Si^ i\IN(l]\^ -< ^OFCAllfO% ^ I 1 =° t . ■aujiivj jvi' -'% ■dUJIIVJ ivi •SMEliNlwrv^ M! i ο %1«NVS01^ iUi -< .W^fUNIVERy/A >- ο '? i T> %OdnVDW ,>, ^OfCAllF(% AWfUNIVERJ/^ SOl^"^ vVlOSANCEl ^lllBRARYO/: .ij: ^«[UNlVERy/Λ '^ ^^M % ^>;lOSANCElfj> ^■TJIlONViOV^^ % ^0FCA1IF0%, ,\WEl)NIVER% ^iOJIlVDJO^ ■^WJIIVJJO'^ '^■TJIJDNVSOI^ ^WEUNIVERy/Λ. •^TilJONVSOl^ \ IIBRARYO/ 1 irrl ■rrviirnp, . lit iiii'iDr/ \ Ae y\]rz\ r ^ ^, '!iri''.ivrDt, >■ -V. SANCElfj^ ^UlBRARYO/: ^OJllVDJO^ ^OFCAIIFOR^ 3!jy| i^^i u^i π %HWS01^ ^/ί83ΛΙΝηΐ\\ν^ ν? ^OJIlVDJO'i^ -^OJITOJO^ '^XJ1]DNVS0# .^WflNIVERS/A ^lOSANC[lfj> . -< ^ ^OFCAllfOftil^ ^OFCAIIFOP^ ΛΜΕ UNIVERiZ/L I ^-TJIJDNVSOI^'^ "V/iajMNn jwv"^ -^0^ .7? 4 < ■""' ^ ^IIIBRARYQ/-. ^aojiivjjo^ ^aojiivjjo^ \W[UNIVERS/A ^VlOSANCElfj•^ s ^ ^J-^LLS %. ^i?Aavaan# , Λ«Ε UNIVERy /Λ j>;lOSANCElfj> ;lOSANCElfj-^ . ^WE UNIVERi//, ο ^OFCALIFOi»^ I Isf^i lvf?> .-4,OFCA1IFO% ^OAavaaiiif^ ο ^^^ ■ "^ajAiNn-jvw^ ^UIBRARYOx^ ^tllBRARYQr^ '^aOJIlVDJO'^ ^άί .^WEyNIVERVA ^., Λ£^ ^lOSANCElfj-^ i)-OAavaaii#- ^CAavaan-y^ .\\iEUNIVER5yA ^lOSANCElfj> ο , (^ΓΓΛίΐΡΠΡ... ^OF-CAUFORi^ f (WC^^ § ni# ^-^m ,^V\EUNIVER% ο \ILIBRARY(9/^ ■^tfOJIWDJO'^ "^iOJllVDJO• ^i i(^ 'J'Jlim'^Ol^'- νΛΜ3ΛΙΝ,1]\\ν ' .^WEl)NIVER% ^lOSANCfLfj> ^OFCAllFOff^ ^OFCAIIFO/?^ >- ^^MEUNIVER% ^vWSANCElfj]^ ce y'^^_ THE V.I WORKS ο F Flavius Josephus. CONTAINING, I. The Life of Josephus, as written by himfelf. II. The Antiquities of the Jewlfh People ; with a Defence of thofe Antiquities, in Anfwer to Apion. III. The Hiftory of the Martyrdom of the Maccabees j and the Wars of the Jews, with the neighbouring Nations, till the final Deftrudion of Jerusalem by the Roman POV.'ER. IV. Account of Philo's AmbaiTy from the Jews of Aluxandria to the Emperor Caius Caligula, The Whole newly Tranflated from the Original Greek, BrEBENEZER THOMPSON, D.D.and WILLI AM CHARLES PRICE.LL.D. Ec apyj! \-7ro\miv ο Qi'of τον ifeiviv ly Tiiv "yw• IN TWO VOLUMES. VOLUME THE FIRST, LONDON: Printed for Fielping and Walker, No. 20• Pater- nofter Row. M.DCC.LXXVII, 882333 PREFACE. ΤΗ Ε facred Scriptures excepted, there are ησ• writings extant of equal authority with thofe of FLAVIUS JOSEPHUS^ nor any which exhibit fuch in- conteftible evidence in favour of the Truths of ChrilHanity. An inftance, perhaps, cannot be produced, wherein the moft obftinate DiibeUevers have not been ilruck wirii, at leaft, a teifiporary convi. Adams, [vy-lane, Neivgate-ilreet MrAuftin, Mercer-flreet, Long acre Mrs Archer, High Eafter Mrs Artiton, Stanftead, Herts Rev. Mr Acland, dill, Devon Β Mr John Baion Mr Geori-e Barber, Norwich Mr Busfieid, Loman's-pond, Southwark Mr Brindfley, Queen-ftreet, Ditto MrBeal, Bear-lane, Surry Rev. Mr Brererton, Gloucefter Rev. Mr ΒίΛιορ, mailer of the academy, Elmore Mrs B'uck, York J^ev. Mr Bridges^ Ditto Vol. I. Rev. Mr Bownefs, Rafferton Mr Biggs, Piccadilly Mr Barnes, Corporation-row, Spa-fieldi Rev. Mr Bale, Briftol Mr James Brown, Ditto Mrs Bull, Ditto Mr Bingham, Horaerton_ Mr James Bicknell, Tooting Mr Bell, Lambert-ibeet, Goodmans-fields Mr John Bateman, Old North-ftreet Samuel Buckle, Efq. Middleham, Yorkihirc Mr Beilby, New Malton Mr Thomas Battam, Tothill-fields Mr William Bentley Mr Bowman, at the Temple Ephraim Barford, M. A. Goodmans-fields Benjamin Boddlngton, Efq Enfield Mr William Borth, Cheapfide Mr John Butler, jun. Newhaven, SulTex Mr 'William Bell, Watling-llreet Mr Beardmore, Alhby Rev. Dr Brown Mr Tfaac Bell Mrs Brown, Arundel-ilreet, Strand Mifs Booth, Brixton Caufeway Mr Samuel Bott Mr Barnes, Lancafter Mr John Berrow, Ditto Mr Brown, Leeds Mr Thomas Brown, Hull Mr Thomas Brown Mr Robert Bewlay, York Mr William Bagnall, Briftol Mr Bafs, Wendover, Bucks a Mr SUBSCRIBERS NAMES. Wi Biilter, Oalingham Mi \\ illium Hird, Blacklicath Mr Wiluni Buflim.iii, WuoUvich Mr BlaiiutU, South Lambeth Ml Rill, WooKvich Mr l?!ctUK•, Northamjiton 'IhcMiaj Ba) nh;ini, Klij. Grays Inn Mr Bulb^•, Hait-rtrect, Bloomfljury Mr B.iningt;, Excier Ml Garttti, Alphiiigtoo, Devon Captain Iloiii\ Guy. ΝιΛνίΜίΜο upon Tync V'l H:iriy litorj;c, St. I'c'cr'shill Mr Joliii Goldwin, Coinpiuii-liicef, Sobo Mr Goodift, 1'.ΐΓ.ΗΐιΓο•Γϋ\ν, Lambeih MrJohnGr;iy, Brumjuon Mr Richard Grace, Minoiic* Mr Gcorije Gr..l>ini Mr William Grimes Mr John Gabriel, Refrcl Ml ijamuci GtilHihs, Liindon Mr John GiiHithf, Uiike llreet, Grofveiior-fq. Mr Gray, York Mr Gray, Piccadilly Mr Thomas Griflis Mr Thomas Gcrrard, Ipfwich Mr Alcxjiider Guvan, I'lymouih-dock Mr James Grave, Minories Η Ilis ff rcneHighn -'s tic Puke of Holllein I'loen Mr N. Geo. Hiiughtoii, NioLint-llr. Grovl. llj. Mr Jchn Harden, Cray's-inn Mr John, Hill, Enfield Mr U'lliiain Hutchinlbii, Cxford-llrcet Mr VVillinm Harrifon, bwan-llr. Bethnal-green Mrs C Hartiiian Mr Thomas Headland, Stanllead, MontCtehet Mr George Haivward, Chelmsford Mr William Heaion, Windermere Mr Heufon, Wiiidmill-ilreet WiUi^tm Heath, Efq. Mifs Haddock, Lancafler Mr Hall, Selby Mr Hole, Leeds Robert Holdcii, Efrj. Palace-houfe Mr Hare, Seafovd, Lincolnlhire Mr Humprton, York Mr James Hanvood, Colemaii-ftreet Mr Matthew Harland, Beverley Mr Henry Hyland, Sedlcfcomb, Eflex Mr Hcper Mr Samuel Halfpenny, Greenwich Mr Hackctt, Gicenwith Mr Robert Hailie Col Hillnp, Woolwich Mr Hudli.n, iJitto Mrs Haitfhornc, Norlhainpfon Rev Mr Thomas Htwir, Wtrtbury, Wilts MrM. Harrii, Barbaimi Mr Ha'tify, Dctchu'orth, Surry Mr Wjluam Harvey Mr I'lit r Hope, Liverpool Ι\1γλ lladiiU, Canierliury Mr Ν Herbert, St. J.tmes'e Mr Richaid Hawkins, U'liitc-crofs-flreet Mr Jacob Hagcii, Mills-rtreet, Souiliwark Rev. Mr Hawcs, Bi rwick Mr Thomas Hawkcs. Deptford Mr Hincks, New court, St John's-ilreet Mr John Horlley, joii Ηυχιοα Colonel Holiius, Brillol Mr IKiuon, Exeter Mr Handlciijh, Ditto Mr Hayes, Taunion John Hall, M. D. NcwcaOle upon Tync Mr lohn Η<κ1ι;Γοη, Chelk-r-le-ftreet Mr William i-ia>loid, Leeds Mr Jimies Hatfull, Ocptfoid MrHaimer, Norwich Mr Hclkins Rtv. Mr. Hoblyn, Newton Cyrus, Devon Mr John Haj^errtun Mr Ihonias Hul)fon Mr William Hughes, Briftol Ml William Hunter, London Mr Hopwocd, York Mr Hanlon, Weibeck-ilreet Mr Ho'mes, Coveiitry-ftreet Rev. Mr Gturge Hotham Mrs Hope, Tenterden Mr Hains, Alderfgate-ftreet Mr John Hains, I'refcot-ftreet J Rev Mr Jones Mr Jones, Holbourn Mr Timothy Jenkinfon, Tooley-ilreet Rev. Dr. Jones Mr John Janaway Mr Johnion, Leeds Sir James Ibbetlbn, Bart. Dcntoii Mrs J. Jolland, Louth Mr Jolly, Greep.wich — Jacomb, Ef(]. Temple-bar Mr Inglcfield, Salilhury Mr John Itchin, Euitiith Mrs Elizabeth Jackfon, Baibacan Mr William Jukc;, Bromley Mr Stephen Jacob Mr Thomas James, Freeman's-court, Cornhill Mr Jeremiah Ireland, Strand Mr