at all, they periuaded them to
fend the feventy men alfo ; who not at all fufpefting what
.ild come, fent them accordingly. So thefe feventy * went
?i to Cefarea, together with twelve * ambaffadors ; where
Varus met them with the king's, and flew them all, together
with the [twelve j ambafladors, and made an expedition againft
Jews of Ecbatana But one there was of the feventy who
ped and made hafte to inform the Jews of their coming ;
upon which they took their arms, with their wives and chil-
dren, and retired to the citadel at Gamala, leaving their own
villages full of all forts of good things, and having many ten
thousands of cattle therein. When Philip was informed of
thefe thii>gs, he alfo came to the citadel of Gamala ; and,
when he was come, the multitude cried aloud, and defired
him to refume the government, and to make an expedition a-
gainft Varus, and the Syrians of Cefarea ; for it was report-
ed that they had flain the king. But Philip reftrained thair
zeal, and put them in mind of the benefits the king had be-
llowed upon them ; and told them how powerful the Romans
were, and (aid 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 de-fig n, which
was to cut off the Jews of Cefarea, being many ten thoui-
ands with their wives and children and all in one day, he call-
ed to him Equiculus Modius, and fent him to be Varus's fuc-
ceflbr, as we have eliewhere related. But ftill Philip kept
poffeffion of the citadel of Gamala, and of the country ad-
joining to it, which thereby continued iu Uieir aTTegiance to
the Romans.
12. Now as foon as I was come into Galilee, and had learn-
ed this ftate of things by the information of fuch us told nig
he famous Je\y<fh numbers of twelve and feventy are here remarkably.
4.68 THE IlfE OF FLAVIUS JOSEPHUS,
ofthern, ! wrote to the fanhedrim at Jerufalera about them,
and required their direction what I fhould do. Their direc-
tion was, that I fhould continue there, and that, if my fellow-
legates were willing, I fhould join with them in the care
ot Galilee. But thofe my fellow legates having gotten
great riches from thole tythes which as prieits were their dues,
and were given to them, determined to return to their own
country. Yet when 1 defired them to liay Jo long, that we
might firft fettle the public affairs, they complied with me.
So i removed, together with them, from th'e city of Sephoris,
and came to a certain village called Bethmaus, four furlongs
diftant from Tiberias ; ancl thence I fent meffengers to the
fenate of Tiberias, and defired that the principal men ot" the ci-
ty would come to me : And when they were come, Julius
himfeli being alfo with them, I told them, that I was fent to
them by the people of Jerufaiem as a legate, together with
thefe other priefts, in order to perfuade them to demolifh that
houfe which Herod the tetrarch had built there, and which
had the figures of living creatures in it, although our
have forbidden us to make any fuch figures ; and I defired,
that they would give us leave fo 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 o-
vercome by us, and were induced to be of our opinion. So
Jefus the fon of Sapphias, one of thofe whom we have already
mentioned as the leader of a feditious tumult of mariners and
poor people, prevented us, and took with him certain Galile-
ans, and let the entire palace on fire, and thought he fhould
get a great deal ot money thereby, becaufe he (awfome of the
roofs gilt with gold. They alfo plundered a great deal of the.
furniture, which was done without our approbation : for, af-
ter we had difcourfed Capellus and the principal men of the
city, we departed from Bethmaus, and went into the upper
Galilee. But Jefas and his party flew all the Greeks that
were inhabitants of Tiberias, and as many others as were their
enemies before the war began.
13. When I underftood this (late 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 re-
covered from fuch as had plundered it. They confided of
candlefticks made of Corinthian brafs, and of royal tables,
and of a great quantity of uncoined filver : And 1 refolyed
to preferve whatfoever came to my hand for the king. So 1
lent for ten of the principal men of the fenate, and for Ca-
pellus the fon of Antyllus, and committed the furniture to
them, with this charge, that they fhould part with it to no-
body elfe but to myfelf. From thence I and my fellow le-
gates went to Gifchala to John, as defirous to know his in-
tentions, and foon faw that he was for innovations, and had a
THE LIFE OP FLAVIUS JOSEPHUS.
r.iincl to the principality ; for he defired me to give hifn au-
thority to carry off that corn which belonged to Caefar, and
lay in the villages of Upper Galilee ; and he pretended that
h/e would expend what it came to in building the walls of
his own city. But when I perceived what he endeavoured at,
and what he had in his mind, I faid I would not permit him
:o to do ; for that J thought either to keep it for the Romans,
cr for myfelf, now was 1 intruded with the public affairs there
by the people of Jerufalem. But when he was not able to
prevail with me he betook himfelf to my fellow-legates ; for
they had no fagacity io providing for futurity, and were very
;eady to take bribes. So he corrupted them with money to
decree, that all that corn which was within his province
Jhould be delivered to him ; while I, who was but one, was
outvoted by two, and held my tongue. Then did John in-
Troduce another cunning contrivance of his ; for he faid, that
thofe Jews who inhabited Cefarea Philippi,and were (hut up
by the order of the king's deputy there, had fent to him to de-
iire him, that, fmce they had no oil that was pure for their ufe,
he vould provide a fuflicient quantity ot fuch oil that came
frorn the Qreeks, and thereby tranfgrefs their own laws. Now
this was faid by John, not out of his regard to religion, but
out of his moft flagrant defire of gain ; for he knew, that two
:c::tjries were fold with them ot Cefarea for one drachmae,
but that at Gifchala four-fcore fextaries were fold tor four
fextaries. So he gave order, that all the oil which was there
Ihould be carried away, as having my permiffion for fo doing ;
which yet I did not grant him voluntarily, but only out of
tear of the multitude, fmce, if I had forbidden him, I fliould
ruve been ftoned by them. When I had therefore permitted
this to be done by John, he gained vaft fums of money bythis
navery.
14. But when I had difmiffed my fellow-legates, and fent
them back to Jerufalem, I took care to have arms provided,
and the cities ioi tified. And, when I had fent for the mod
i-ar.iy among the robbers, I faw that it was not in my power
to take their arms from them ; hut I perfuaded the multitude
\o 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 j overlook them when they plunderedtheirgoods from them.
And when I had obliged them to take an oath not to come into
that country, unlefs they were invited to come, or elfe when.
;aey had not their pay given them, I difmiffed them, and
c:iarg^d them neither to make an expedition againft the Ro-
nifcns, nor againft thofe their neighbours that lay round about
them ; tor my firft care was to keep Galilee in peace. So I
was willing to have the principal ot the Galileans, in all feven-
ty, as hoflages tor their fidelity, but {fill under the notion of
fviendlhip. Accordingly I made them my friends and com-
panions as 1 journeyed, and let them to judge caufes; and
47 THE LIFE OF FLAVIUS JOSEPHUS.
with their approbation it was that I gave my fentences, while
J endeavoured not to rniftake what juftice required, and to
keep my hands clear of all bribery in thefe determinations.
1$. I was now about the thirtieth year of my age ; in which
time of lite it is a hard thing for any one to efcape the calum-
nies of the envious, although hereftrain himfelt from fulfilling
any unlawful defires, eipecially where a perfon is in great au-
thority. Yet did I preferve every \vomanfree from injuries ;
and, as to what prefents were offered me, I defpifed them, as
not {landing in need of them. Nor indeed would I take thofe
tithes, which were due to me as a prieft, from thofe that
brought them. Yet do I confefs, that I took part ot the
fpoils of thofe Syrians which inhabited the cities that adjoined
to us, when I had conquered them, and that I fent them to
my kindred at jerufalem; although when I twice took Sep-
phoris by force, and Tiberius tour times, and Gadara once,
and when I had fubdueu and taken John, who often laid treach-
erous fnares for me, I did not punifh [with death] either him
or any ot the people tore-named, as the progrefs of this dil-
courfe will (hew.. And on this account I fuppofe it was that
God*, who is never unacquainted with thofe that do as they
ought to do, delivered me flill out of the hands of thefe my
enemies, and afterward pieferved me when I fell into thofe
many dangers which 1 (hall relate hereafter.
16. Now the multitude of the Galileans had that great kind-
nefsforme, and fidelity to me, that when their cities were
taken by force, and their wives snd children carried into fla-
very, they did not fo deeply lament tor their own calamities,
as they were folicitous for my prefervation. But when John
fawthis, he envied me, and wrote to me, defiling that I would
give him leave to come down, and make ufe of the hot-baths
ot Tiberias for the recovery of the health ot his body. Ac-
cordingly I did not hinder birn, as having no fufpicion of any
wicked defigns of his ; and 1 wrote to thofe to whom I had
committed the admmiltratiun ot the affairs of Tiberias, by
name, thajt they fhould provide a lodging for John, and tor
fuch as fho.uld come with him and fhould procure him what
neceffaries foever he fhould ftand in need of. ^Now at this
time my abode was in a village ot Galilee, which is named
Cana.
17. But, when John was come to the city of Tiberias, he
perfuaded the men to revolt from their fidelity to me, and to
adhere to him ; and many of them gladly received that invi-
tation ot his, as ever fond of innovations, and by nature dil-
pofed to changes, and delighting in feditions : But they were
* Our Jof;phus (Views both here an 1 f.-ery where, that he was a rmft religion
perfon, and one that had a deep left le of God and his providence upon his mind,
and afcribedall his numerous and wouderhU efcapes and prefervations, in tin,
ger, to God's blessing him. and faking care o* him, and this on account of his
wdls at piety, juftice, huir^.'fy, j;;d chaiity to the jews his brethren.
TH IIF2 OF FLAV1US JOSEPH US. 47*
cluefly Juftusand his father Piftus, that were earned in their
revolt from me> and their adherance to John. But I came
apon them, and prevented them ; (era mefTenger had come
to me from Silas, whom I had made governor ot Tiberias, as 1
have faid already, and had told me ot the inclinations of the
people of Tiberias, and advifed me to make hafte thither; for
that, it I made any delay, the ciry would come under anoth-
er's jurifdilion. Upon the receipt ot this letter of Silas, I
took two hundred men along with me, and travelled all night,
having fent before a meflenger to 1ft the people of Tiberias
know that I was coming to them. When 1 came near to the
city, which was crarly in the morning, the multitude carne
out to meet me ; and John came with them, and .'aimed me,
but in a moft dillurbed manner, as being afraid that my com-
ing was to call him to an account for what I *.vas now lenfible
. ; doing. So he in great hatte, went to his lodging. But
when I was in the open place or the city, having difmifTed
the guards I had about me, excepting one, and ten armed men
that were with him, I attempted to make a fpeech to the mul-
titade ot the people of "Tiberias ; and, Handing on a certain,
elevated place, 1 entreated them not to be fo haily in their re-
volt ; for that fuch a change in their behaviour would be to
their reproach, and that they would then jultly be lufpecleJ.
by tlu>{e that Ihould be their governors hereafter, as it" they
were not likely to be taithiul to them neither.
18. But, before I had fpoken all I deiigued, I heard one of
my own dorne.Oics bidding me come down; for that it was
not a proper time to take care ot retaining the good-will ot
the people of Tiberias, but to provide lor my own fafety,and
efcape my enemies there ; tor John had chofen the moittruf-.
ty ot thole armed men that were about him out ot thofe thou-
fand that he had with him, and had given them orders, when
he fent them to kill rne, having learned that I was alone ex-
cepting fomeof my domeftics. So thofe that were fent came
as they were ordered, and tht-y had executed what they came
about, had I not leaped down irom the elevation I flood on,
and with one of my gu mis, whole name was James, been
carried [out ot the crowdj upon the back of one Herod of
Tiberias, and guided by him down to the lake where I feized
a fhip, and got into it, and efcaped my enemies unexpected-
ly, and came to Tarichese.
19. Now as foon as the inhabitants of that city underftool
the perfidtoufnefs of the people ot Tiberias, they were greatly
provoked at them. So they fnatched up their arms, and de-
iired me to be their leader againU; them ; for they laid they
would avenge their commander's caufe upon them. They
alfo carried the report of what had been done to me to all the
Galileans, and eagerly endeavoured to irrritate them againft
the people ot Tiberias and defired that vaft numbers oi them,
<would get together, and ome to them, that they might
472 THB LIFE OF FLAVIU*
concert with their commander, what fhould be determined as
fit to be done. Accordingly the Galileans came to me in great
numbers, from all parts with their weapons, and befoughtrne
to aflault Tiberias, to take it by force, and to demolish it, til!
it lay even with the ground, and then to make flaves of its in-
habitants, with their wives and children. Thofe that were
Jofephus's triends alfo, and had eicaped out of Tiberias, gave
mm the fame advice. But I didnot comply with them, think-
ing it a terrible thing to begin a civil war among them ; for I
thought, that this contention ought not to proceed farther
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 fhould deflroy one
another by our mutual fedhions. And by fay ing this, I put a
flop to the anger ot the Galileans.
20. But now John was arraid tor himfelf, fince his treachery
had proved unfuccefs till. So betook the armed men that weie
about him, and removed from Tiberias to Gifchala, and wrote
to me to apologize for him felt concerning what had been
done, as if it had been done without his approbation, and ;ie-
fired me to have no fufpicion of him to his difadvantage. He
alfo added oaths and certain horrible curfes upon hfmfelf, and
fuppofed he fhould 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 fadly perjured he was, and defired me to lead
them againft him, and promifed me that they would utterly
deftroy both him and Gifchala. Hereupon I profeffed, that
I was obliged to them for their readinefs to ferve me, an
I would more than requite that their good will to me. How-
ever I entreated them to reftrain thenafelves, and begged ot
them to give me leave to do what I intended, which was to
put an end to thefe troubles without bloodfhed ; and when I
had prevailed with the multitude of the Galileans to let me
do fo, I came to Sepphoris
22. But the inhabitants of this city having determined to
continue in their allegiance to the Romans, wereafnsiu *
coming to them, and tried, by putting me upon another ac-
tion, to divert me, that they might be freed from the terror
they were in. Accordingly they fent to jefus the captain of
thofe robbers who were in the confines ot Ptolemais, and
promifed to give him a great deal of money, if he would come
with thofe forces he had with him, which were in number
eight hundred, and fight with us. Accordingly he complied
with what they defired, upon the promifes they had made
him, and was defirous to fail upon us when we were unpre-
pared for him, and knew nothing ot his coming beiore hand.