George Johnfon, N. Shields, Northumb. Rev Mr Jewell, Maifliam Mrs Jaques, James-flicef, Covent-Gardeii Mr David JameF, juw. Greenwich Mr Wiriiam Inns, Stanftcad Mr Jof. Johnfon, Eseter Mf. SUBSCRIBERS NAMES. Mr Griffith Jones, TottciilmiH-coui'C-road Mr Philip Jandrell James Ireland, El'q. Bliilol Mr Inman, Ditto Mr Infcip, Ditto Mr Jonts, Greenwich Mr Jeve Mr "jackfon, Mutton-lane Mr Joycf, Kentifli-town Mr Jeffrey's, Hampllead Κ Mr David Kirchmau I\Ir Kent, Carpeiuer't-hall Mr Chriliopher Kippell Mr Kettlewell, Florsforth Mr William Knight, Woolwich Mr Jonathan Key, Colcheiler Mr kerby, Stafford-ftreet Mr Robert Keen, Minories Mr James Kingdom, Exeter Mr Samuel Kingdom, Ditto Mr John Knott, Taunton Mr CliaflesKemp, Eatl Durham, Norfolk Mr Thr.mas Ketch, Princes fquare Mr Andrew Knies, Wellclofe-l'quare Kev. Mr John Knipe Mr King, York Mr John Knight, Saxmundham Mrs Kent, Carpenttr s-hall Mr Lotr)n, King-ilreet, Weftminfter Mr Leanard, Wood-rtrect, SpitalfielJs Mr Thomas Liley, Enfield Mr John Long Mr Lucomb, Fleet flreet Mr Robert Loder, Ipfwich Mr Charles Lubeck, Broad- ftreet Francis Lawfon, Efq. Mr David Lyon, Tottenhamcourt-road Mr Latham, Knareiborough Mr Lav.fon, Southampton-buildings Mr Lang, Wakefield Mr Leatherdale, Hadleigh, Suffolk, 7 copie» Mr I>angton, Maidenhead Mrs Lloyd, Peckham Mr Lance, Lewilham Mr James Limery, 2 copies Mf.Francis Lillyman Mr Lavers, Sirand Mr Lander, Talbot Inn, Borough Mr John Luih, Wapping ' Mr Henry Law, Ulverfton, Lancaliiire Mr Lempriere, Lewes Mr Samuel Lepine, Canterbury Vol. L 70 Mrs Leake, Hull Mr Peter Lacon, Mortlmer-ftr. Cavenduh-fq. Mr James Lamb, Marybone Mr Martin Lumley Mr Lattin, Exeter Mr Lyne, Glafshoufe-yard Mrs Lewis, St. Mnuin's-lane Mr Edward Lancnller, Greunwich Rev. Mr Ley, Ide Mr Limgsiord, St. Thom.ns's near Exeter Mr Benjamin Little, RatclilT-crofs Mr John Leelbn, Wellon, Northamptond-.trc Mr George Lockey Mr John Langton Mr Long, Wigmore- flreet Mr Long, Grat'ton-ftrect John Langton, Eft]. Mr William Leckenby Μ Mr Samuel Mafkall, Mitre-court, Milk-fti'cet Mr Robert Malkall, ShoreditcJi Robert Marfhall, Efq, RuiTel-court William Milton, Efq. Chicherter Mifs Eliza Mill, Woolbeding, Sulfex Mrs Moore, Twickenham Mr Maude, Otley Mr Milner, Leeds Mr Williain Maycock, Barnes, Surry Rev. Mr John Macbreth, Wakefield Mr Molefworth, Nottingham Mr Thomas Marfieet, Hadleigh Mr Edward Marfden, Ley land, Lancalhir» Mr James Mui ray, ΑΛοη, Berks Rev. Mr Mark Mr Thomas May, Spittlefields Mr Moffatt, Lewiiham Mr Maffiot, Woolwich Mr Richard Moore, Northanipton Mr Maurica, Bell-court, Walbrook Mr Murphy, Bow-lane Mr Marlhall, Charing-crofs Mr Marlow, King-ftreet, Bloomibury Mr Marks, St Martin's-lane, 8 copies Mr Manning, Southover Lewes Mr John Milner, Hallifax Mr John Murphy, Bow-lane Michael Miller, Efq. Mr Mugg, Exeter Mrs Mills, Moor-mills, County of Durham Mr Muddiman, Brackley, Northamptonfhiic Rev. Mr INIead, Hammerfmith Mr Paul Mercei, Ditto Mr Mowrier, Exeter Mr H. Millbank, Weftmlnfter Mrs Mitchell, Camberwell Mr Robert Miller, Lomain-pond, Southwsrk b m SUBSCRIBERS NAMES. Mr John Milner, (en. Mr Willitm Manks Mr John Minn, WhUe-hart-yard Mr Mjihews Ml Moltun, York Mi!! Miibankc, Thorp, neir Btdal Mr IXiviil Murrny, Goldcn-fijiMie Mr M'Clufti, Mjrylcbone Hi^li-llreet Mr Thoniaj Mercer, Tenterden Mr John Martin, Ditio Mr jahn Mjce, Ditto Mr Moninier, Eafinywoiild, Yorkfhire Mr Maiiwaring, Koumon's-row Mr M.irlew, Illiiigtdn Mr Macurl.me, I'ark-ilrpct, Grofvenor- fquarc Ν Mr Noble, Charles-ftreet, Weilminftcr Jlr J^mfs Nelbitt Kir Kicolfon, Fulncck Mr Wiiruim North Mr William North, Wakefield Marco Naflo, Efq. Ratlibonc-place Mr James Noyes, Wycli-lheet Mr Norton Mr licmupd Norman, Towei-ftrcet Fill :iin Navir, Kfq. Rcrry-ftreet, St. James's i^ir [ohn Nocic, Sliitliis, Northumherhind Mr George Ncwnam, Noblc-itrcet, Fofter-lane Mr Norman, Vattoii, Sonierfetniire Cjpt. Newiiiim, Plymouth Dock Mis Eliiabcih Noble, G<»dinan';-yard Ο Mr John Otllff, Enfield Walter Oakley, Ei'q. B'rmingham Mr Chirles Oldmyd, Rcdlion-llr. Clerkemvell Mr Thomas Ockle)•, Betchworth, Surry Mr William Olive, Well-ftrecf, Cripplegate Mr George Orml>on, Queen-ftrect Mr Oates, Well-fbeet Mr Ocdelhaw, Holma, Yorkihirc Mr Parker, Cheapfide Mr I'ou-ell, Balinghall-ftieet Mr R chard I'arktr, Ljncailer Rev. Mr I'ike Mr James I'iit, Ilorfe-croft, Suffolk Mifs LouiHi Paioc Mr Humphry I'icrcy Mr Arthur I'aiyne, JSridport Mr [ohn I'tniiiiigton, Kendall Mr \\ ll;iam Puriell Wiliam I'crry, Gent. Mr.b Pye, Fareham Mr John Price Mr U'illiam i'roby, Grays-Inn-Iane Mr Pybies, King lireer, Drury-lanc Thomas Place, Efq. Green H.immerton Mr Hugh Pannel, Northallerton Mr Jofcph Pretty, Hadlcigh Mr Edward Peafinan, Ditto Mr George Purnel, Briftol Mr Paine, Greenwich Rev. Mr Portington, A. B. Lin. Coll, Oxon Mr Page. jun. Northampton Mr Prowler, Ditto Mr John I'eatt, London-ilreet Mr I'arry, Wells, Somerfetfliire Mr Robert Porter, Kingllon Mr William Pool, Old Fini-ilreet Rev. IWr Parfons, Wye Mr Page, Lenhani Mr P.ige, Fulkflone Mr I'cjrfon, mailer of the academy, Southward Dr Poole, Lewes Mr John Price, Hay, South Wales Mr Thomas Piice, Gloucellcr Mrs Paririd;;e, Sr James's-rtreet Mr Chriftopher Pepper, Jeworih Park Mr Ambrofe Poynter, St Johiis-fquare Mr Ge )rge Piiichct, Waniifivorth Mr Gosrge I'arke r, Bermondfey-ilreet Mr Henry P.irker, Giiildh.ill Mr Jcr. Peirfncy, Clcrkenuell-green Mr James Phili))s, Brick-lane, Old-llreet Mr Arthur Palmer, Briilol Mifs Peck ford, E.\-eter Mr William Polhill Mr Thomas Perkins Mr John Pilgvlm Mr Poddifant, Ratcliff-crofs Mr Page, Hackney Mr Pine, Borough Mr Pollard, Hallifax Mr Richaid Pafcoe, St.'^uftell, Cornwall Mr William Pierce, Lomans-park, Southwatlt IVIr Preedy, Tewkeibury, Gloucefterfhire Blr Paget, Chipping Noiton Robert Paid, Efq. Bilton Mr James Pitiman, Devizes Mr Parhain, Plymouth D-)ck Mr Richard Paik, Rood lane R. Mr Rich Mr Jofcph Radden, Enfield William ivullel, Efq. Grays Inn Rev. Mr Rider, of St Paul's School Mrs Reeches jVIr Thomas Rummen?. Marylebone Kev. Mr Roivlaod, Moreton John Roblnfon, of Newby-bridge, Geiif. Mr SUBSCRIBERS NAMES. Mr Ricliardfon, LecJs \\ illiam Ready, Ei'q. Soho Mr Reed, Woolwich Toby Rofe, El'q. Northampton John Robinfon, Efq. Paternoiler-row Ml Charles Reeves Mr Thomas Uickm^n, Lewes Mr Robertfon, Cliff Thomas Rogers, Ek]. Hull Mr Riga;?, i-aliibury Mr IV cr Reed, Chelmsford Mr J.'l.n Read Ml Jchn Robertfon Rei-. Mr Rowland, Moreton, Devon Mr James Retd Mr R.gevs, Biirnham Mr Row Mr Reeve, Strand Mr Samuel Reynolds Mr Job» Rutheif rd Meii'rs Robfon and Co. Newcaftle, 6 copies Mr John Ridley, Jewry-ftreet Mr Richard Rullel, Winchtiler Mr William Sjiilkes, Deptford Mr John Swectl'iir, Whitechapel Mr Joieph Scothern, Bollon Mi'i Sone, Chidham, Siidex Mr Robert Syinondf, AX'cftwittefing MrJohnSh.w, RumicrJ Mr Sanders, Cainaby-ilrtet Mr. Shenr, Leeds i\Ir John Spencer. Hull Mr Will ani Smith, IVtwoith Mr Henry Souilieran, York Blr John Seward; Dredge Handley j\Ir iVter Smith Mr William Stuart, Angel-court, Southwatk !Mrs Ann Shil^ox, Croydon "Mts Smith, Northaini)ton !\Ir Sewell, Chjrch-iane. Strand' Mr Schoficld, Charles- ftreer, I.oiiig-acre Mr William Stevens, Ciienceiter Mr John Swain, Borous^h Rev. Mr Skinner, Saliibury Sanniel Strutr, Biq, Old l^alace-yard, Weilm, Rev. MrSiflbni, kyga'3, Surry Mr Starling, White-Chapel Mr John Sawyer, Lad-hme Mr Samfon, Aiht'ord Mr Timothy Stephens, Cirencefter, 5 ccp'es Rev. Mr Skinner, Sal.fhury Mr Str.nger, Panrid^je^r' en Mr Richard Shephard, M,.idi>one, Kent Mr Richard Sttwart, Mailh ftrcet Mr Stirling, St. Thomas's, Devon Mr Thom.is Simpfon, Lxcttr 3 Mr S.imuel Stevens, Quakcr's-Buildings Mrs Charlotte Snilgar, Dowton, Wilts Mr John Slye, Princcs-ftrcet Mr Sturiiiin, Norfolk Mr Stevtnfon, Ivy-lane MrSkiptnn, Exeter I\Ir V\ iiliim Stnccy Mr D.miel Sladc, Borough Mr Sawbridge, Hackney Mr Slacer, Salop James Simpfon, Efq. Oxford-ftreet Mr John Street, Ware, Dorfetfliire Mr William Silk Mrs Saver, Hallifax Mr JohnSoaper, Ponfmouth-Common Mr "Gurtavus Swift Mr Jothua Stafford, Old Swan-lane Mr William Shipnian, Upton upon Severn M-r Sawyer, Briftol Mr Robert Seymour, Kingflaird Mr William Sandall Mr William Spike, Deptford Mr Sporle, jun. Ipfwich Mr Robert Sargent, Plymouth-Dock Mr Scholfield, Scarborough Mr James Sadler, Theralby, Yorkihire Mr George Tempeft, Wandfworth Mr John Towers, Wallbrooke Mr Richard Tate, Oxfoid-llrcet The Right Hon. Lady Charlotte Talbot Mr John Taylor, Newcaftle-llreet Mr Todd, Lctds Mr Taylor, Ditto Mr Robert Terry, Hadleigh, Suffolk Mr Francis Tollis, New Buckingham Mr John Thompfon, Walworih, Surry Lieutenant Col Tovey, Plumllead Mr Taylor, Mafon's Court, Brick-lane Ttlr Thome, Pancrafs-lane, Quicn-llrcet Dr. John Tatum, Salibury Mr TumbuU, Crooked lane Mr John Toiiifon, Haymarket Mr William Thomas Mr Tomflnfoii, White-Chappel IMrTri'.ton, Chaihanm Mr Tharp, Haillb.ne r»Ir George Tein pert, Wandfworth WillianT Thompfon, Efq. Cuidiff Mr Abraham To/er, j.m. . ; eter Mr Thome, Exeter Mr Taylor Rev i\'lr Taliourdin Mri ^Tary Turner, Norwich Mr Taunton, Oxford-rtreet Mr fi'rv, Li'i eh.iufc Ml Samuel Turton, Stoney-flreet, Southwark Mr SUBSCRIBERS NAMES. Mr Wiirum Tatf, Shield• Mr Willtam Taylor, Token-lioufe yaiJ Dr TomliM'on, Bulh-bnc Mr lohnTillAdaiiu, Briilol Mr U'lUum Trlltyi";!", Yoik, ocop'xj Mr 'Γ. Tclleyinan, Bcilalc, 4 copicj L Thoitiplon, Elii Slicriff, Huuoii Mr Thwaite», Uowdeii Mr Todd, York MrTliwair, Prcfcot ftreet Mr Thorpe,^ Liuiehoufe-Caufeway V Mr VaugVian MrVojloy, Sal'Ubury Mr Vaiii'trftegecn, Cane & Oxon William Valal, Effj. BuUcrJca MrValliill, Brlfiol Mrs Ann Vaudry, Ditto Wr Thomas Viocent, Ditto W Mr Watts, Tcw4 ntilV-tov η Kcv. Mr Witchcr, Ditto Mr Woodminller, Hainp(le;d William Wiay, Efr[ Yarmouth, Yorkdiirc Mro Mrs Whitjcy, Old Artillery-grounU Mr lames Ward, Spittltficlds Ml Henry Wilfon, Woolwich ]\li Whghorn, Ncwington-Butte Mrs Watkinfon, Kginingion-Jane Mr William Webller, Ikvcrlcy, YorklhirC Mr Wiucon, Wooltvich Mr Wykcs, Nortliumpton Mi WoisfoUl, Mark-lane Mr. Webb, St. Johii'e-f<.|uare l\Ir Samuel WUitford, Lud^ate-ftreet Mr Webb, Circncefter Mr William Wain, Borough Mr Thomas Witteefom, JBunhill-rcw Mr John V\a!ker, General Foll-ofticc Mr James White, Lad-lane Mrs Wall, Roilamond's-row Mr William Walker, Ditto Mr James White, Martock, Somerfetfliire Mr J(if. Wellcr, Dorking, Surry Mr V\Ood)er, Wye Mr W l-.lhire, Canterbury Mr Thomas Wilkinfon, Prcllon, Rotherhith Mr W'oodhoufe, Shobdon Hon Capr. Walfingham, Portugal ft Grof. fq. Mr Richard Walliiigton, Inner Temiile Mr John WilliamfoQ, Holywell-lane,Shureditch Mr Watts, Lewis Rev. Mr Wright, Alphillon George Weare, £lq. BruflingtoD» near Brlftol Mr \VoodlKiin, Exeter Mr John Webb, lllington Rev Mr. Wilfon, Clifton Mr John Wilkinfon, Newcillle Mr William Warner, Ipfwich Mr Whitaker, Chandois-ftrect Mr Watt, Northumberland-ftreet Mr Thomas Wood, Stoke-Golding, Leiceficrfli^ Mafter Williams, Shadwell Mr Richard Whitehead Mr Wooloot, St. Mary-Ic-bone Mr Wright, Cumberlaud-ftieet Meflrs G. Wolt & Co. Wellclufe-fquarc- Riclrard Wells, Efq. Exchequer Mr W^illiams, Condover MrJohn Wallip Mr Woodfin Mr Watfon, Halifax- Mr William Waterman Mr Jaihes Wells Mr David Yeaman, Great Caftle-ftreet MifsYee, Plymouth-dock THE F Ε ο F FLAVIUS JOSEPHUS. WRITTEN BY HIMSELF. TO have been honourably defcended is die pride and boaft of the people of various nations : — with us a lineal defcent in the line of the Prieft- hood is held to be lupremely illuftrious : on which account I may aflume the credit of an extraftion fuperior to the generality of my brethren i fince, for a fuccefiion of ages, my paternal anceftors have been prieils of the higheft of the twenty-four ranks. On the mother's fide I am defcended of the regal race ; as ihe was of the /i/moTJ^an line, in which, for a confiderable time, the royal government was united with the prieft-hood. My great grandfather was named Simon, otherwife Pfellus, who flourifh- ed during the pontificate of Hyrcanus, the fon of the high-prieft, called Simon. Pfellus was father of nine fons, of whom Matthias, who took the firname of Aphlias, efpoufed a daughter of Jonathan the high-prieft, who bore him a fon, called Matthias, whofe firname was Curtus. I'his Curtus was father of a fon, vvho was born in the ninth year of the reign of Alexander, and called Jofeph, who was the father of Matthias, born in the tenth year of Archilaus ; and this Matthias was my father; my birth taking place in the firft year ot the reign of Caius Casfar. My fons are three : Hyrcanus', Juftus and Agrippa, refpeiftively born in the fourth, feventh, and ninth years of the emperor Vefpafian. This is a genuine and concife account of my family, as it ifands upon indubitable and incontrovertible record. All ranks of people in Jerufaiem, held my father Matthias in the higheft veneration, and that far more on account of his virtues than of his honourable Vol. L B defcene. ό THELIFEOF defcenr. 