So he fent to me and defired that I would give him leave to
come and falute me. When I had given him that leave which
TliB LIFR OF FLAVIUS JOSEPH US. 473
1 did without the leafl knowledge of his treacherous intentions
beforehand, he took his band ot robbers, and made hade to
come to me. Yet did not this his knavery fucceed well at lafl ;
for as he was already nearly approaching, one ot thofe with
him defertecl him, and come 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 treach-
erous purpofc. I took with me many Galileans that were
armed, as alfo fomeol thofe of Tiberias ; and, when I had giv-
en orders thar all the roads fhould be carefully guarded, I
charged the keepers of the gates to give admittance to none
but Jefus, when he came with the principal of his men, and
to exclude the reft ; and in cafe they aimed to force them-
felves in, to ufe ftripes [in order to repel them Accordingly,
thofe that had received fuch a charge did as they were bidden,
and Jefus came in with a few others ; and when I had ordered
him to throw down his arms immediately, and told him, that
if he refufed fo to do, he was a dead man, he feeing armed
men {landing all round about him, was terrified, and compli-
ed ; and as tor thofe ot his followers that were excluded, when
they were informed that he was feized.they ran away. I then
called Jefus to me by himfelf, and told him, that " I was not
a ftranger to that treacherous defign he had againft me, nor
was I ignorant by whom he was fent for ; that however, I
would forgive what he had done already, it he would repent
of it, and be faithful to me hereafter." And thus, upon his
promife to do all that I defired. 1 let him go, and gave him
leave to get thofe whom he had formerly had with him, to-
gether again. But 1 threatened the inhabitants of Sepphoris,
that, if they would not leave off their ungrateful treatment of
me, 1 would punifh them fufficiently.
23 At this time it was that two great men, who were under
the jurifdiclion of the king [Agrippa, j came to me out of the
region of Trachonitis, bringing their horfes and their arms,
and carrying with them their money alfo ; and when the Jews
would force them to be circumciied, it they would ffay a-
mong them, 1 would not permit them to have any force put
upon them, but * faid to them, " Every one ought to worfhip
God according to his own inclinations, and not to be con-
ilrained by force ; and that thefe men, who had fled to us for
protection, ought not to be fo treated as to recent of their
coming hither." And when I had pacified the multitude, I
provided for the men that were come to us whatfoever it was
* JolVphus's opinion is here well worth noting, that every one is to be permit-
ted to worfhip od according to his own conlciencc, and is not to be compelled
in matters of religion : As one may here obferve, on the contrary, that the reft ot"
the jews were ftill for obliging all thofe who married Jews to be circumcifed, and
become Jews, and were ready to deftroy all that would not fubmit to do fo. See
fecV 31. snd Luke ix, 54.
VOL. II. M 3
474 TH1S LIFE OF FLAVIUS JOSEPHS.
they wanted, according to their ufual way of living, and tha!
in great plenty alfo
24. Now king Agrippa Tent an army to make themfelves
matters of the citadel of Gamala, and over it Equicolus Mo-
tlius ; but the forces that were fent were not enow to encom-
pafs the citadel quite round, but lay before it in the open pla-
ces, and befieged it. But when Ebutius the decurion, who
was intrufted with the government of the great plain, heard
that I was at Simonias, a village fituated in the confines of
Galilee, and was diftant from him fixty furlongs, he took an
hundred horfemen that were with him by night, and a certain
number of footmen, about two hundred, and brought the in-
habitants of the city Gibea along with him as auxiliaries, and
inarched in the night, and came to the village where I abode.
Upon this I pitched my camp over againft him, which had a
great number of forces in it ; but Ebutius tried to draw u*
down into the plain, as greatly depending on his horfemen ;
but we would not come down ; for when I was fatisfied of the
advantage that his horfe would have if we came down into the
plain, while we were all footmen, 1 refolved to join battle
ivith the enemy where I was. Now Ebutius and his party
made a courageous oppofuion for fome time ; but when he
faw that his horfe were ufelcfs to him in that place, he retired
hack to the city Gibea, having loft three of his men in the
iight. So I followed him duefUy. with two thoufand armed
men ; and when 1 was at the city Befara, that lay in the con-
fines of Ptolemais, but twenty furlongs from Nibea where
butius abode, 1 placed my armed men on the outfidc of the
Tillage, and gave orders that they mould guard the pafles with
great care, that the enemy might not difturb us, until we
jhould have carried off the corn, a great quantity of which lay
there : It belonging to Bernice the queen, and had been gath-
ered together out ot the neighbouring villages into Beiara :
vio 1 loaded my camels and affes, a great number of which I
had brought along with me, and fent the corn into Galilee.
When I had done this, I offered Ebutius battle ; but when he
would not accept of the offer lor he was terrified at our readi-
nels and courage, I altered my route, and marched towards
Neopolitanus, becaufe 1 had heard that the country about Ti-
berias was laid wafte by him. This Neopolitanus was cap-
tain of a troop of horfe, and had the cuftody of Scythopolis
intrufted to his care by the enemy ; and when I had hindered
him from doing any farther mifchief to Tiberias, I let myfeli
to make provifion for the affairs of Galilee.
25. But when John, the fon of Levi, who, as we before told
you, abode at GiTchala, was informed how all things had fuc-
ceeded to my mind, and that I was much in favour with thofe
that were under me ; as alfo that the enemy were greatly a-
iraid of me, he was not pleaied with it, as thinking my prof-
perity tended to his ruin. So he took up a bitter envy and
THE LIFE OF FLAV1US JOSEPIIITS. 475
enmity againfl me ; and hoping, that if he could inflame thofe
that were under me to hate me, he fhould put an end to the
profperity I was in, he tried to perfuade the inhabitants o
Tiberias, and of Sepphoris (and for thofe of Gabara he fup-
pofed ihey would be alfo of the fame mind with the others,)
which were the greateft cities of Galilee, to revolt from their
fubjeclionto me, and to be of his party ; and told them, that
he would command them better than I did. As for the peo-
gle of Sepphoris, who belonged to neither of us, becaufe they
ad chofen to be in fubjecltion to the Romans, they did not
comply with his propofal ; and tor thofe ot Tiberias, they did
not indeed fo far comply, as to make a revolt from under me,
but they agreed to be his friends, while the inhabitants of Ga-
bara did go over to John ; and it was Simon that perfuaded
them fo to do, one who was both the principal man in the city,
and a particular friend and companion of John. It is true,
thefe did not openly own the making a revolt, becaufe they
were in great tear of the Galileans, and had frequent experi-
ence of the good-will they bore to me ; yet did they privately
watch for a proper opportunity to lay fnares for me ; and in-
deed i thereby came into the greateli danger, on the occafion
following.
26. There were fome bold young men of the village Da-
baritta, who obferved that the wife of Ptolemy, the king's pro-
curator, was to make a progrefs over the great plain with a
mighty attendance, and with fome horfemen that followed, as
a guard to them, and this out of a country that was fubje6l to
the king and queen, into the jurifdiclion of the Romans ; and
fell upon them on the hidden, and obliged the wife of Ptole-
my to fly away, and plundered all the carriages. They alfo
came to me to Taricheae, with four mules loading ol garments,
and other furniture ; and the weight ot the fi'ver chey brought
was not fmall, and there were five hundred pieces of gold al-
fo. Now I had a mind to preferve thefe fpoils for Piolemy,
who was my countryman ; and it is prohibited* us by our
laws even to fpoil our enemies; fol faid to thofe that brought
thefe fpoils, that they ought to be kept in order to rebuild the
walls of Jeruialem with them, when they came to be fold. But
the young men took it very ill that they did not receive a part
* How Jofephus could fay hers that the Jewifh laws forbade them to (; fpoil
evn their enemies," while yet, a little before his time, our Saviour had mention*?!
it as then a current maxim with them, " Thou (halt love thv neighbour, ai:d hate
thine enemy," Matt. v. 43. is worth our inquiry. I take it that Jofephus, having
been no v for many years an Ebionitc Chriihan, had learned this inttrpruaiion of
the law ot Moitsfrom Chrift, whom he owned for the true MefTiah, as it follows
in the fucceeding ver'es, which, though he might not read in St. Matthew's ^oi'pel,
yet mi^ht he have read much the lame expofition in their own F.bionite or Xa/ar-
ene goipel itielf ; ol which improvements made by joicphus, after he was become
a Chriiuan, we have already had ieveral examples in this his life, {eft. 3. 13, i 5,
19, 21, 23, arid shall have many more therein before :?
fcave them elicwhere ia all his latter writ:: - ,
476 THE LIFE OF FLAVIUS JOSKPHUSo
of thofe fpoils for themfelves, as they expeled to have done, ;
fo they went among the villages, in the neighbourhood of Ti-
berias, and told the people, that I was going to betray their
country to the Romans, and that 1 ufed deceitful language to
them, when I faid, that what had been thus gotten by rapine
fhould be kept for the rebuilding oi the walls of the city or Je-
rufalem ; although I had refolved to reitore thefe fpoils again
to their tormer owner. And indeed they were herein not
miilaken as to my intentions ; tor when 1 had gotten clear of.
them, 1 fentfor two of the principal men, Daffion, and Jan-
iieus the fon oi Levi, perfons that were among the chief friends
of the king, and commanded them to take the furniture that
had been plundered, and to fend it to him ; and I threatened
that I would order them to be put to death by way of punifh-
inent, if they difcovered this my command to any other pei-
fon.
27. Now when all Galilee was filled with this rumour, that
their country was about to be betrayed by me to the Romans,
and when all men were exafperated againft me, and ready to
bring me to punilhmcnt, the inhabitants of Taricheae did ai'o
themfelves fuppofe that what the young men faid was tru-.
and perluaded my guards and armed men to leave me when I
was afleep, and to come prefently to the hippodrome, in order
there to take counfel againft me their commander. And when,
they had prevailed with them, and they were gotten together,
they found there a great company aflembled already, who all
joined in one clamour, to bring the man who was fo w
to them as to betray them, to his due punimment ; and it was
Jefus, the Ton oi Sapphias, who principally fct them on. He
was ruler in Tiberias, a wicked man, and naturally difpofed
to make difturbances in matters of confequence ; a feditious
perfon he was indeed, and an innovator beyond every body
die. He then took the laws of Mofes into his hands, Cdme in-
to the midft of the people, and faid, * 4 O my fellow-ch.
if you are not difpofed to hate (olephus on your own account,
have regard however to thefe laws ot your country, which
your commander in chief is going to betray ; hate him there-
lore on both thcie accounts, and bring the man who hat;.
ed thus infolently to his deferved punimmeut."
28. When he had faid this, and the multitude had openly
applauded him for what he had faid, he took fome of the ami'
ed men, and made hafte away to the houfe in which I lodged,
as if he would kill me immediately, while I was wholly inlen-
fible ol ail till this difturbance happened ; and by reafonof the
pains I had been taking, was fallen faft afleep. But Simon,
-A ho was intruded with the care of my body, and was the only
pei Ton that ftayed with me, and law the violent incurfion the
citizens made upon me, he awaked me, and told me of the
danger I was in, and defired me to let him kill me, that I
might die bravely and like a general, beioremy enemies came
THE LIFE OF FLAVIUS JOSEPHUS. 477
in, and forced me [to kill myfelf,! or killed me themfelves.
Thus did he difcourfe to me ; but I committed the care of my
Jile to God, and made hafte to go out to the multitude. Ac-
cordingly I put on a black garment, and hung my fword at
rny neck, and went by fuch a different way to the hippodrome,
wherein I thought none of my adverfaries would meet me ; fo
I appeared among them on the fudden, and fell down flat on
the earth, and bedewed the ground with my tears : Then I
feemed to them all an objefcl ot compaflion. And when 1 per-
ceived the change that was made in the multitude, I tried to
divide their opinions, before the armed men Ihould return from
iuy houle ; fo I granted them, that I had been as wicked as they
fuppofed me to be ; but ilill I entreated them, to let me firfl in-
form them tor what ufe 1 had kept the money which arofe from
the plunder, and that they might then kill me if they pleafed :
And upon the multitude's ordering me to fpeak, the armed
men came upon me, and when they faw me, they ran to kill
me ; but when the multitude bid them hold their hands, they
complied, and expected that as foon as I fhould own to them
that I kept the money iorthe king, it would be looked on as a
confe'Iion ot my treafon, and they fhould then be allowed to
kill me.
29. When therefore Hlence was made by the whole multi-
tude, I fpake thus to them: "O my countrymen, I re f ufe
not to die, ifjuftice fo require. However, 1 am defirous to
tell you the truth of this matter before I die ; for as I know
that this city of yours [Taricheae] was a city of great hofpital-
ity, and filled with abundance ot fuch men as have lelt 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,
outot this money, for which you are fo angry with me, while
yet it was to be expended in building your own walls." Upon
my faying this, the people ot Tancheze, and the Grangers
cried out, That " they gave me thanks, and defircd me to be
ot good courage." Although the Galileans, and the people
ot 1 iberias continued in their wrath againit me, infomuch
that there arofe a tumult among them, while fome threatened
to kill me, arid fome bid me not to regard them ; but when I
piomiied them that I would build them walls at Tiberias, and
at other cities that wanted them, they gave credit to what 1
promiied, and returned every one to his own home. So I ef-
caped the forementioned danger, beyond all my hopes, and
returned to my owe houfe, accompanied with my friends, and
twenty armed men alfo
30. However, thefe robbers and other authors ot this tu-
mult, who were afraid on their own account, left I fhould pnn-
ilh them tor what they had done, took fix hundred armed men,
and came to the houfe where 1 abode, in order to fet it on fire.
When this their infult was told me, 1 thought it indecent for
me to run away, and I refolved :o expofe inyfclf to danger,
473 THE LIFE OF FLAV1US JOStPHUS.
and to ai with fome boldnefs ; fo I gave orders to fhut ths
doors, and went up into an upper room, and defired that they
would fend fome of their men in to receive the money [from
the fpoilsj ; tor I told them they would then have no occafion
to be angry with me ; and when they had lent in one of the
boldeft of them all, I had him whipped feverely, and I com-
manded that one of his hands {hould be cut off, and hung about
his neck ; and in this cafe was he put out to thofe that fent him.