1 had a brother, alio named Matthias, with whom Τ was educated troin my infancy. With a tolerable judgement, and a molt retentive me- mory, I made luch a rapid progrefs in my rtudies, that when I had attained my tourtcenth year, I lomrtuncs received the diftmguiflied honour oi being conkilted, even on difficult points of law, by the high priell and elders. Ik- ino delirous of acquainting myfelf with the fundamental principles of the Piiarifccs, the Sadducees and the Klfenes, in my fixteench year I entered upon this talk, wiib an intent to unite myfelf with that fociety whofe dodlrines I. ihould moll approve upon examination. With great alTiduity tho' not wichout frequent difgufts, ί paiTed through a kind of noviciate in t-ach of thefe lefts fuccelTively : nor did 1 flop here-, but, having learnt that a certain perfon, named Banus, had withdrawn himfelffroni all commerce with the world, to refide in dcfarts and folitude ; 1 determined to become his pupil alio. This man wore no other cloaihing than the bark of trees ; he lived folely on the fpontaneous produ6lions ol the fields and woods, and, in order to abate the violence of his inordinate appetites, conftantly bathed himlclf in cold water. Having fubjcded myfelf to thefe and fuch-like aullerities for nearly three years, and my curiofity being fatisfied, I quit- ted our hermit and returned to the city, and, being now in my nineteenth, year, began to apply myfelf to the ftudy of the civil law ; for which purpofe I entered into the fociety oi the Pharifees, whofe dodrines bear fome refemblance• to thofe of theancient Stoics. In my fix-and-twentieth year, I made a journey to Rome, on the following intereiling occafion. Several priefts, many of them men of exemplary cha- racters, and my intimate friends, had been fent by Felix, who was at that time governor of Judxa, upon a very frivolous pretext, to juflify themfelves- before C^far. Such was the noble condufl of thefe men upon this occafion, that I refolved to afford them every afnilance in my power. Accordingly I embarked tor Rome, and our velTel, in which were nearly fix hundred per- fons, was loft in a violent llorm in the Adriatic Giilph. Out of the whole ihip's company, eighty pcrfons only were faved, who, after fwimming the whole night, were taken up early the next morning by a veflTel from Cyrene. I now contracted an intimacy at Dicsearchia (the Puteoli of the Italians) with one Alityrus, a comedian, and a Jew by birth: this man ftood high in the favour of Nero. The cmprel's Poppoea, to whom I was introduced by Ali- tyrus, inilantly, at my requeft, obtained the rcleafement of the priefts ; after whieh 1 departed for my own country, loaded with prefents. Finding the populace upon my return, in a violent ferment, and much in- clined to revolt, I ufed every endeavour to bring them to a due fenfe of their folly. I reprefented to them the great fuperiority of their opponents, both m refpedt to their military and every other qualification, and ftrongly urged to them the phrenzy of riftiing the fate of all they held dear on fuch unequal terms. In this manner, I endeavoured to divert them from an enterprize, which appeared to me to be big with the moft fatal confequences. My argu- ments, however, inftead of producing the defined eiFeol, ferved only to ren- der FLAVIUS JOSEPHUS. • 7 der me fufpeiled by them of fecretly favouring the views of the enemy, and thereby my fafety became very precarioLis. As the infurgents had already poirelied themfelves of Fort Antonia, I was neceiTitated to fly for refuge to tile inner-temple. Manahem, and fome other of the chiefs of the party being now taken off, I united myfelf with the High- prieft, and the leading men among the Pharifees, all of whom were totally undetermined what meafures to purfue in theprefent diftraited ftate of affairs, the whole city being in arms. Perceiving that all oppofition would be vain, we pretended partly to adopt thefentiments oi the faftion, and contented our- felves with recommending it to them to ait with caution, and to delay the execution of their defigns till the enemy ihould have drawn off a little •, urging that GefTius, whofe force was confiderable, would certainly arrive in time to quell the infurredtion. He returned, at length, but wiih a remnant only of his army •,. having been defeated in an engagement, in which the major part of his troops were cut to pieces •, and this incident, in fait, laid the founda- tion of the ruin of our nation :. the revolters being fo much elated with this fuccefs, they conceived the ridiculous notion, that they ihould, with equal eaf€, be able to repel the whole force of the Romans. Juif at this junctures numbers of the Jews were maffacred in the moil horrible manner : the particulars of which tranfaftion are as follow : In many of the great towns on the confines of Juda?a, the Syrians and the Jews had for fome time paft refided together, in the moil friendly manner ; but, at this time, the former, watching their opportunity, rofe upon the latter, and put them all to death, without diltindion either of fex or age •, and this without the fhadow of a pretence ; as neither an intention to revolt, nor fo much as any difaffedion to the Roman government had been imputed to the unhappy vidlims. Amongft all the adors in this bloody fcene, the Scythopolitans diitinguillied themfelves the moil, by their contempt of every ordinance both human and divine. Thele people were not fatisfied with compelling the Jews, refident among; them, to take up arms againft thofe of their own tribe, who had lain fiege to the city (a thing exprefsly prohibited by our law) but, having by their aiiiftance repulfcd the affailanrs, in direft violation of every tie of gratitude, juftice, and common faith, they indifcriminately put them to the fword, to the number of feveral thoufands. The leading men among the Jews finding themfelves^ after the defeat of Geflius, in a very feeble and infecii re (late, and expofed to the attacks of a powerful and reiliefs faftion, now judged it highly requifue to adopt fome plan for their prefervation from the dangers which furrounded them. With this view, they thought proper to depute me, together with two other priells, Joazar and Judas, (both men of refpedtable charafler) to Galilee •, the in- habitants of which place were, at that junfture, divided in their lisntimentSj part of them fiding with the Romans, and the reft oppofing them. The ob- jedlofour commifllon was to prevail, on the malecontents to lay down their arms, at leaft for the prefent, and to depofit them in the hands of their governors •, abffaining from all avSts of violence till they fliould have acquired further intelligence of the real defigns of the Romans. 2 Upon 8 Τ I! Ε L I F Ε Ο F L'pon my arrival in Galilee, I found the Galileans and the Sepphorites «nj^agcd in a rtrong concert, and at ihe eve of an open rupture, l he Gali- Jeans v.cre aboct to invade the country of the Sepphorites, on account oi the attachment ot tlie latcei to the Roni-ins, andof ihcir adherence to Seniui Cial- his, the Roman governor of Syria. Both parties, however, were at length tipjicaf'd, by the pernifllon which I obiained for tiiem, to vifit, as often as ilK-y plcafcd, the hollai^es wiiich they had put into the hands of Gofllus, and which were detained at Dora, a city of Piiocnicia. An infurreition had taken place in Tiberias aifo, on the following occafion. 'I'he citizens were divided into three puties -, the firft of which, headed by Jiiliiis Capeil.i, in conjundion with Herod, the fon of Miarus, Herod, the fon of Gamalus, and Compfus, the fon of Compfus, was compofed of men of acknowleilgcd worth and diftinclion : Criipus, the brother ot Compfus, who had fevcral years before been appointed governor of the town by Agrippa the Great, did not, however, enter into the party, refiding at that time upon his vere, in reality, my hoilages. I had now attained tny thirtieth year; a period of life in which a man in a public ftation cannot, even with the utmoil precaution poiTible, flielter him- felf from the attacks of envy and detraftion. Thus much, however, I muft be permitted to fay for mylelf, that I had never been charged with any breach of duty, or corrupt praiitices, towards either of the feveral parties. So far was I from wifliing to acquire wealth, that I even declined my proffered tithes, to which, from my function of a priefl•, I was indubitably entitled. I ac- knowledge that, alter defeating the Syrians, I fent part of the booty obtained on that occafion, to my relations at Jerufalem ; and, having twice vanquiilicd the Sepphorites, theTiberians four times, and reduced the Gadarenes to throw tiitmfelves on my mercy; having, moreover, fdzcd the perfon of John, * who F L A V I U S J Ο S Ε Ρ Η U S, 13 \*liohad been guilty of many treachc'rous practices againft my fafety ; I never entertainsd a thought of refrnting the injuries 1 liad fu&rcd from any of the above parties, but readily configned the remembrance of them to utrer oblivion : and the Almighty, who perceived the rcAitude ot my heait, was plcafed, as will be fecn in its proper place, gracioufly to deliver me from the machinations of my perfidious I'oes, not only upon the occanon in qucition, but alfo at various fubfequent times. Although the Galileans were daily fufl'ering all the miferies of war, yet, fuch was the airciftion they bore to me, they appeared to be much more moved •with the dangers and hardfliips that I underwent, than with their own. Ί'Ηβ popularity that I had thus acquired, excited the ranked envy in the breaft of John, who, under the pretext of a fudden indifpofitiun, wrote to me for per- mifTjon to go to the hot baths of Tiberias, which I granted him %vith the utmoft readinefs, not fufpeifling his motives in making the requeft, and even furnifhed him with letters of recommendation to fome of my friends there, to accommodate him and his train with whatever they might ftand in need of. I had at this time taken up my refideiice in a village of Galilee, called Jana. Upon John's arrival at Tiberias, he immediatt.ly fat about inveigling the inhabitants into a revolt. Many of them were well dif- pofed to enter into his views, being heartily defirous of a change in the go- vernment j and among ihefe, Juftus and his father, Piftus, eagerly united themfelves with John againil me. But, providentially, Silas, whom I had appointed my deputy in the government of Tiberias, having dilcovered the deiigns of the confpirators, fent me a minute account thereof ; urging me to repair thither with all fpeed, as the leaft delay might occafion the lofs of the place. Inftantly upon the receipt of this intelligence, I afiembled a body of two hundred men, and thus attended, pofted away to Tiberias, travelling, for the greater expedition, the whole night, and difpatchtd a meflenger to acquaint my friends with my being upon the road. At an early hour in the morning, I was met by the inhabitants in a body, who condufted me into the city. John, alfo, came with the reft, when the great confufion vifible in his face, plainly manifefted a confcioufnefs of his guilt : but after a flight and hafty reverence to me, he fuddenly withdrew. Upon my entrance into the city, I diredly repaired to the public place of exercifes, ■where I difmiiTed all my attendants, fave one fervant and ten foldiers. Having choftrn a fpot fit for my purpofe, I began to harangue the people, on the fubjeil of the duties of good faith and allegiance •,• the reputation whicli nuift accrue to them from a generous pcrfeverance in their fidelity, and the dangerous confequences, as well as the ablblute bafenefs of perfidy ; urging to them, thatthofe who were guilty of treachery muft always expect a retali- ation upon themfelves •, and that one fuch a£t would eternally ruin their credit with the world. I had fcarcely got thus far in my oration, when I heard a voice in the croud, loudly, and with great earneilnefs, advifing me to defift, and to provide for my fafety by a fpeedy retreat. The cafe was, that John, perceiving me to be thus almoft without attendants, had feledcd a certain number of foldiers out of the thoufand of which he had the command, and had given them orders to wack me by furprize. They had approached Vol. I. Ό within ,^ TIIELIFEOF within a very fmall dirtance of the place where I ftood, when I inftantl/ Jeapeil do-.vn, aiut, with the aililtance of one of my guards, named Jacob, and one Herod, a Tiberian, madi good my retreat to the lake, and embark-, cd on board α veflel which, providentially, chanced to be there, and which landed me at Taricheoe ; and thus I efcapcd the villainous defignsof my foes. This perfidy of the Tiberians incenfcd the people of Taricheoe to that degree, thatthev aflembled in a body, and earnellly preilcd me to lead them againll the perpetrators of fo horrid a villainy. They alfo invited the Galileans to join them in their intended attack upon Tiberias, and to fubmit themfelves 'implicitly to my conduct and diredion. This invitation was readily accepted by the Galileans, who recommended it to me, to march immediat^ againil Tibeiias, and, having made myfelf mailer of it, utterly to defttoy the city, and to fell the inhabitants, of whatever fcx or age, publickly for Haves : nof was this the opinion of the Galileans alone, but even of fuch of the 'i'iberians,. alfo, as hid quitted the city to join me. But I pofir.ively refuted to comply Y.ith their