At which procedure of mine they were greatly affrighted, and
in no fmall conflcrnation, and were afraid that they (hould
themfelves be ferved in like manner, if they flayed there ; tor
they fuppofed that I had in the houfe more armed men than
they had themfelves, fo they ran away immediately, while I,
by the ufe of this ftratagem, efcaped this their fecond treache-
rous defign again ft me.
31. But there were flill fome that irritated the multitude a-
fainft me, and faid, that thofe great men that belonged to the
ing, ought not to be fuffered to live, if they would not change
their religion to the religion of thofe to whom they fled for
fafety : They fpake reproachfully of them alio, and faid, that
they were wizards*, and fuch as called in the Romans upon
them. So the multitude was foon deluded by fuch plaufible
pretences as were agreeable to their own inclinations, and,
were prevailed on by them. But when I was informed of this,
I inftruftedthe multitude again, that thofe that fled to them for
refuge out not to be perfecuted: I alfo laughed at the allega-
tion about witchcraft *, and told them that the Romans would
not maintain fo many ten thoufand foldiers, it they could o-
vercorne their enemies by wizards. Upon my faying this, the
people alfented for a while ; but they returned afterward, as
irritated by fome ill people, againft the great men ; nay, they
once made an ailault upon the houfe in which they dwelt at
Tarichae, in order to kill them ; which, when I was informed
of, I was afraid left fo horrid a crime {hould take effett, and
nobody elfe would make that city their refuge any more. I
therefore came my felf and fome others wilh me to the houfe
where thefe great men lived, and locked their doors, and had a
trench drawn from their houfe leading to the lake, and fent
for a (hip, and embarked therein with them, and failed to the
confines of Hippos : I alfo paid them the value of their horf-
es, nor in fuch a flight couid I have their horfes brought to
them. I then difmilfed them, and begged of them earneftly
that they would courageoufly bear this diftrefs which bcfel
them. I was alfo my felf greatly difpleafed that I was compel-
led to expole thofe that had fled to me to go again into an ene-
my's country ; yet did I think it more eligible that they mould
perifh among the Romans, if it {hould fo happen, than in the
* Here we may obferve the vulgar Jewish notions of witchcraft ; but that our
Jofepbus was too \\;.e to give any couDtenant.^ to it.
THX LIFE OF FLAVlUS JOSEPHUS. 479
country that was under my jurifdiftion. However they efca :
ped at length, and king Agrippa forgave them their offences.
And this was the conelufion ot what concerned thefe men.
32. But as for the inhabitants ot the city ot Tiberias, they
wrote to the king, and defired him to fend them forces fuffi-
cient to be guard to their country ; for that they were defirous
to come over to him : This was what they wrote to him. But
when I came to them, they defired me to build their walls, as I
had promifed them to do j for they had heard that the walls of
Taricheas were already built ; 1 agreed to the propofal accord-
jingly. And when 1 had made preparation tor the intire build-
ing, I gave order to the architects to go to work ; but on the
third day, when I was gone to Taricheae, which was thirty
furlongs diflant from Tiberias, it fo fell out that fome Roman
horfemen were difcovered on their march, not far from the
city, which made it to be fuppofed that the forces were come
from the king ; upon which they fhouted, and lifted up their
voices in commendations of the king, and in reproaches againft
me. Hereupon one came running to me, and told me what
their difpofitions were, and that they had refolved to revolt trorn
me ; upon hearing which news 1 was very much alarmed ;
for I had already fent away my armed men from Taricheae to
their own homes, becaufe the next day was our Sabbath ; for I
would not have the people ot Taricheae diflurbed [on that
day j by a multitude of foldiers ; and indeed, whenever I fo-
journed at that city, I never took any particular care tor a
guard about my own body, becaufe I had had frequent inftan-
ces of the fidelity its inhabitants bore to me. I had now about
me no more than feven armed men, befides fome triends, and
was doubtful what to do ; for to fend to recal my own torces I
did not think proper, becaufe the prefent day was almoftover,
and had thofe forces been with me, 1 could not take up arms
on the next day, becaufe our laws forbid us fo to do, even
though our neceffity fhould be very great ; and it I fhould
permit the people of Tenches, and the ftrangers with them, to
guard the city I faw that they would not be fufficient for that
purpofe, and I perceived that I mould be obliged to delay my
affi Ranee a great while ; for I thought with myfelf that the
forces that came from the king would prevent me, and that I
Ihould be driven out of the city. I eonfidered therefore, how
to get clear of thefe forces by a ilratagem ; fo I immediately
placed thofe my friends of Taricheae, on whom I could heft
confide, at the gates, to watch thofe very carefully who went
out at thofe gates ; I alfo called to me the heads of families,
and bid every one of them to feize upon a fhip *, to go on
board it, and to take a matter with them, and follow him to
the city ot Tiberias. I alfo myfelf went on board one ot thofe
In this feflion, as well as fe&. 18. and feft. 33. thofe fmall veflTels that failed
on the fea of Galilee, are called by Jofeplius Nijsr, an d !I*oi t and ffriatQii, i. e.
; fo that we need not wonder at our Evangelifts, who (till call thnr,
4&3 JHB LIFE O? TLAVIUS JOSEPHUS.
fhips, with my friends, and the feven armed men already men-
tioned, and failed for Tiberias.
33. But now, when the people of Tiberias perceived that
there were no forces cotaefrom the king, and yet faw the whole
lake full of fhips, they were in fear what would become of their
city, and were greatly terrified, as fuppofing that the fhips
were full of men on board ; fo 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 com-
mendations ; for they imagined that I did not know their for-
mer inblinations j~to have been againfl mej ; fo they perfuaded
me to fparethe city. But when I was come near enough, I
gave order to the mafters of the fhips to cafl anchor a good
way offthe land, that the people of Tiberias might not per-
ceive that the {hips had no men on board ; but I went nearer to
the people in one of the fhips, and rebuked them for (heir folly,
and that they werefo fickle as, without any juftoccafion in the
world, to revolt from their fidelity to me. However, I a flu re ft
them, that I would entirely forgive them for the time to come, it
they would fend ten of the ringleaders of the multitude to me;
and when they complied readily with thispropofal, and fent me
the men forementioned, I putthemon board a fhip. and fent
them away to Taricheas and ordered them to be kept in prifon.
34. And by this flratagem it was, that I gradually got all the
fenate of Tiberias into my power, and fent them to the city fore-
mentioned, with many of the principal men among the popu-
lous, and thofe not fewer in number than theot'ner. But when
the multitude faw into what great mi feries they had brought
themfelves, they defired me to punifh the author of this fedi-
tion : His name was Clitus, a young man, bold and ram in hi*
undertakings. Now fince I thought it not agreeable to piety io
put one of my own people to death, and yet found it neceffary
to punifh them, 1 ordered Levi, one of my own guards, to go to
him, and cut off one of Clitus's hamls ; but as he that was order-
ed to do this, was afraid logo out of the fhip alone, among fo
great a multitude, I was not willing that the timoroufnefs of the
Ibldier mould appear to the people ol Tiberias. So I called to
Clitus himfelf, and laid to him, " Since thou defervefl to looie
both thine hands for thy ingratitude to me, be thou thine own
executioner, left, if thou refufeft fo to be, thou undergo a worfe
punilhement," And whenheearneftly beggedofme to fpare
him one ol his hands, it was with difficulty that I granted it.
So in order to prevent the lofsof both his hands, he willingly
took his fword, and cut off his own left hand; and this pat an
end tothefedition.
35. Now the men of Tiberias, after I was gone to Tarichea.
fhips ; nor ought we to render them boats, as fome do. Their number was in all
220, as we learn from our author lfewhre, Of the War, B. II, ch. xxi fe&, 8-
Vol. III.
THE LIFE OF FLAVIUS JOSEPHUS. 481
perceived what ftratagem I had ufed againft them, and they
admired how I had put an end to their foolifh fedition, with-
out fhedding of blood But now, when I had fent for fome
of thofe multitudes of the people ot Tiberias out of prifon, a-
mong whom were fuftus and his father Piftus, I made them to
fup with me ; and during our Tapper time I laid to them, that
I knew the power or the Romans was fuperior to all others,
but did not fay fo ["publicly J becaufe of the robbers. So i
viied them to do as I did, and to wait for a proper opportuni-
ty, and not to be uneafy at. my being their commander ; tor
that they could not expet to have another who would u(e the
like moderation that I had done. -I alfo put Juftus in mind
how the Galileans had cut off IMS "brother's hands, before ever
1 came to Jerufalem, upon an accufation laid againft him as
if he had been a rogue, and had forged fome letters ; as alfo
how the people of Gamala, in a fedirion they railed againft the
Babylonians, alter the departure of Philip, flew Chares, who
was a kinfman of Philip, and withal how they had wifely pun-
ifhed Jefus, his brother Juftus's fitter's hufband [with death.]
When I had faid this to them during f upper-time, I in the
morning ordered Juftus, and all the reft that were in prifon
be loofed out of it, and fent away.
56. But before this it happened that Philip, the fon of Jaci-
mus, went out of the citadel of Gamala upon the following
occafion : When Philip had been informed that Varus was
I HU out of his government by king Agrippa, and that Modius
iicolus, a man that was of old his friend and companion,
was come to fucceed him, he wrote to him, and related what
turns of fortune he had had, and defired him to forward the
letters he fent to the king and queen. Now when Modius
had received theie letters, he was exceeding glad, and fent the
letters to the king and queen, who were then about Berytus.
But when king Agrippa knew that the ftory about Philip v
ialfe (for it had been given out, that the Jews had begun a war
with the Romans, and that this Philip had been their com-
mander in that warj he fent fome horlemen to conduct Philip
to him, and, when he was come, he faluted him very oh;
ingly, and fhewed him to the Roman commanders, and i
them that this was the n-an of whom the report had g.
bout as if he had revolted from the Romans. He alfo bid h
to take fome horfemen with him, and to go quickly to the cit-
adel of Gamala, and to biing outtheuce all his <lomeftics, a
to reftore the Babylonians to Batanea again. He alfo gave
him in charge to take all poffible care that none ot his fubjc
(hould be guilty of making any innovation. Accordingly,
upon thefe directions from the king, he made hade to do what
he was commanded.
37. Now there was one Jofeph, the fon of a female phyfi-
cian, who excited a great many young men to join with him,
He alfo infolently addreffed himfelf to the principal perfons
VOL. II. N3
IHJ& LIU OF fLAVIUS JOSEPil
-at Gamala, and perfuadecl them to revolt from the king.
take up arms, and gave them hopes that they {hould, by his
means, recover their liberty. And fome they forced into the
fervice, and thofe that would not acquiefce in what they had
refolved on, they flew. They alfo flew Chares, and with him
Jefus, one of his kinfmen and a brother ot Jnftus ot Tiberi-
as, as we have already faid. Thofe of Gamala alfo wrote to
me. defiring me to fend them an armed force/and workmen to
raife up the walls of their ci'.y ; nor did I reject either of their
rcquefts. The region of Guulanitis did alfo revolt from the-
king, as far as the village Solyma. I alfo built a wall about
Seleucia and Sogrinni, which are villages naturally, ot very
gr::at ftrength. Moreover I, in like manner, waited feveral
villages of Upper Galilee, though they were very roc;
themfehvs. Their names are Jamnia. and Meroth, and Ach.a-
bare. I alfo fortified, in the Lower Galilee, the cities Tari-
cheo:. Tiberias. Sepphoris, and the villages, the Cave of Ar-
hela, Berfobe, Selamin, jot;;pata, Caphareccho, and Sigo, and
Japh.i, and Mount Tabor*. I alfo laid up a great quantity of
corn in thefe places, and arms, withal, that might be tor their
Security afterward.
38. I- ut the hatred that Jolm the fon of Levj bore to me
grew now more violent, whil<- he could not bear my profper-
ity with patience. So he propoled to himferf, by all means
pofTible '.o make away with me, and built ('::> wjlh ot Gifcha-
la, which was the place of his nativity. lie then lent his bro-
ther Simon, and Jonathan the fon- of Sifenna, and about an
hundred armed men to Jcrufalom to Simon the fon of Gamal-
ielt, in order to perfnade him to induce the commonality of
Jerulalem to take from me the government over the Galile-
,-nd to give their fulfrages tor conferring that authority
him. Tins Simon was of the city Jeirufalem, and of
.1 very noble family, of the feel oi the Phanfees, which are
fuppofed to excel otheis in the accurate knowledge, of the
<A tlieir country. He was a man of great wildom and
ri'iiion, and capable of rcitoring public affairs by his prudence,
\vhen tr-.cy were in an ill pofturc. He was alfo an old friend
union of John ; but at that time he had a difference
me. Vi'hcn thcjefore he had received fuch an exhorta-
he peiTuaded tiie high priefts. Ananas i;nd Jefus the fon
of Gamala, arid fcirte others ol the lame feditums f aft ion. to
:iu me down now I was growing fo great, and not to ovcr-
:r.e while I was aggrandizing myfelf to the height of glo-
> 'IVbor may be thoic (H!i remaining, and
?vlaundrcl. Stc his Travels, p. 1 1 ^
:ic ^l!at. is if . ihc rabbins in the
is obierwcl in the Latin nui.
,;ia!her v,-ji Gamaliel !.
at
.
THE LIFE OF FLAVIUS JOSEPHUS. 483
ry ; arul he faid, that it would be for the advantage of the Gal-
, if I were deprived ot my government there. Ananus
alfo, and his friends dcfired them to make no delay about the
matter, left 1 fhould get the knowledge ot what was doing too
loon, and fhould come and make ar, affault upon the city with
a great army. This was the counlcl of Simon ; but Ananus
the high pricfl dernonfl rated to them, that this was not an eafy
thing to be done, becaufe many ot the high prieits and ot the
rulers of the people bore witnefs that I had acled like an ex-
cellent general, and that it was the work ot ill men to accufe
one againfl whom they had nothing to fay.