folicirations, dreading to be the author ol a civil war, and being, di'firous of fettling all ditferences in an amicable manner, I, therefore, re- prefentcd to the peoph-, the imprudence of cutting each others throats, for the entertainment of the Romans, who would be pleafed ipecftators of fuch a• fcen;:. By the arguments I urged on this occafion, I at length, though noc without much difficulty, induced the Galileans to adopt more moderate fentir menrs. John, now, finding all his evil deilgns againil me defeated, thought it high time to alter his conduct, left his I'afety (hould be other wife endanger- ed. He, accordingly, retired from Tiberias to Gifchala, accompanied by fuch of his men as remained with him •, from whence he wrote me a letter of excufe, calling God to witnefs, with many oaths and proteftations, that the late vile attempt to deftroy me, had been entirely concerted without his-, knowledge. But the perfidy of this wretch was fo notorious, that the Gali- leans could not be prevailed on to give the leaft credit to his declaration •, but, having aiTembled a confiderable force, prefied me to lead them againft Gif- rhala, the place of John's birth, and to facrihce him and utterly to deftroy the city. I made them my acknowledgments for their good-will, and ten- dered them my beft fcrvices in return ; but begged of them to fuffer me to try whether I could not terminate the quarrel, to their fatisfaftion without bloodfhed. The Galileans atquiefced in the juUice of my argu- ments, and permitted me, foon afterwards, to lead them to Sepphoris. Upon. my approach, the Sepphorites, who ftill periirted in their allegiance to the Romans, began to entertain fome fears that my intentions were hoftile ; and;• they contrived how they might, for their own fecurity, draw off my attention from them to fome other objtft. With this view, they engaged Jeius, who• command:-d the out-laws, by the promife of a large fum of money, to attack, us v;ith a body of eight hundred men : Jelus and his troops were at that time ftationed on the borders of Ptolemais. The method by which he propofed to effect his purpofe, was, to come upon us unexpectedly, and thus bring mat- ters to an ifiuc at once. He, accordingly, fent a meiTage to me, requefting my permiiTion to wait on me. This requeft 1 readily grajited, not. fufpciling his motives ; and he began his journey, accompanied by a. kk&i FLAVIUS JOSEPHUS. ΐβ &\e£i band of his .liTociates. He had arrived within a very fiiort diftance of the town, when one of his followers left him, and communicated to me every particular of the plot formed againft me. Didcmbling all knowledgi- of the matter, I repaired to the market-place, attended by a ftrong guard of Gali- leans, with fome few of the Tiberians^ My next care was to feciire the paiTes, and to give orders to the porters at the gates, to admit none but jcfus- and a few of his followers, keeping the reft out •, and, in cafe they fliould attempt to obtain an entrance by violence, to repel force with force. All my orders were punftually obeyed, and Jefus and a fmall number of his alTociates• only were permitted to enter the city, the gates being fhut upon the refl•... The inflant he came into my prefence, Γ commanded him to throw down his- arms ; and,, perceiving himlelf furrounded by foldicrs, he readily yielded obedience. Thole of his followers who had remained without the gates, having learnt what had befallen their leader, fled in all hafle. Taking Jefus- afide, L told him thai, notwithllanding I now had him in my power, and was well informed of all his ma!-pra6lices and conneclions, I was Hill in- clined to pardon him for what had palTcd., on condition thar he fliould engage to abftain from all fuch-like condud in future. This he faithfully promifed,. and was, in confequence, difmilled, together with his attendants. With rcfpecl to the Sepphorites, I contented myfelf with enjoining them to a more peaceable demeanour, at the hazard of my feverefi: difplealure. Juftatthis period, two noblemen belonging to the court of the king of Trachonitis, fled to me, for refuge •, bringing with them horfes, money, and arms. The Jews were very averfe to my receiving them, unld's they would fubmit to be circumcifed : but 1 firmly rejeifted the propofition -, reprefenting- to the people that every man was entitled to the privilege of worlhipping God according to the rules of his own confcience ; and that it would betray an inhofpitable difpofition thus to conduft themlcKes towards men, whom mii- fortunes had compelled to relbrt to them for proteoiion. In the mean time, iEqus Modius, had been difpatched by king Agrippa,^ with a large body of troops, to inveft the caitle of Magdala. Finding him- lelf in no condition to lay fiege to it, he judged it fufiicient to fecure the palfes, and thus to form the blockade of Gamala. Intelligence having been commu- nicated to ^butius, the Decadarch, of my arrival at Simonias, a village fituated on the borders of Galilee, and at the dillance of about fixty furlongs fiOm the place where he then was, he affembled a body of an hundred horle, about two hundred foot, and fome auxiliary troops from Gaba, with which,, nuking a forced march during the night, he reached the village early in the morning; whereupon, I gathered together fome of tiie befttroops 1 had with me, and prepared for my defence. TEbutius, depending on his iuperior force in horfe, would fain have induced me to have engaged him in the opea field•, but, as my ftrength lay chiefly in infantry, I dared not quit my ila- tion •, and my antagonift, after many fruitlefs eftbrts to drive me from ir, retired towards Gaba, with the lofs of three men only in the fkirmifli. I clofcly purfued him, with a body of two thoufand men •, and having reached Befara, on the frontiers of Ptolemais, and about twenty furlongs diibant froni Gaba, where ^Ebutius then was, I firll fecured all the neighbouring paiTes, and. ,6 Τ II Ε L I F Ε Ο F unci then ΐ carried off proiligioiis quantities of wheat and other grain, whicH lud belont;ed to queen Berenice, and had been plundered by the enemy from the adjacent vilhiges. The grain I fcnt to Galilee, on a number of camels and alfcs, wiiicii I had brought with me for that intent. When I had finifhed thisbufmcfs I offered battle to Albutiiis; but, he declining it, I dircdlcd my march ag.iinit Scythopolis, which was then garrifoned ,by a body of horfe, un- der the command of Neapolitanus, who had committed great depredations in the neighbourhood of Tiberias. Having delivered the Tiberians from tliis tfoublclome foe, I now