39. When Simon heard Ananus lay this, he defirec! that the*
melfengers would conceal the thing, and not let it cor.ie a-
mong many ; for that he would take care to have Jofephus re-
moved out of Galilee very quickly. So he calico for John'*
brother [Simon,] and charged him, that they fhould fend pref-
ents to Ananus and his friends ; lor, as he laid, they mighr
probably by that means perfnade them to change their minc'.i.
And indeed Simon did at length thus compafs what he aimed
at ; for Ananus, and thofe with him, being corrupted by bribes,
agreed to expel me out of Galilee, without making the reft ot
the citizens acquainted with what they were doing. Accord-
ingly they refolved to fend men of diftinttion as to their fam-
ilies, and of difiinclion as to their learning alfo. Two ct thefe
were ot the populace, Jonathan * and Ananias, by feel ot
Pharifees ; while the third, Jozar, was of the {lock of the
priefls, and a Pharifee al!o ; and Simon, the laft ot them, was
of the youngefl of tl;e high pri^fls. Thefe had it given them
in charge, that, when they were come to the multitude of" the
Galileans, they fhould am them what was the reafon of their
love to me ? and it they faid, that it was becaule I was born
at Jerusalem, that they fhould reply, that they tour were alt
born at the fame place ; and it they fhould fay, it was becauie
I was well verfed in their law, they fhouid reply, that neither
were they unacquainted with the practices or their country ;
I ut if, befides thefe, they fhould fay, they loved me becaule I
was a prieft, they fhould reply, that two of thefe were priefts
iilfo.
43. Now, when they had given Jonathan and his compan-
ions thefe initruilions, they gave them forty thoufand [drach-
mae] out ot the public money : But when they heard that
there was a certain Galilean that then fojourned at Jerufalem,
\vhofe name was Jelus, who had about him a band ot fix hun-
dred armed men, they fent tor him, and gave him three months
pay, and gave him orders to follow Jonathan and his compan-
ions, and be obedient to them. T;;ey alfo gave money to three
hundred men that were citizens ot Jcrulaiem. to niairitairi
* This J >r t'.Ti i.s alf,> taken notice of hi t!\e J.atin -
. bbins in I'r>r.3 ?.:
484 TH1 LIFE OF FLAVIUS JOSEPHUS.
them all, and ordered them alfo to follow theambafTadors ; and
when they had complied;* ami were gotten ready tor the march,
Jonathan and his companions went out with them, having a-
long with them John's brother, and an hundred armed men.
The charge that was give* them by thofe that fent them was
this, that it I would voluntarily lay down my arms, they
Ihould fend me alive to theily Jerufalem, but that, in cafe 1
oppofed them, they ihould^kill me, and tear nothing ; for that
it was their command for them fo to do. They aiio wrote to
John to make all ready tor fighting me, and gave order to the
inhabitants of Sepphoris and Gabara, and Tiberias, to fend
auxiliaries to John.
41. Now as my father wrote me an account of this, (for Je-
fus the km of Gamala, who was prefent in that council, a
friend and companion ot mine, told him ot it,) 1 was very mucn
tioubled, as discovering thereby, that my lellow citizens prov-
ed fo ungrateful to me, as, out ot envy, to give order that I
Ihould be (lain ; my father earneftly preffcd me alfo in his let-
ter to come to him, for that he longed to fee
died. I informed my friends of thefe things, and that in three
days time I fhould leave the country, and go ! oon
hearing this they were all very forry, and defined me, with
tears in their eyes, not to leave them to be < i fo
they thought they fhould be, if I were'deprived ot ii
mand over them : But as I did not grant their reqncft, bin
ing care of my own fatety. the Galileans,
ot the confequence of my departure, that ti : rhen be
at the mercy' of ihe robbers, lent meilengers over all Galilee
to inform them of my refolution to leave them. Wl.f
a> foon as they heard it, they gol together in great numbers,
{:om all parts, with their wives and children ;
as it appeared to me, not more out of their n to me,
than out ot their tear on their own account ; tor, while I ftaid
with them, they fuppofed that they fhpuld fuflfer no harm. So
they all came into the great plain, wherein I lived, ti.-; na
ot which was Afochis.
42. But wondertul it was what a dream I faw that very
night ; tor when I had betaken myfelf to my bed, as grieved
and difiurbed at the news that had been written to rrc, ;t feem-
ed to me, that a certain perfon ftood by me *, ami faid, " O Jo-
fephus ! leave off to affiicl thy foul, and put away , for
what now grieves thee will render thee very conficierable. and
in all refpecls moft happy ; for thou fhalt get over not only
thefe difficulties, but many others, with great fuccefs. How-
ever, be not caft down, but remember that thou art to fight
with the Romans." When 1 had feen this dream, I got up
* This I take to be the firft of Jofephus's remarkable or divine dreams.
were prediftive of the great things that afterward came to pals : Of which fee more
n the note en Antiq. B. III. ch viii, left. 9. Vol. I. The other is in the War, B,
311. ch. viii. left. 3, 9. Vol. III.
THE Lite. OF FLAVIUS JCSEPHUS, 485
with an intention of going down to the plain. Now when the
whole multitude of the Galileans, among whom were the wo-
men and children, faw me, they threw themfelves down upon
v.ces, and with tears in their eyes, be/ought me not to
hem expoled to their enemies, nor to go away and per-
mit their. counti y to be injured by them. But, when I did not
comply with their intreaties, they compelled me to take an
oath, that I would ftay with them : They alfo caft abundance
ot reproaches upon the people of Jerufalem, that they would
\r country enjoy peace.
43. When I heard this, and law what forrow the people
were in, I was moved with companion to them, and thought
it became me to undergo the mofl manifefl hazards for the
fake ot fo great a multitude ; fo I let them know I would flay
with them. And when I had given order that five thoufand
ot them Ihould come to me ar.~>.ed, and with provifions for
their maintenance, I fent the rell away to their own homes ;
anri, when thofe five thoufand were- come, I took them, to-
r with three thoufand of the foldiers that were with me
and eighty horfemen, and marched to the village of
Chabolo, fituated in the confines of Ptolemais, and there kept
my forces together, pretending to get ready to fight with Pla-
cidus, who was come with two cohorts of footmen, and one
troop of horfemen, and was fent thither by Ceftius Gallus to
burn thofe villages ot Galilee that were near Ptolemais. 'Up-
on whofe cafting up a bank before the city Ptolemais, I alfo
pitched my camp at about the di (lance of fixty furlongs from
that village. And now we frequently brought out our forces
as if we would fight, but proceeded no farther than fkirmifh-
i diiiance ; tor, when Placidus perceived that I was earn-
come to battle, he was afraid, and avoided it. Yet did
Le not remove from the neighbourhood of Ptolema
44. About this time it was that Jonathan and his fellow-
legates came. They were fent as we have 'faid already, by
Simon, and Ananus the high-prieft. And Jonathan contriv-
ed how he might catch me by treachery ; for he durft not
make any attempt upon me openly. So he wrote me the fol-
lowing epillle : " Jonathan and thofe that are with him, and
are fent by the people of Jerufalem, to Jofephus, fend greet-
ing. We are fent by the principal men ot Jerufalem, who
have heard that John of Gifchala hath laid many fnares for
thee, to rebuke him, and to exhort him to be fubjeft to thee
fter. We are alfo defirous to confult with thee about
our common concerns, and what is fit to be clone. We there-
lore defire thee to come to us quickly, and to bringonly a few
men with thee ; tor this village will not contain a great num-
ber of foldiers." Thus it was that they wrote, as expecting
one of thefe two things, either that 1 fhould come without
^rmedmen.and then they mould have me under their power ;
or it I came with a great number, they fhould judge me to be
4&6 THE LIFE OF FLAVIUS JOSEPHUS.
a ptiblic enemy. Now it was an horfeman who bi;
letter, 3 m-in at other times bold, and one that had fervid \r. the
army under the king. It was the lecond hour of the night
that he came, when I was feafting with my friends, an .
principal ot the Galileans. This man, upon my fervant's tel-
jlingme, thata certain horfeman ot the Jewifh nation was come,
lie was called in at my command, but did not fo much as fa-
lute me at all, hut held out a letter, and faid, " This letter is
lent thee by thole that are come from Jeru{alem. Do thou
write an anfvver to it quickly ; for I am obliged to return to
them very foon." Now my guefb could not but wonder at
the boldnefs of the foldier. But 1 defired him to fit down and
lup with us ; but when he re hi fed fo to do, I held the letter
in my hands as I received it, and fell talking with my guelts
about other matters. But a few hours afterwards I got up, and
when I had difmiffed the reft togo to their beds, 1 bid only
four of my intimate friends to flay, and ordered my fervantto
get lome wine ready. laHo opened the letter fo, that no body
could perceive it ; and understanding thereby prefently the
purport ot the writing, 1 fealcd it up again, and appeared as
if I had not yet read it but only hell it my hands. 1 ordered
twenty drachmas thould be given the foldier for the charges of
his journey ; and when he took the money, and faid he thank-
ed me tor it, I perceived that he loved money, and that h
to be-caught chiefly by that means, and I faid to him, " If
thou wilt but drink with us, thou fhalt have a drachma? for
every glafs thou drinkeft." So he gladly embraced the
pofal, and drank a great deal ot wine, in order togetthemore
money, and was fo (trunk, that at latl he could not keep the
fecrets he was intruited with but dilcovercd them without my
putting queiiions to him, viz. that a treacherous defign was
contrive^ againlt me, and that 1 was doomed to die by thole
that fen t him. When I heard this, 1 wrote back this anfwer :
" Jofephtis, to Jonathan and thofe that are with him, ferideth
greeting. Upon the information that you are come in health
into Galilee, I rejoice, and this efpecially becaufe I can now
refign the care of public affairs here into your hands, and re-
turn into rny native country ; which is what I have defired to
dp a great while : And 1 confefs I ought not only to come to
you as far as Xaloth, but farther, and this without your com-
mands. But I defire you to excuie me, becaufe 1 cannot do
it now, fince 1 watch the motions of Placidus, who hath a
inind to go up into Galilee ; and this I do here at Chabalo.
Do you therefore on the receipt of this epiftle, come hither to
me... Fare you well."
45 When i had written thus, and given the letter to be
carried by the foldier, I fent along with them thirty ot the Gal-
ileans of the beft characlers, and gave them inflruchons to fa-
lute thofe ambaffadors, but to lay nothing elfe to them. 1
aJfo gave orders to as many ol thofe armed men, whom \ ef-
THE Lift OF FLAVIUS JOSEPHUS. 487
teemed mod faithful tonie^ to go along with the others, every
one with him whom he was to guard, left fome conversion
might pafs between thofe whom i fent and thofe that were with
Jonathan. So thofe men went fto Jonathan]. Bat when Jon-
ithan and his partners had failed in this their fii 11 attempt, they
>ent me another letter, the contents whereof were as follows :
1 Jonathan and thofe with him to Jofephus, fend 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 haft to lay to the charge of John [ot'Gifchala |." When
they had written this letter, they faluted the Galileans whom
I (ent, and came to Japha, which was the largeit village of all
Galilee, and encompafTed with very (hong walls, and had a
great nuinher of inhabitants in it. There the multitude of
men with their wives and children, met them and exclaimed
loudly againft them, and defined them to be gone, and not t^>
envy them the advantage of an excellent commander. With
thefe clamours Jonathan and his partners were greatly pro.
vokcd, although they durft not fhew their anger openly : So
they made him no anfwer, hut went to other villages. But
(till the fame clamours met them from all the people who laid,
" No body (hould perfuade them to have any other command-
er betides Jolephus." So Jonathan and his partners went a-
way from them without fuccefs, and came to Sepphoris, the
greateft city of all Galilee. Now the men of that city who
inclined to the Romans in their fentiments, met them indeed
but neither praifed nor reproached me ; and when they were
gone downt from Sepphoris to Afochis, the people of that
place made a clamour againft them, as thofe of Japha had
done. Whereupon they were able to contain themfelves no
longer, but ordered the armed men that were wkh them to
beat thofe that made the clamour with ther clubs. And when
they carne to Gabara John met them, with three thoufand arm-
ed men ; but, as I underltood by their letter, that they had re-
folved to fight againft me, I arofe from Chabolo, with three
thoufand armed men alfo, but left in my campoiieof my fait-
eft friends, and came to Jotapata, as defirous to be near them,
the diftance being no more than forty furlongs. Whence I
wrote thus to them : " If you are very dmfirous that 1 fhould
come to you, you know there ate two hundred and forty cit-
ies and villages in Galilee, 1 will come to any of them which
you pleale, excepting Gabara and Gifchala ; the one of which
is John's native city, and the other in confederacy andlriend-
fhip with him."
46 When Jonathan and his partners had received this let-
ter, they wrote to me no more anfwers, but called a council
of their friends together, and taking John into their coniuita-
tion, they took connfel together by what means they might
attack me. John's opinion was, that they mould wtite to ail
the cities ,erc in Galilee ; iur ihat there mult
488 THE LIFE OF FLAVIUS JO..
be certainly one or two perfons in every one of them that was
at variance with me and that they be invited to come to op-
pofe me as an enemy. He would a! fo have them fend this
refolution of theirs to fhe city Jerutalem, that its citizens up-
on the. knowledge of my being adjudged to be an enemy by
the Galileans, might themfelves alfo confirm that determina-
tion. He iaid alfo, that when this was done, even thofe Gali-
leans who were affefted to me, would defert me out of fear.
When John had given them this counfel, what he had faid
was very agreeable to the reft ot them. I was alfo man
quainted with thefe affairs about the third hour of the night,
by the means of one Saccheus, who had belonged to them, but
now deferted them and came over to me, and told me what
they were about ; fo 1 perceived that no time was to be loft.
Accordingly I gave command to Jacob, an armed man o! my
guard, whom I efteemed faithful to me, to take two hundred
men and to guard the paflages that led from Gabara to Gali-
lee, and to feize upon the paflengers, and fend them to me,
efpecially fuch as were caught with letters about them : I alia
fent Jeremias himfelf, one of my friends with fix hundred
armed men, to the borders of Galilee, in order to watch the
roads that led from this country to the city Jerufalem, and
gave him charge to lay hold of fuch as travelled with letters
about them, to keep the men in bonds upon the place, but to
fend me the letters.
47. When i had laid thefe commands upon them, I
them orders and bid them to take their arms and bring three
days provifion with them, and be with me the next day. I al-
io parted thofe that were about me into four parts, and ordain-
ed thofe of them that were molt faithful to me to be a guard to
my body. I alfo fet over them centurions, and commanded
them to take care that not a foldier which they did not kn^w
ihould mingle himfelf among them. Now on the fifth day fol-
lowing, when I was in Gabaroth, I found the entire pla;.
was before the village full of armed men, who were, come out
of Galilee to aflift me : Many others of the multitude alfo, out
ot the village ran along with me. But as fooa as i had taken
my place, arid began to (peak to them, they all made an accla-
mation, and called me the benefactor and iaviour of the coun-
try. And when 1 had made them my acknowledgements, and
thanked them [for their affeftion to me, | 1 alfo advi r cd them
to fight* with no body, nor to fpoil the country ; but to pitch
their tents in the plain, and be content with their, fuftenance
they had brought with them ; for I told them 1 had a mind to
compofe thefe troubles without fhedding any blood. Now it
* Jofephus's direftiops '. 'vre are much the fame that J ohn the Bap-
:'iii- 14. " to no man, neiti.cr accufe any iaHc
ntwiih your vra^." Whence Dr. Hudfon confirms this conjet
, <;hn the Baptift, v.
TilE LIFfl OF FLAVIUS JOSKPHUS. 489
came to pafs that on the very fame day thofe who were fent by
John with letters, fell among the guards whom I had appoint-
ed to watch the roads ; io the men were themfelves kept upon
the place, as my orders were, but ! got the letters, which were
full of reproaches and lies ; and I intended to fall upon thefe
men, without faying a word ot thefe matters to any body.
48. Now as foon as Jonathan and his companions heard o
rny coming, they took all their own friends, and John with
them, and retired to the houfe of Jefus, which indeed was a
large caftle, and no way unlike a citadel; fo they privately
laid a band of armed men therein, and (hut all the other doors
but one, which they kept open, and they expeied that I (hould
come out of the road to them, to falute them. And indeed
they had given orders to the armed men, that when I came
they ihould let no body be fides me come in, but fhould ex^
elude others; as fuppofing that, by this means, they ihould
eafily get me under their power : But they were deceived i;i
their expectation ; {or I perceived what fnares they had laic!
for me. Now as foon as I was got off my journey, I took uj>
my lodgings over againfl them, and pretended to he afleep ;
fo Jonathan and his party thinking that I was really afleep,
and at reft, made hafte to go down into the plaia, to perfuade
the people that I was an ill governor. But the matter proved
otherwife ; for upon their appearance there was a cry made by
the Galileans immediately, declaring their good opinion ot
me as their governor ; and they made a clamour againft Jon-
athan and his partners, tor coming to them when they had
differed no harm, and as though they would overturn theif
happy fettlement ; and defired them by all means to go back
again, for that they would never be perfuaded to have any
other to rule over them but my felf. When I heard of this, I
did not fear to go down into the. midft ot them ; i went, there-
fore, my felt down prefemly to hear what Jonathan and his
companions faid. As fcon as 1 appeared, there was immedi-
ately an acclamation made to me by the whole multitude, and
a cry in my commendation by them, who confeffed their
thanks was owing to me for my good government ot them,
49. When Jonathan and his companions heard this, they
were in fear ot their own lives, and in danger left they fhould
be affaulted by the Galileans on my account ; fo they con-
trived how they might run away. But as they were not able
togetofftorldefired them to flay, they looked down with con-
cern at my words to them. I ordered therefore the multitude to
reftrain entirely their acclamations, and placed the moil faith-
ful of my armed men upon the avenues, to be a guard to us,
left John Ihould unexpectedly fall upon us ; and I encouraged
the Galileans to take their weapons, left they fhould be dif-
turbed at their enemies, if any fudden infult ihould be made
upon them. And then, in the firil place, I put Jonathan and
his partners in mind of their Hornier] le'ter, and after what
Voi .. II. O 3
49P THE LIFI OF PLAVIUS JOSEPHUS.
manner they had written to me, and declared they were fent?
by the common confent of the people of Jet ufalem, to make
up the differences 1 had with John, and how they had defireci
me to come to them ; and as 1 fpake thus, I publicly (hewed
that letter they had written, till they could not at all deny
what they had done, the letter itfelt convicting them. I then
faid, " O Jonathan, and you that are fent with him as his col-
league?, if I were to be judged as to my behaviour, compar-
ed with that of John's, and had brought no more than two * or
three witnefles, good men and true, it is plain you had been
forced, upon the examination of their characltrs beforehand,
to difcharge the accufations : That therefore you may be in-
formed that I'have afied well in the affairs of Galilee, I think
three witneffes too few to be brought by a man that hath done
as he ought to do ; fo I gave you all thefe for witneffes. In-
quire of them -r how I have lived, and whether 1 have not be-
liaved myfelf with all decency, and alter a virtuous manner
among them. And I farther conjure you, O Galileans, to
hide no part of the truth, but to (peak before thefe men as be-
fore iudges, whether I have in any thing alcd ctheiwife than
'
50. While I was thus fpeaking, the united voices of all the
people joined together, and called me their benefaclor and
iaviour, and attefled to my former behaviour, and exhorted
me to continue fo to do hereafter ; and they all faid, upon
their oaths, that their wives had been preferved free from in-
juries, and that no one had ever been aggrieved by me. After
this, 1 read to the Galileans two of thole epilrles which bad
been fent by Jonathan and his colleagues, and which thofe
whom I had appointed to guard the road had taken, and fent
to me. Thefe were full ot reproaches, and of lies, as if I
had acled more like a tyrant than a governor againff them, with
many other things befides therein contained, which were no
better indeed than impudent falfities. I alfo informed the
multitude how 1 came by thefe letters, and that thofe who
carried them delivered them up voluntarily ; for I was not
willing that my enemies fhould knoAV any thing ot the guard*
1 had fet, left they mould be afraid, and leave off writing
hereafter.
51. When the multitude heard thefe things, they weregreat-
ly provoked at Jonathan, and his colleagues that were with
him, and were going to attack them and kill them ; and this
* We here learn the practice ef the Jfws, hi the clays of Joiepbus, to enquire
into the chareflers of witnefles, before they weie. admitted, ar.ri that thJrnuin-
ocr ought to be three, or t\vo at the Jeaft, alio exadly ss in the la v oi Mofes. and
in the Apoftolical Conftitutions, B. II. ch 37. See Horao Covenant Revived,
2 g97i 98-
t This appcai to the whole body of the Galileans by Jofephus, and the tefti-
mony they gave Rim of integrity in his conciuft, as their governor, is very likt
that appeal and teftimony in the cafe of the prophet Samdel, i Sam. xii. 15 anii
perhaps was done by Joiepbus in imitation ot him.
THE "LIFE OF FLAV1US JOSEPHUS. S t tyi
they had certainly done, nnlefs I had reftrained the ?nger of
the Galileans, and faid, That " I forgave Jonathan and hrs
colleagues what was pail, if they would repent, and go to
their own country, and tell thofe who fent them the truth, as
to my conrluft." When I had laid this, I let them go, al-
though I knew they would do nothing of what they had prom-
ifed. But the multitude were very much enraged againft
them, and entreated me to give them leave to puniih them for
their infolence ; yet did I try all methods to perfuade them te>
fpare the men ; for I knew that every inftance of fedition was
pernicious to the public welfare. But the multitude was too
angry with them to be diffuaded, and all of them went imme-
diately to the houfe in which Jonathan and his colleagues a-
bode. However, when I perceived that their rage could not
be reftrained, I got on horfe-back, and ordered the multitude
to follow me to the village Sogane, which was twenty iur-
longs off Gabara ; and by tifirg this flratagem, 1 fo managed
mylelf. as not to appear to begin civil war amongfi them.
52. But when I was come near Sogane, I caufed the mul-
titude to make an holt, and exhorted them not to be fo eafjly
provoked to anger, and to the inflifting fuch punifhrnents as
could not be afterwards recalled : J alfo gave order, that an
"hundred men, who were already in years, and were principal
men among them, mould get themfelves ready to go to the
city Jerufa!em,and fhould make a complaint before the peo-
ple, of fuch as raifed feditions in the country. And 1 faid
to them, that ' in cafe they be moved with what you fay, you
fhall deiire 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 inggefled thefe inftruftions.
to them, and while they were getting themfelves ready as fad
as they could, I lent them on this errand the third day after
they had been afiembled : I alfo fent five hundred armed men
with them fas a guard]. I then wrote to my triends in Sama-
ria, to take care that they might fafely pafs through the coun-
try : For Samaria was already under the Romans, and it was
abfolutely neceffary for thofe that go quickly [ to Jerufalernj,
to pafs through that country ; for in that road you may, in
three days time, go from Galilee to Jerufalcm. J alfo went
inyfelt, and conduced the old men as far as the bounds of
Galilee, and fct guards -in the roads, that it might not be cafily
known by any one that thefe men were gone. And when I
had thus done, I went and abode at Japha.
,53. Now Jonathan and his colleagues having failed of ac-
compli(hing what they would have done againlt me, they Tent
John back to Gifchala, but went themfelves to the city
JTiberias, cxpecling it would fubmit itfelf to them ; and
this was founded on a letter which Jefus, their then governor,
.had written them, promifing, that if they came, the multi-
tude would receive them, and choofe to be under thei r gov-
492 THE LIF OF FLAVIUS JOSEPHUS.
eminent ; fo they went their ways with this expectation. But
Silas, who as I laid, had been left curator ot Tiberias by me,
informed me ol this, and defired me to make hafte thither.
Accordingly I complied with his advice immediately, and
came thither ; but found myfelf in danger of my life, from
the following occafion ; Jonathan and his colleagues had been
at Tiberias, and had perfuaded a great many of fuch as had a
quarrel with me to defert me ; but when they heard of my
coming they were in fear for themfelves, and came to me, and
when they had faluted me, they faid, that 1 was an happy
man in having behaved myfelt ib well in the government of
Galilee; and they congratulated me upon the honours that
were paid me : For they laid, that my glory was a credit to them,
fince they had been my teachers and fellow citizens ; and they
{aid farther, that it was but juft that they fhould prefer my
friendfhip to them rather than John's, and that they would
have immediately gone home, but that they flayed that
might deliver up John into my power ; and when they faid
this tney took their oaths of it, and thofe fuch as are mod
tremendous atnonft us, and fuch as I did not think fit to dit-
believe. However, they defned me to lodge forne when-
elfe ; becauie the next day was tne Sabbath, and that it uv.^
not fit the city of Tiberias fhould be dillurbed j on that day |,
54. So I fufpecled nothing, and went away to Taricht.v ;
yet did I withal leave fome to make inquiry in the city how
matters went, and whether any thing was faid a'out me : I
a'.fo fet many perfons all the way that led from TarichecC to
Tiberias, that they might communicate from one to another
if they learned any news from thole that were left in the city.
On the next day. therefore, they all came into thePiof.:u-
rha * ; it was a large edifice, and capable of receiving a great
number of people ; thither Jonathan went in, and though, he
durft not openly fpeak of a revolt, yet did he fay that their
city flood in need of a better governor than it then had. But
Jelus who was the ruler, made no fcruple to fpeak out, and
laid openly, " O fellow citizens ! it is better for you to be in
fubjeclion to four than to one ; and thofe fuch as are of high
birth, and not without reputation for their wifdom ;" and
pointed to Jonathan and his colleagues, Up-m his faying
this, Julius came in and commended him for what he had faici,
and perfuaded fome of the people to be of his mind alfo.
But the multitude were not pleated with what was faid, and
had certainly gone into a tumult, unlefs the fixth hour
which was now come had diffolved the aflembly, at which
It is worth noting here, that there was now a great Profeucha, or place of
prayer in the city Tiberias itfelf, though fuch Profeucha ufed to be out of
as the lynagogues were withiathem ; of them fee Le Moyne on Polyrarp's epiftle,
page 76. It is a!fo worth our remark, that the Jews in the days of Jofephus uicd
to dine at the fixth hour or noon ; and that in obedi -nee to their ntftioas of the
law of Mofes aHo.
THE LIFE OF FLAVIUS JOSEPHUS. 493
hour our law requires us to go to dinner on Sabbath days ; fo
Jonathan and his colleagues put off their council till the next
day, and went off without fuccefs. When I was informed of
theie affairs, I determined to go to the city of Tiberias in the
inorning. Accordingly, on the next day about the firft hour
oi the day, I came to Taricheae, and found the multitude
ready aflembled in Profeucha ; but on what account they were
gotten together, thofe that were aflembled did not know. But
when Jonathan and his colleagues faw me there unexpected-
ly , they were in diforder ; after which they raifed a report of
their own contrivance, that Roman horfemen were feen at a
place called Union, in the borders ot Galilee, thirty furlongs
diftant from the city. Upon which report Jonathan and his
colleague";, cunningly exhorted me not to neglecl this matter,
nor to fuffer the land to be fpoiled by the enemy. And this
they faid with a defign to remove me out of the city, under
thr^ pretence of the want of extraordinary afliftance, while
they might difpofe the city to my enemy.