confined all my views to the re-eftablifliment of peace and good order in Galilee. John, the fon of Levi, was, as I have before obferved, ftill at Gifchala, where, jealous of my fucccffes againft my enemies, and of the affeition which the people under my government manifeiled for me ; he endeavoured to feduce the J ibcrians and the Sepphorites from my inrerefts •, flattering him- felf, alfo, that he might be able to prevail on the Gabarenes to quit my party, they being the moft confiderable people in Galilee. For this purpofe, he took every opportunity to decry my adminiftration, and to extol the ad- vantages which they would enjoy under his government, imagining that, in proportion as he blemifhed my reputation, he fhould brighten his own. The Sepphorites, in fadt, favoured neither him nor me, being clofely attached to the Romans. He could not prevail on the Tiberians to take arms, but they, neverthelefs, engaged to maintain a correfpondence with him. The Gabarenes were the only people who con fen ted to join him•, and this union was effeded, by the intervention of one of their leading men, named Simon, who was a particular friend, and affociate of John's ; and even thefe people made a fecret of their connedlion with him, through an apprehenfion of the refentment of the Galileans, of whofe affeftion for me they were well convinced •, but they readily engaged in every perfidious attempt againft my perfon -, and, in the following inftance, I narrowly efcaped falling a vidlini to their evil defigns. The wife of Ptolemy, the king's intcndant, travelling with a nume- rous body of attendants over the great plain, from a phce under his iovereign's jurifdiftion, into one of the Roman provinces, her train was attack- ed by aparty of defperate young Dabarittenians, who defeated the efcort which attended her, and made prize of all the valuable cffeits flie had taken with her. The plunder taken on this occafion was brought to TarichetE, whilit I continued tliere, and confifted of a large quantity of rich cloaths and coflly furniture, a great number of filver veffels, and five hundred pieces of gold. As thefe articles were the property of Ptolemy, who was of my own tribe (and it being prohibited by our bw to rob even an enemy) I told the parties, that ic was abfolurtly requifite they fhould be laid by, till an opportunity might offer fordifpofing of them, and that the produce Ihould be applied to the re- paration ot the walls of Jerufalem. The robbers were fo much incenfed to be thus difappointed of their booty, that they, in revenge, circulated a report throughout Tiberias, that it was my intention to betray the province into the hands of the Romans. My promife, they faid, of applying the profits of ti\s fale to the reparation of the walls of Jerufalem, was a mere pretext; and ? . that F L A ν Ι υ S J Ο S Ε Ρ Η υ S. 17 that I meant tO: reilore the above eHects to their foriner mailer; nor, indeed, were they wrong in their conjedure ; for, immediately after the departure of the robbers, I gave itcret orders to two of tlie principal citizens, Dafiion, and Jannseus, the fon of Levi, both highly favoured by the king, to make reftitution of tiic prize, and, at the peril of their lives, to mention the matter to any man living. The charge againlt me, of having confpired to deliver up the province to the Romans, was now fpread throughout Galilee, and the people were rtrongly incited to revenge. The Taricheans, amongft others, gave fuch credit to the flander, that they feducid feveral of my guards, and other foldiers, to quit me while 1 was ailcep, and to repair with them to the Circus, to confer with the citizens on the intended change to be made in the government. A large concourfe of people had allembicd in this place, unanimoufly calling for jullice on the traitor : but the chief fomenter of the fedition was Jefus, the fon of Sapphia, one of the moil turbulent and unprincipled wretches breathing, who chanced, at that time, to be the chief magiftrate of Tiberias. He prefented himfelf before the people, with the two Tables of Mofes in his hand, and addrefTed them in thefc words : " If," fays he•, " you have no confideration for your own welfare and fafety, at " lead Ihew a proper reverence for thefe facred laws, which your governor, " Jofeph, has not firrupled to violate, and has, thereby, rendered himfelf " deferving of the fevereft and moil exemplary punifliment." This fpeech was received by the people with repeated iliouts of applaufe ; and, raking with them a number of foldiers, they haded towards the houfc in which I re- fided, with a fixt reiblution to put me to inftant death. Unconfcious of all that was paffing, I lay on my bed, wearied out with fatigue, and in a found fleep. Simon, however, one of my guards, and the only perfon who had not deferred me, feeing the people ruihing into the houfe, luddenly awaked me, and reprefenting, in a few words, the imminent danger to which I wag cxpofed, advifed me, rather to perifh by my own hand, than to fubmit to the infults and cruelties of an enraged and infolent enemy. Upon receiving this intehigence, I difguifed myfelfin a fuit of black cloaths, and, armed with my fword, commending myfelf to the proteofion of Providence, I paffed un- difcovered, through the midft of the throng, and repaired, by a private way, to the Circus, where I threw myfelf proftrate on the ground, and, by my . tears and lamentations, excited the pity of the majority even of the infurLcnts themfelves. Perceiving that 1 had, in foIΉe meahire, wrought upon the temper of the people, I exerted all my endeavours to divide them in their f;ntirnents refpefting me and my conduit, before the return of the foldiers, who had been difpatched to deitroy me. I begged their permiiTion to lay before them the true ilate of tiie cafe, admitting, at the fame time, that there . was, indeed, fome flight foundation for the charge brought againftme. I re- quelled, that they would, however, give me a patient hearing, alter which, I fiiould readily fubmit to their decifion, whatever it might chance to be. The pjeoplc were well inclined to liiten to me, and ordered me to proceed ; but the ibkliers, who had jull now returned to the Circus, were for putting me to im- mediate death : bur, on more mature delibcraiion, they luifered themfelves Vol. I. Ε to I ,8 THELIFEOF (Ο he prevailed on to fufpend the execution of their defign ; and to this they >verc induced partly by the clamours of the common people, and partly by the hope that by a contefiion of my treachery, and that 1 had aftually relolved toTclcrve that money