^5. As for myfelF, although I knew of their defign, yet
did I comply with what they >;ropofed left the people of Ti-
berias (hould have occafion to fuppofe, that I was not careful
oi their fecurity. I therefore went out; but when 1 was at
the place, 1 found not the leafl footfteps of any enemy,
fo 1 returned as tad as ever I could, and found the whole
council atTembled, and the body of the people gotten togeth-
er, and Jonathan snd his colleagues bringing vehement accu-
fations againft me, as one that had no concern to eafe them of
the burdens ot war. and as one that lived luxurioufly. And
as they were difcourfing thus, they produced tour letters as
written to them from fome people that lived at the borders of
Galilee, imploring that they would come to their affiftance,
l')f that there was an army oi Romans, both horfemen and
footmen, who would come and lay wafte the country on the
third day ; they de fired them alfo to make haltc, and not to
overlook them. When the people of Tiberias heard this, they
thought they fpake truth, and made a clamour againft me, and
faid, 1 ought riot to fit ftill, but to g> away to the afliftance
ot their countrymen. Hereupon I laid, (for I under/food the
meaning of Jonathan and his col leagues) , that I was ready to
comply with what they propofed, and without delay to march
to the war which they ipake of, yet did I advife them, at the
fame time, that fmce theie letters declared that the Romans would
make their affault in four feveral places, they (hould part their
forces into five bodies, and make Jonathan and his colleagues
generals ot each body ot them, b'ecaule it was fit for brave
men, not only to givecounfel, but to take the place of lead-
ers, and aifilf their countrymen whenfuch a neceflity p re fled
them ; tor, faid I-, it is not poffible for me to lead more than
one party. This advice ot mine greatly plea fed the multi-
tude ; fo they compelled them to go forth to war. But :!; :tr
494 LIFE Oi FLAVIUS JOSEPHUS,
defigns were put into very much diforder, becaufe they
not done what they defigned to do, on account of my ftrata-
gem, which was oppofite to their undertakings.
56. Now there was one whole name was Ananias, a wicked
man he was, and very mifchievous ; he propofed that a gen-
eral religious fall * (hould be appointed the next day for all
the people, and gave order that at the fame hour they fhould
come to the fame place without any weapons, to make it rr.anifeft
before God. that while they obtained his affiftance, they tho't
all thefe weapons ufelefs. This he laid, not out ot piety, but
that they might catch me and my friends unarmed. Now I
was hereupon forced to comply, left I mould appear to def-
pife a propofal that tended to piety. As foon, therefore, as
we weregone home, Jonathan and his colleagues wrote tojohn.to
come to them in themorning and defiring him to come with as
many foldiers as he poJIibly could, tor that they ihouid then
be able ea-fily to get me into their hands, and to do all that they
defired to do. When John had received this letter, he re-
folved to comply with it. As for myfelf', on the next day, I
ordered two ot the guards ot my body, whom 1 e deemed the
moil courageous, and moft faithtul, to hide daggers under
their garments, and to go along with me, that we might de-
fend omfelves. if any attack fhould be made upon us by our
enemies. I allo mylelt took my bieaft plate, and gird on my
fword, fo that it. might be, as far as was poffible, concealed,
and came into the Profe-u-cha.
57. Now Jefus. who was the ruler, commanded that they
fhould exclude all that cdme with me, tor he kept the door
Jiimfelt, and fufleied none hut his frien-Js to go in. And while
we were engaged in the duties of the day, and had betaken
ourfelves to our prayers, Jt'us got up, and enquired of me
what was become ot the veSTds that were taken out of the
king's palace, when it was burnt down, [and] of that un-
coined ulver; And in whole poflefR on they now were ? This
lie laid, in order to drive away time till John fhould come I
faid that Capellus, and the ten principal men of Tiberias had
them all ; and I told him that they might alk them whether I
told a lie or not. And when they faid they had them, heafk-
cd me, w-hat is become ot tho'e twenty pieces of gold which
thou didft receive upon the fale ot a certain weight ot un-
coined money ? I replied, that I had given tticm to thofe
ambaflfadors ot theirs, as a maintenance tor them, when they
were lent hy them to Jerufalem. So Jonathan and his colleagues
faid, that I had not done well to pay the ambalfadors out ot
the public money. And when the multitude were very an-
gry at them for this, tor they perceived the wickednefs ot
* One may obferve here, That this by Piisri!Vp Ananias, as w have fcen he
w, tfft. 39 t:>ok upon him t'i . i ..f. "i'iueri?.;. and was obeyed ; tha"
i-ideed it was. not odtol religion ; bui Knavri: p.-liry.
THE LIFE OF FLAVIU& JOSEPHU*. 495
the men, I underftood that a tumult was going to arife ; and
being defirous to provoke the public to a greater rage againft.
the men, I laid, " But if I have not done well in paying our
ambaffkdors out of the publick ftock, leave off your anger at
me, for I will repay the twenty pieces ol^jold myfelf."
58. When I had faid this, Jonathan and his colleagues held
their peace ; but the people were ftill more irrii.Ked againfl
them, upon their openly mewing their unjuft ill-will to me.
When Jefus faw this change in the people, he ordered them to
depart, but defired the fen-ate to ftay ; for that they could not
examine things of fucha nature, in tumult ; and, as the peo-
ple were crying out that they would not leave me alone, there
came one and told Jelus and his friends privately, that John
and his armed men were at hand : Whereupon Jonathan and
his colleagues, being able to contain themfelves no longer,
(and perhaps the providence of God hereby procuring my
deliverance ; for, had not this been fo, I had certainly been
deftroyed by John, faid, <l O you people of Tiberias, leave
off this enquiry about the twenty pieces of gold ; for Jofephus
hath notdeferved to die tor them : But he hath deferved it by
his defire of tyrannizing, and by cheating the multitude of the
Galileans with his fpeeehes, in order to gain the dominion o-
ver them." When he had faid this, they prefently laid hands
upon me and endeavoured to kill me : But, as foon as thofe
that were with me faw what they did, they drew their fwords,
and threatened to fmite them, if they offered any violence to
me. The people alfo took up itones, and were about to throw
them at Jonathan; and fo they fnatched me from the violence
ot my enemies.
59. But, as I was going out a little way, I was juft upon
meeting John, who was marching with his armed men. Sol
was afraid of him, and turned afide, and efcaped by a narrow
paffage to the lake, and feized on a (hip, and embarked in it.
and failed over to Taricheae. So beyond my expeftation, I
efcaped this danger. Whereupon I prefently fent for the chief
of the Galileans, and told them after what manner, againfl; all
faith given, I had been very near to deftruttion from Jona-
than 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 againft John, and utterly to deftroy
him, as well as Jonathan and his colleagues. However, 1
reftrained them, though they were in fuch a rage, and defired
them to tarry a while, till we mould be informed what orders
thofe ambafladors, that were lent by them to the city of Jeru-
falem, mould bring thence ; for I told them, that it was beft
for them to acl according to their determination; whereupon
they were prevailed on. At which time alfo John, when the
fnares he had .laid did not take effect, returned back to Giu
chala.
49^ THE LIFE OF FLAVIUS JOS1PHUS;
60. Now in a tew days tho'fe ambaiTadors whom he had fent
came back again and informed us, that the people were great-
ly provoked at Ananus, and Simon the fon of Gamaliel, and
their friends ; that, without any public determination, they
had fent to Galilee, and had done their endeavours that 1 might
be turned out of the government. The ambafTadors faid far-
ther, that the people were ready to burn their houfes. They
alfo brought letters, whereby the chiet men of Jerufalem, at
theearneft petition of the people, confirmed me in the gov-
ernment of Galilee, and enjoin Jonathan and his colleagues to
return home quickly. When 1 had gotten thefe letters, I came
to the village Arbela, where I procured an aflembly of the
Galileans to meet, and bid the ambaffaclors declare to them the
anger of the people of Jerufalem 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 go-
vernment of their country, as alfo what related to the order
they had in writing for Jonathan and his colleagues to return
home. So I immediately fent them the letter and bid him
that carried it to inquire, as well as he could, how they intend-
ed to aft [on this occafionj.
61. Now when they had received that letter, and were there-
by greatly difturbed, they fent for John, and for the lenators
of Tiberias, and for the principal men of the Gabarens, and
propofed to hold a council, and defired them to confider what
was to be done by them. However the governors of Tiberi-
as were greatly difpofed to keep the government to them-
felves ; tor they faid it was not fit todefert their city, now it
was committed to their truft, and that otherwife I ftrould not
delay to fall upon them ; tor they pretended falfcly that fo I
had threatened to do. Now John was not only ot their opin-
ion, but advifed them, that two of them fhould go to accufe
me before the multitude [at JerufalemJ, that I do not manage
the affairs ot Galilee as I ought to do; and that they would
eafily perfuadc the people, becau'e of their dignity, and be-
caufe the whole multitude are vfrry mutable. When therefore
it appeared that John had fuggiited the wifeft advice to them,
they refolved that two of them, Jonathan and Ananias, mould
go to the people of Jeruialem, and the other two. [Simon and
JoazarJ fhould be left behind to tarry at Tiberias. They al-
lo took along with them an hundred foldiers for their guard.
62. However, the governors ot Tiberias took care to have
their city fecured with walls, and commanded their inhabitants
to take their arms. They alfo feat for a great many foldiers
from John to aflitl them againft me, if there mould be occafion
for them. Now John was at Gifchala. Jonathan therefore,
and thofe that were with him, when they were departed from
Tiberias, and as foon as they were come to Dabaritta, a vil-
lage that lay in the utmoit parts of Galilee in the great plain,
they about midnight fell among the guards I had fet, whi>
LIFE OF PL.-VV1US JOSEPH US. 497
both commanded them to lay afide 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 faid no-
thing of it for tsvo days } and, pretending ro know nothing : : -
bout it, 1 fent a meflage to the people of Tiberias, and advif-
ed them to lay their arms afide, and to difmifs their men, tuait
they might go home. But fupp-ofing that Jonathan, and thofe
that were with him, were already arrived at jerufalem, they
made reproachful anfwers to me ; yet was I not terrified there-
by, but contrived another Jlratagem againft them, tor I did not
think it agreeable with piety to kindle the fire of v/ar againii
the citizens. As I Was defirous to draw thofe men away from
Tiberias, 1 chofe out ten thoufand of the befl of my armed
men, and divided them into three bodies, and ordered them
to go privately, and lie ftill as an ambufh, in the villages. 1
alfo led a thoufand into another village, which lay indeed in
the mountains, as did the others, but only four furlongs dif-
tant from Tiberias, and ga-ve order that when they faw my fig-
nal they mould come down immediately ; while I my fell lay
with my foldiers in the fight of every body. Hereupon the
people of Tiberias, at the fight of me, came running out ot the
city perpetually, and abufed me greatly. Nay, their madneis
was come to that height, that they made a decent bier for me,
and (landing about it, they mourned over me in the way of
j eft and fport ; and I could not but be my felt in a pleafant hu-
mour upon the fight of this madnefs of theirs.
63. And now being defirous to catch Simon by a wile, and
Joazar with him, I fent a meflage to them, and defired then 1
to come a little way out of the city, with many of their friends
to guard them ; for I faid I would come down to them, and
make a league with them, and divide the government of Gali-
lee with them. Accordingly Simon was deluded on accoun*
of his imprudence, and out ot the hopes ot gain, and did not
delay to come ; but Joazar, fufpe&ing fnares were laid tor
him, ftaid behind. So when Simon was come out, and his
friends with him for his guard, 1 met him, and faluted him
with great civility, and protelfed that I was obliged to hirn for
his coming up to me : But a little while afterward I walked
along with him, as though I would fay fomething to him by
himielf, 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 alTault upon Tiberias. Now as the fight grew hot on both
fides, and the foldiers belonging to Tiberias weie in a fair way
to conquer me, (for my armed men were already fled away j
I faw the poiiure of my affairs ; and encouraging thofe that
were with me, I purfued thofe of Tiberias, even when they
were already conquerors, into the city. J alfo fent anothet
VoL.II/ ?
THE LIFE OF FLAVIUS JOSiPHUS.
of foldiers into the city by the lake, and gave them or-
ders to fet on fire the firft houfethey could feize upon. When
this was done, the people of Tiberias thought that their city
was taken by force and fo threw down their arms lor fear,
and implored, they, their wiv'es and children, that I would
fpare their city. So I was over-perfuaded by their entreaties,
<nd reflrained the foldiers from the vehemency with which
they purfued them ; while 1 mvfelf, upon the coming on of
the evening, returned back with my foldiers, and went to re-
frefh rnyfelf. I alfo invited Simon to fup with me, and com-
forted him on occafion of what had happened ; and 1 promif-
ed that I would fend him fafe and fecure to Jerufalem, and
withal would give him provifion for his journey thither.
64. But on the next day I brought ten thoufand men with
me and came to Tiberias, 1 then fent 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
had told me who the men were, I fent (hem bound to the city
Jotapata. But as to Jonathan and Ananias, I heed them from
their bonds, and gave them provifions for their journey, to-
gether with Simon and Joazar, and five hundred armed men
who (hould guard them, and fo I fentthem to Jerusalem. The
people of Tiberias alfo came to me again, and defired that I-
would iorgive them lor what they had done, and they (aid they
would amend what they had done amifs with regard to me, by
their fidelity for the time to come ; and they be/ought me to
preferve what fpoils remained Upon the plunder of the city,
for thofe that had loft them. Accordingly I enjoined thofe
that had got them to bring them all before us ; and when they
did not comply for a great while, and I faw one of the foldier*
that were about me with a garment on that was more fplendid
than ordinary I afked him whence he had it ; and he replied,
that he had it out of the plunder of the city 1 had him punifli-
ed with (tripes, and I threatened all the reft to inflift a leverer
puniOiment upon them unlefs they produced before us what-
foever they had plundered ; and when a great many fpoils
were brought together, 1 reftored to every one oi Tiberias what
they claimed to be their own.
65. And now I am come to this part of rny narration, I have
A mind to fay a few things to Juflus, who hath rrimfelf written
;?n hiftory concerning thefe affairs, as alfo fo others who pro-
feis 10 write hifiory, but have little regard to truth, and are not
afraid, either out of ill-will or good-will to fome perfons to
relate laliehoods. Thefe men do, like thofe who compofe
forged deedsand conveyances ; and becaufe they are not brought
to the likepunifhnicnt with them, they have no regard to truth.
When therefoie Julius undertook to write about thefe facls,
and about the Jewifh war, that he might appear to have been
an induflrious man, he falfified in what he related about me,
and could not fpeak truth <4| r eii about his own country ;
THE Lire or FLAVIUS JOSEPHUS. 499
Whence it is, that being belied by him, I am under a nscefli-
ty to make my detence; and iolihall fay what 1 have conceal-
ed till now. And let no one wonder that I have not told the
world thefe things a great while ago. For although it be ne-
ceflary foran hiftorian to write the truth, yet is fuch an one not
bound feverely to animadvert on the wickednefs of certain
men ; not out ot any favour to them, but out ot an author's
own moderation. How then comes it to pafs, O Julius, thou
moft iagacious ot writers (that I may addrefs myfeif to him as-
it he were prefentj tor fo thou boaftelt of thyfelf, that I and
the Galileans have neen the authors of that fedition which thy
country engaged in both againil: the Romans and againft the
king [Agrippa junior J ? For before ever I was appointed gov-
ernor ot Galilee by the community ot jerufalem, both thou,
and all the people of Tiberias had not only taken up arms, but
had made war with Decapolis ot Syria. Accordingly, thou
hadft ordered their villages to be burnt, and a domeitic fervant
et thine tell in the battle. Nor is it I only who fay this ; but
io it is written in the commentaries ot Vefpafian the emperor,
as alfo how the inhabitants of Decapolis came clamouring to
Vefpafian at Ptolemais, and defired that thou, who wait the
author [of that war, j mighteft be brought to punifhment. And
thou hadft certainly been punilhed ax the command ot Vef^
pafian, had not king Agrippa, who had power given him to
have thee put to death, at tne carneft entreaty of his filter Ber-
nice, changed the punifhment from death into a long imprif-
onment. Thy political adminiftration of atFairs afterward do
alfo clearly difcover both thy other behaviour in life, and that
thou waft the occafion of thy country's revolt from the Ro-
mans ; plain figns of which 1 lhall produce prefently. 1 have
alfo a mind to lay a lew things to the reft ot the people ot Ti-
berias on thy account and to demonftrate to thofe that light up-
on this hiftory, that you hare nogood-will, neither to the Ro-
mans, nor to the king. To be iure, the greatelt cities of Gal-
ilee, O Juilus, were Sepphoris, and thy country Tiberias.
But Sepphoris, fituated in the very midftot Galilee, and hav-
ing many villages about it, and able with eale to have been
bold and troublefome to the Romans, if they had io pleafed,
yet did it reiolve to contyiue faithful to thofe their mailers,
and at the fame time excluded me out ot their city, and pro
iiibited all their citizens irom joining with the Jews in the war,
and that they might be out ot danger from me, they by a wile
got leave of me to fortify their city with walls ; they alip, of.
their own accord, admitted ot a garrifon ot Roman legions,
fent them by Cettius Gallus. who was then prelidentot ^yria,
and fo had me in contempt, though 1 was then very powerful,
and all were greatly afraid of me ; and at the fame time that
the greatelt of our cities, Jerufalem, was befleged, and that
temple ot ours, which belo.nged to us all, was in danger ot fal!-
ing under the enemy's power, they fent no a fli fiance thither.
THE LIFB OF FLAV1US JOSEPHUS.
as not willing to have it thought they would bear arms againft
the Romans But as for thy country, Q Juftus, fituated up-
on the lake of Gennefareth, and diflant irom Hippos thirty
furlongs, from Gadara fixty, and from Scythopolis, which
was under the king's jurifdiclion, an hundred and twenty ;
when there was no Jetvifh city near, it might eafily have pre-
Jerved its fidelity [to the Romans, J if it had fo pleafed them
to do ; for the city and its people had plenty ot weapons. But,
as thou fayeft, I was then the author | of their revolt. J And
pray, O Juftus, who was that author afterwards ? For thou
Jknoweft that I was in the power oi the Romans before Jeru-
lalem was befieged, and before the fame time Jotapata was
taken by force as well as many other fortrefles, 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 demonftrate
to the-kingand to the Romans, that it was not of choice, but
as forced by neceffity, that you fell into the war againft them ;
but you ftaid till Vefpafian came himfelf as iar as your walls,
with his whole army ; and then you did indeed lay afide your
weapons out of tear, arid your city had for certain been taken
by force, unlefs Vefpafian had complied with the king's fup-
plication for you, and had excufed your madnefs. It was not
I, therefore, who was the author of this, but your own incli-
nations to war. Do not you remember how often I got you
under my power, and yet put none ot you to death ? nay, you
once fell into a tumult one againft another, and flew one hun-
dred and eighty five of your citizens not on account of your
good-wili to the king and to the Romans, but on account of
your own wickednefs, and this while I was befieged by the
Romans in Jotapata. Nay indeed, were there not reckoned
up two thou i and of the people of Tiberias during the fiege ot
Jerufalem, iome of which were {lain, and the reit caught and
carried captives ? But thou wilt pretend that thou didft not
engage in the war fince thou didft flee to the king. Yes, in-
deed, thou didft flee to him ; but I fay it was out ot fear of me.
Thou fayeft indeed, that it is I who am a wicked man. But
then, for what reafon was it that king Agrippa, who procured
thee thy life when thou waft condemned to die by Vefpafian,
and who bellowed fo much riches upon thee, did twice alter-
vard put thee into bonds, and as often obliged thee to run a-
way from thy country, and, when he had once ordered thee to
be put to death, lie granted thee a pardon at the earneft defire
of Bernice ? and, when (after fo many of thy wicked pranks}
he had made thee his fecretary, he caught thee falfifying his e-
pifllcs, and drove thee away from his fight. But 1 fhall not
inquire accurately into thele matters of fcandal agairjft thee.
Yet cannot I but wonder at thy impudence, when thou haft
the affurance to fay, that thou haft better related thefe affairs
{of the war] than have all the others that have written about
THE LIFE OF FLAVIUS JOSEPHUS. 50!
them, whilft thou didft not know what was done in Galilee ;
for thou wall then at Berytus with the king ; nor didft thou
know how much the Romans iuffered at the fiege of Jotapata,
or what miferies they brought upon us ; nor couldfl thou learn
by inquiry what 1 did diirin-g that fiege myfelf ; ior all thofe
that might afford fuch information were quite deftroyed in
that fiege. But perhaps thou wilt fay, thou haft written of
what was done againft the people of Jerufalem exaftly. But
how {hould that be ! for neither waft thou concerned in that
war, nor haft thou read the commentarieg of Caefar ; of which
we have evident proof, becaufe thou haft contradicted thole
commentaries of Oaefar in thy hiftory. B.ut if thou art fo har-
dy as to affirm, that thou haft written that hiftory better than
all the red, why didft thou not publifh thy hiftory while the
emperors Vefpafian and Titus, the generals in that war, as
well as king Agrippa and his family, who were men very well
{killed in the learning of the Greeks, were all alive ? tor thou
haft had it written thefe twenty years, and then mighteft thou
have had the tefiimony of thy accuracy. But now when thefe
men are no longer with us, and thou thinkeft thou canft not
be contradicted, thou ventureft to publiih it. But when I was
not in like manner afraid of my own writing, but I offered my
books to the emperors themfelves, when the facts were almolt
under mens eyes ; for I was confcious to myfelf, that I had
obferved the truth of the tacts ; and as I expect to have their
aitedation to them, fo I was not deceived in iuch expectation.
Moreover, I immediately prelented my hiftory to many other
peifons, foine of which were concerned in the war as was
king Agrippa and fome of his kindred. Now the emperor
Titus was fo defircKS that the knowledge ot thefe affairs fhould
be taken from thefe books alone, that he fubicribed his own
hand to them, and ordered that they (hould be publimed ; and
for Agrippa he wrote me (ixty-two letters, and attefted to the
truth of what I had therein delivered ; two ot \vliich letters I
have here fubjoined, and thou mayeft theieby know their con-
tents. " King Agrippa to Jofephus, his dear Inend, fendeth.
greeting. 1 have read over thy book with great pleafure, and
it appears to me, that thou haft done it much more accurately,
and wkh greater care, than have the other writers. Send me
the rell ot thele books. Farewell, my dear friend." " King
Agrippa 10 Jofephus, his dear friend, fendeth greeting. It
ieems by what thou haft written, that thou ftandeft in need of
i;o inftruftion, in order to our information from the beginning.
However when thou comeft to me, I will inform thee ot a
great many things which thou doll not know." So when this
hiftory was pertecled, Agrippa neither by way ot flattery,
which was not agreeable to him, nor by way ol irony, as thou
wilt lay, (tor he was entirely a ftranger to iuch an evil difpo-
iition oi ii-ind J but he wrote this by way ot atleftation to what
was true, as all that read hiftories may do. And fo much thall
502 THE LIPK OF FLAV1US JOSEPHUS.
he faid concerning Juftus*, which I am obliged to add by
way of digrefjion.
66. Now when I had fettled the affairs of Tiberias, and had
affembled ray friends as a Sanhedrim, 1 confuhed what I fhould
do as to John. Whereupon it appeared to be the opinion of
all the Galileans, that J fhould arm them ali, and march againft
John, and punifli him as the author of all the diforders that
had happened. Yet was not I pleafed with their determina-
tion ; as purposing to compofe thefe troubles without blood-
ihed. Upon this I exhorted them to ufe the utmoft care to
learn the names of all that were under John ; which when
they had done, and i thereby was apprifed who the men were,
I publifhed an edi6l, wherein 1 offered fecurity and my right
hand to fuch o4 John's party as had a mind to repent ; and I al-
lowed twenty days time to fuch as would take this molt ad-
vantageous courle for themfelves. I alfo threatened, that un-
Jefs they threw down their arms, 1 would burn their houfes,
and expofe their goods to public fale. When the men heard
of this, they were in no fmall diforder, and delerted John ;
and, to the number of four thoufand, threw down their arms,
and came to me. So that no others fiaid with John but his
own citizens, and about fifteen hundred ilrangers that came
from the metropolis oi Tyre ; and, when John iaw that he had
been outwitted by my ftratagem, he continued alterward in
his own country, and was in great fear of me,
67. But about this time it was that the people ot Sepphoris
grew infolent, and took up arms, out of a confidence they had
in the ftrength of their walls, and becaule they iaw me engag-
ed in other affairs alfo. So they fent to Ceftius Gallus, who
was prefidentof Syria, and dtfired that he would either come
quickly to them, and take their city under his prote6tion, or
* The character of this Tiiftcry of Juftus of Tiberias, the rival of our Jofephus,
which is now loft, with its only ivmsininj; fragmtvit. are givca us by a v.ry able
critic, Photius, who re;:-:! that hiftory. It is in the ^d code of his Bibliotheca,
?nd runs thus. " I have read (fays Photius) the chronology of Juftus of Tiberias,
whofe title is this, [The chronology o/~] the Kings of Judah, which fucceedtd one ano-
fhrr. This [ jultusj came out of the city Tiberias in Galilee He begins liis hit-
tory from Moles, and ends it not till the death of Agiippa the leventh [ruler J oi
the family of Herod, and the laft king of the jews ; who took the government un-
der Claudius, had it augmented under Nero, and it ill more augmented by Vci-
pafian. He died in the third year of Trajan, where allo his hiftory ends. He is
very concife in his Inn^'iage. and flightly pafTes over thole affairs that were moft
neceffary to be infifted on ; and being under the jf-wifn prejudices, as indeed he
'vas himfelf alfo a jew by birth, he makes not the lead mention of the appearance
ft Chrift, or of what things happened to him, or of the wonderful works that he
r.id. He was the ion of a certain Jew, whofe name was Pijlus. He was a man,
as he is delcribed by Jofephus, of a moil profligate character; a flave both to mon-
ey and to pleafutes. In public affairs he \\ as oppofite to Jofephus; and it is related,
that he laid many plots againft him, but that joiephus, though he had this his ene-
my frequently under his power, did only reproach him in words, and fo let him
go without farther punifhrnent. He iays n: : o, that the hiftory which this mnr.
viote is. for the main, iabulo:;s, and ri K"fi< -s tr> tbofe parts where he defcribe7
th Roman war with the Jews, and the takir b of Jerulalcm."
Lira OF FLAVIUS JCSfiPHUS. 503
fend them a garrifori. Accordingly Galtus prornifed them ta
come, hut did not fend word when he would come : And,
when I had learned fo much, I took the foldiers that were with
me, and made an afTault 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 (hewing their ha-
tred to them, fince they bore ill will 1.0 that city alfo. They
then exerted themfelves, as if they would deftroy them all ut-
terly, with thofe that fojourned there alfo. So they ran upon
them, and fet their houfes on fire, as finding them without in-
habitants ; tor the men out ot fear fan together to the citadel.
So the Galileans carried off every thing, and omitted no kind
of defolation which they could bring upon their countrymen.
When I faw this, I was exceedingly troubled at it, and com-
manded them to leave off, and put them in mind that it was not
agreeable to piety to do fuch things to their countrymen : But
fince 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 bid
thofe my friends, who were moll faithful to me, and were a-
bout me, to give out reports, as if the Romans were falling up-
on the other part of the city with a great army ; and this I did,
that, by fuch a report's being fpread abroad, I might reflrain
the violence ot the Galileans, and preferve the city of Sep-
phoris. And at length this flratagem had its effet ; for, upon 1
hearing this report, they %ere in fear tor themfelve*. and fo
they left off plundering, and ran away ; and this more efpe-
cially, becaufe they faw me, their general, do the fame alfo ;
for, that I might caufe this report to be believed, I pretended
to be in fear as well as they. Thus were the inhabitants of"
Sepphoris unexpectedly preferved by this contrivance of
mine.
68. Nay indeed Tiberias had like to have been plundered
by the Galileans alfo upon the following occafion : The chief
men of the fenate wrote to the king, and defired that he would
come to them, and take pofTeffion df their city. The king
promifed to come, and wrote a letter in anfwer to theirs, and
gave it to one of his bed-chamber, whofe name was Crifpus,
and who was by birth a Jew, to carry it to Tiberias. Whea
the Galileans knew that this man carried fuch a letter, they
caught him, and brought him to me ; but as foonas the whole
multitude heard of it, they were enraged, and betook them-
felves to their arms. So a great many of them got together
from all quarters the next day and came to the ciiy Aiochis,
where I then lodged, and made heavy clamours, and called the
city of Tiberias a traitor to them, and a friend to the king ;
and defired leave of me to go down, and utterly deiiroy it ;
for they bore the like ill-will to the people of Tiberias, as
ihev did to thofe of Sepphoris.
69. When I heard this, I was in doubt what to do, and hek
$04 THB LIF OF FLAVIUS JOSEPIJUSo
itated by what means I migbt deliver Tiberias from the rage
of the Galileans ; for I could not deny that thofe of Tiberias
had written to the king, and invited him to come to them ; for
his letters to them in anfwer thereto, would hilly prove the
truth ot that. So I fat a long while mufing with inyfelf, and
then (aid to them, " I know well enough that the people of
Tiberias have offended ; nor {hall I i'orbid you to plunder the
city. However, fuch things ought to be done with difcre-
tion ; for they of Tiberias have not been the only betrayers
of our liberty, but many of the moft eminent patriots of the
Galileans, as they pretended to be, have done the fame. Tar-
ry therefore till I mall thoroughly find out thofe authors of
our danger, and then you fhall have them all at once under
your power, with all fuch as you fha!l yourfel'-'es bring in al-
fo." Upon my faying this, 1 pacified the multitude, and they
left off their anger, and went their ways ; and I gave orders
that he whobrought the king's letters mould be put into bonds ;
but in a few days I pretended that I was obliged, by a neceffa-
i y affair of my own, to go out of the kingdom. I then called
Crifpus privately, and ordered him to make the foldier that
kept him drunk, and to run away to the king. So when Ti-
berias was in danger ot being utterly deftroyed a fecond time,
it efcaped the danger by my fkilful management, and the care
that I had for its preservation.
70. About this time it was that Juftus, the fon of Piftus,
without my knowledge, ran away to the king ; theoccafion oi
which I will here relate. Upon the beginning of the war be-
tween the Jews and the Romans, the people of Tiberias re-
folved to fubmit to the king, and not to revolt from the Ro-
mans ; while Juftus tried to perfuade them to betake themfelves
to their arms, as being himfell defirous of innovations, and
having hopes of obtaining the government of Galilee, as well
asoi his own country [Tiberias] alfo. Yet did he not obtain
what he hoped for ; becaufe the Galileans bore ill-will to thofe
of Tiberias, and on this account of their anger at what miferiea
they had fuffered from them before the war ; thence it was,
thatthey would not endure that Juftus mould be their governor.
I myfelf alfp, who had been entrufted by the community of
Jerufalem with the government of Galilee, did frequently come
to that degree of rage at Juftus, that I had almoft refolved to
kill him, as not able to bear his mifchievous difpofition. He
"was therefore much afraid ot me, lelt at length my pafliou
fhould come to extremity ; fo he went to the king, as fuppoi-
ing that he mould dwell better, and more fafely with him.
71. Now when the people of Sepphoris had, in fo furpi ifing
a manner, efcaped their nrft danger, they lent to Ceftius Gal.
lus, and defired him to come to them immediately, and take
poffefllon of their city, or elfe to fend forces fufficient to reprefs
all their enemies incurfions upon them ; and at the lall they
did prevail with Gallusto fend th^ma confiderable army, both
THE Lift OF FLAVIUS JOSEPHUS. S5
of horfe and foot, \vhich came in the night-time, and
they admitted into the city. But when the country round a-
bout it was harraffed by the Roman army, I took thofe foldiers
that were about me, and came to Garifme, where I caft up a
bank, a good way off the city Sepphoris ; and when 1 was at
twenty furlongs diftance, I came upon it by night, and made
an affault upon its walls with my forces ; and when I had or-
dered a confiderable number oi my foldiers to fcale them with
ladders, I became matter ot the greateft part of the city. But
foon after our unacquaintednefs with the places forced us to
retire, alter we had killed twelve of the Roman footmen, and
two horfemen, and a few of the people oi Sepphoris, with the
Jofs ot only a fingle man of our own. And when it afterward
came to a battle in the plain againft the horfemen, and we had
undergone the dangers of it courageoufly fora long time, we
were beaten ; tor upon the Romans encompafjjng me about,
my foldiers were afraid, and fled back. There fell in that bat-
tle one of thole that had been entrufted to guard my body, his
name wasju/lus, who at this time had the fame poft with the
king. At the fame time alfo there came forces, both horfemen
and footmen, from the king, and Sy\\a. their commander, who
was the captain of this guard ; this Sylla pitched his camp at
five furlongs diftance from Julias, and fet a guard upon the
roads both that which led to Cana, and that which led to the
fortrefs Gamala, that he might hinder their inhabitants from
getting provifions outof Galilee.
72. As foon as I had gotten intelligence of this, I fent two
thou&nd armed men, and a captain over them, whofe name
was Jeremiah, who raifed a bank a furlong off Julias, near to
the river Jordan, and did no more than fkirmifh with the ene-
my ; till I took three thoufand foldiers myfelf, and came to
them* But on the next day, when 1 had laid an arribufh in
a certaiii valley, not far from the banks, I provoked thofe that
belonged to the king to come to a battle, and gave orders to
my own foldiers to turn their backs upon them, until they
mould have drawn the enemy away Irom their camp, and
brought them out into the field, which was done accordingly;
for Sylla, fuppofing that our party did really run away, was
ready to purfue them, when our foldiers that lay in atnbufh
took them on their backs, and put them all into great difor-
der. 1 alfo immediately made a fudden turn with my own
forces, and met thofe ot the king's party, and put them to
flight. And 1 had performed great things that day, if a certain
fate had not been my hindrance ; for the horfe on which I
rode, and upon whofe back I fought, fell into a quagmire, ami
threw me on the ground, and I was bruifed on my wrift, and
carried into a village named Cepharnome, or Capernaum.
Whan my foldiers heard of this, they were afraid I had been
worfe hurt than I was : And fo they did not go on with their
purfuit any further, but returned in very great concern for
me. I therefore fcnt for the phyficians, and while I was urv
VOL. II. Q 3
506 THE LIFE OF tLAVIUS JOSEPHUS.
der their hand, I continued feeverifh that day ; and as the
phyficians directed, I was that night removed to Taricheas.
73. When Sylla and his party were informed what happen-
ed to me, they took courage again ; and underftanding that
the watch was negligently kept in our camp, they by night
placedabody of horfemen in ambufh beyond Jordan, and
when it was day they provoked us to fight ; and as we did not
refufe it, but came into the plain, their horfemen appeared
out of that ambufh in which they had lain, and put our men
into diforder, and made them run away ; fo they flew fix men
of our fide. Yet did they not go off with the viclory at laft ;
for when they heard that fome armed men were failed from
Taricheae to Julias, they were afraid, and retired.
74. It was not now long before Vefpafian came to Tyre,
and king Agrippa with him ; but the Tyrians began to fpeak
reproachfully of the king, and called him an enemy to the
Romans. For they faid, that Philip, the general of his army,
had betrayed the royal palace, and the Roman forces that were
in jerufaiem, and that it was done by his comm :id. V
Vefpafian heard ot this report, he rebuked the Ty runs fur
abufing a man who was both a king, and a friend to the Ro-
mans ; but he exhorted the king to (end Philip to Rome, to
anfwer for what he had done before Nero. But when Philip
was tent thither, he did not come into the fight of Nero, tor
he found him very near death on account ot the troubles ttuU
then happened, and a civil war ; and fo he returned to the
king. But when Vefpafian was come to Ptolerrais, the chief
men of Decapolis of Syria made a clamour againft juflus ot
Tiberias, becaufe he had fet their villages on fire : So Vefpa-
fian delivered him to the king, to be put to death b> thufe
under the king's jurifdi&ion ; yet did the king [only] put
him into bonds, and concealed what he had done from Vt {-
pafian, as I have before related. But the people of Sepphov
ris met Vefpafian, and faluted him, and had forces fent him,
with Placidus their commander : He alfo went up wittothem,
as I alfo followed them, tiil Vefpafian came into Galilee. As
to which corning of his, and after what manner it was ordered
and how he fought his firlt battle with me near the village
Tanciieas, and how from thence they went to Jotapata, and
low 1 was taken alive, and bound, and howl was alter/, a, .1
looied, with all that was done by me in the Jevvifh war, and
curing the fiege of Jerufaiem ; I have accurately related them
in the books concerning the War of the Jews. However, it
will, I think, be fit tor me to add now an account of tnofe
actions ot my life, which I have not related in that book of
the Jewifh War.
75. For when the fiege of Jotapata was over, and I was a-
mong the Romans, I was kept with much care, by means of
the great refpecl that Vefpafian (hewed me, Moreover, at his
command, I married a virgin *, who was from among the
Here Jofephus, a prieft, honeftly confeffes that he did that at the command of
liaDjvybich be bad before (old us was not lawful for a prit to do by the law
THK LIF.B OF FLAVIUS JSKPHUS. 507
captives of that country : Yet did me not live with me long,,
but was divorced, upon my being treed from my bonds, and
my going to Alexandria. However, 1 married another wife
at Alexandria, and was thence fent, together with Titus, to
the fiege of Jerufalem, and was frequently in danger ot being
put to death ; while both the Jews were very defirous to get
me under their power, in order to have me puniihed. And
the Romans alfo, whenever they were beaten, fuppofed that
it was occafioned by my treachery, and made continual
clamouis to the emperors, and defired that they would bring
me to that punifhment, as a traitor to them : But Titus Caefar
was well acquainted with the uncertain fortune of war and
returned no anfwer to tHe foldiers vehement felicitations a-
gainil me. Moreover, when the city Jerulalem was taken by
force, Titus Caefar perfuaded me frequently to take whatfo-
ever I would of the ruins ot my country, and faid, that he gave
me leave fo to do. But when my country was deltroyed, I
thought nothing elfe to be of any value, which I could take
and keep as a comtort under my calamities ; fo 1 made this
requeii to Titus, that my family might have their liberty : I
had alio the holy books * by Titus's conceflion. Nor was it
long after that 1 afked of him the life of my brother, and of
fifty friends with him, and was not denied. When 1 alfo
went once to the temple, by the permiflion ot Titus, where
there were a great multitude of captive women and children ;
I got all thole that 1 remembered as among ray own triends
and acquaintance to be fet tree, being in number about one
hundred and ninety ; and fo I delivered them without their
paying any price ot redemption, and reftored them to their
former fortune. And when I was fent by Titus Caefar \vith
Cerealius, and a thoufand horfemen, to a certain village cal-
led Thecoa, in order to know whether it were a place fit for a
camp, as I came back, I faw many captives crucified, and
remembered three ot them as my former acquaintance. I was
very iorry at this in my mind, and went with tears in my eyes
to Titus, and told him ot them ; fo he immediately command-
ed them to be taken down, and to have thegreateit care taken
of them in order to their recuveiy ; yet two ot them died un-
der the. phyficians hands, while the third recovered.
76. .but when Tims had compofed the troubles in Judea
and conjectured that the lands which I had in Judea would
bring ~n>e in no profit, becaule a garrifon to guard the coun-
try, 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 fail along with him and paid me great
refpedl : And when we were come to Rome, I had great care
of Mofes, Antiq. B. III. ch. xii. feft. 2 Vol. I. I mean, the taking a captive
woman to wife, See alio againil Appiau, B. I ch. vii, Vol. III. But he leeios to
have been quickly knfible that hiscomp iancewith the camsaands of an emperor
would not excufe him, for he foon put her away, as Reland jalliy obterves here,
* Ot this molt remarkable claule, and its ia<?ft UWpwaaj tanieouea^e^ ice
Efiay on As Old Tc
5bS tHI LTFS OF FLAVIUS
taken of me by Vefpafian ; for he gave me an apartment in
his own houfe, which he lived in before he came to the em-
pire. He allo honoured me with the privilege of a Roman
citizen, and gave me an annual penfion ; and continued to
refpel me to the end of his life, without any abatement ol his
kindnefs to me ; which very thing made me envied, arul
brought me into danger ; for a certain Jew, whofe name was
Jonathan, who had raifed a tumult in Gyrene, and had per-
luaded two thoufand rrtenot that country to join with him,
was theoccafiori of their ruin. But when he was bound by
the governor of that country, and fent to the emperor, he told
him, that I had fent him both weapons and money. Howe-
ver, he -could not conceal his being a liar from Vefpafian, who
condemned him to die ; according to which fentence he was
put to death. Nay, after that, when thofe that envied my
good fortune did frequently bring accufations againft me, by
God's providence I efcaped them all. I alfo received from
Vefpafian no fmall quantity of land, as free gift in Judea ; a-
bout which time I divorced my wife alfo, as not pleafed with
her behaviour, though not till (he had been the mother of three
children, two of which are dead, and one, whom I named
fjyrcanits, is alive. After this I married a wife who had lived
at Crete, but a Jew by birth : A woman (he was of eminent
parents, and fuch as were the moil illuflrious in all the coun-
try, and whofe charafter was beyond that of moft other wo-
men, as her future life did demonftrate. By her I had two
fons, the elder's name was jfuftus, and the next Simonides,
who was alfo naaied Agrippa. And thefe were the circum-
ftances of my domeftic affairs. However, the kindnefs of the
emperor to me continued ftill the fame ; for when Vefpafian
was dead, Titus, who fucceeded him in the government, kept
tip the fame relpeft tor me, which 1 had from his father ; and
when I had frequent accufations laid againft me, he would not
believe them. And Domitian, who fucceeded, ftill augment-
ed his refpefts to me ; for he punifhed thofe Jews that were
my accufers, and gave command that a fervant ot mine, who
was an eunuch, and my accufer. mould be punifhed. He
alfo made that country I had in Judea, tax-free, which is a
mark of thegreateft honour to him who hath it ; nay, Domi-
tia , the wife of Caefar, continued to do me kindnelfes. And
this is the account of the a6}ions of my whole lite ; .and let
ohers judge of my chara6ter by the<n as they pleale. But to
thee, O Epaphiodims*. thou moft excellent of men, do I
dedicate all this treatife of our Antiquities ; and fo, for the
prefent 1 here conclude the whole.
* Of thi? Fpap'iroJ'tus, f e die note on the Preface to the Amiquit'ie?
END F r 1. /" M L * E. C ,V /).
.IENRY BREWER, \
Print-r, Spriricrfr-jd
&
University of California
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