lor the king's ufe, 1 iliould afford them a better pretext: for accompliiliing their faguinary purpofe. Silence being, therefore, pro- claimed, 1 addrcfied them in ailiort Ipcech, to the following purport : That, provided I might be permitted to give them a true detail of my con- dud in the matter objcded againll me, 1 ihould acquiefce in whatever fentence they might think proper to pronounce •, that 1 had ever confidered their city as an afylum for ftrangers ; that, induced by the conveniences of the place, and the amiable manners of the inhabitants, numbers of foreig- ners had quitted their own tountry. and repaired thither, with the view of continuing there to the end of their lives ; that the crime now alledged, was» an intention, through zeal for the public benefit, to apply a confiderable fum of money towards the repair of the city-walls •, and that this was the fole foundation of the inveterate perfecution v.hich had been railed againft me. The Taricheans, and the foreign inhabitants of the city, highly applauded my fpeech, and bad me proceed without fear ; but the Galileans and 'I'ibe- rians, on the other hand, manit^fted much turbulence of difpofiticn ; in-fo- much that the dificncion between the two parties a rofe, at length, to a very great hei"ht•, the one fide continually menacing me, and the other giving methe ilron<^ell aiTurances of their favoiu- and protection. But the conteft• was finally dropr, upon my promiiing the Tiberians to repair the walls of their city, and to do the like for all the other towns of the province, whole fituation would admit of it •, and every one, trufting to my word for the per- formance of this covenant, retired peaceably to his own home. After this jirovidentia! and iinexpefted deliverance, 1 returned to my lod<;.in<7s, attended by a pany of my friends, and about twenty foldiers. Soon after I had retired, the robbers and other ringleaders of the late icditijn, fearful kfi ihey rhoiild be called to account, for their conduct on the occafion, aiTembltd in a body, to ihe number of about fix hundred, and bell-t the houfC in which I refidrd, v.ith an Intention of feccing fire to it. When the news of their approach, and of their defign, was ccmmwnicated to me, deeming flight difgraceful, I determined to barricade the doors of my refi- dence, and to abide the event. Upon their an ival, I acquainted them, from a window, that, if money was their objert, they had only to depute a fmall number of their conipaiiions to me, and their demands Ihould be inftantiy tomplled with. A party was, accordingly fent ; and, when Uiey entered the hotife, obferving that one of them dilfinguifhed iiimfelf fiom the reft by bis infoltnce and audacity, I ordered him to be feized, whipped, and to have one of hie hands ft:ruck off-, after v;hich, with tlie hand hanging round his neck, to be turned into tlie fiicet, that his aflociates might be informed ot what had happened to him. All this was, accordingly executed, and the infurgcnts, imagming, from the boldnels of my conduct in this inilance, that 1 had a tliong guard in the houfe, fled vzith the utmoil precipitation, thro' icarof expofing ihemfelves to a fimilar punifhment•, and by this ilratageni i tfcaped an immineai danger. Being tluis dcfcaicd in one fcheme, they quirk- FLA ν I us JOSEPHUS. 19 ly put another in agitation j eagerly feeking all opportunities of exciting a fpirit of difaiFeftion amongft the people. They now pretended to difapprovc oi. the proteition which 1 had afforded to the two foreign noblemen, afore- mentioned, whom they affected to confider as fpies and poifoners, and as be- ing unworthy of an afyliim in a country, to the cuftoms of which they had pertinacioufly refufeJ to conform. By thefe infmuations, they had in patt revived that feditious fpirit in the multitude, which I had fo lately appealed : but I obferved to the people, that it would be both ungenerous and imprudent to tyranize over perfons who had put themfelves under our proteilion, as we knew not how foon we might be reduced to a like fuuation ourfelves ; and that, with refpeit to the idea of their being poifoners, nothing could be more abfurd, as the Romans would certainly never be at the expence of keep- ing fuch numbers of troops in pay, when their purpofe might be equally anfwered by a fpell, or a bolus. By this mode of reafoning, I partly paci- fied them for a tinie •, but their refentment quickly broke out afrelh, and to that heighth did it arrive that, accompanied by a band of defperate rufhans, they direfted their courfc to Taricha;, with the full intent of putting thefe un- fortunate ftrangers to death. The inftant I became acquainted with the ftep they had taken, 1 haflily afiembled as many troops as the ihortnefs of the time would permit, and took, the fame rout, with the view of preventing the execution of their defign, being fenfible, that a connivance at an aftion of fuch favage barbarity would render me univerfally odious. In fhort, I reached the refidence of the ftran- gers juft in time to barricade the doors, and to take neceffary fleps for the fe- curity of the houfe, before the arrival of the ailailants-, and, conveying my two noble guefts, through a back-door, to the lake which was behind the houfe, I CIO Jed over with them to the frontiers of the Hippenians, where I, left them ■, having firft paid them the value of their horfes, which their hafte would not permit them to carry ofT; and, at parting, I recommended to ibem to fubmit to their hard fate with becoming fortitude. It was with the utmoft regret that I faw myfelt thus compelled to abandon thefe men, v.ho had thrown themielves upon my protedion, to the mercy of their enemies ^ yet 1 judged it preferable thus to commit them to the care of providence, than to fuffer them to remain expofed to a certain dcftruiflion, from the per- fidy of my own people. They at length, however, furmounted all their dif- ficulties, and were again received into favour by King Agrippa. Intelligence h.iving been communicated to me that the people of Tiberias had fecretly difpatched a letter to King Agrippa, with a tender of their fer- vices, provided he would engage to furnifh them with a fufhcient number of troops to proteft them, 1 inftancly repaired to that city. The inhabitants, upon my arrival, reminded me of my promife to rebuild their walls, having learnt, as it afterwards appeared, that I had already fulfilled my engagement. in that point with the Taricheans. To fatisfy them, I gave orders for ma- terials and v/orkmen to be provided, and that the bufinefs fliould be entered upon immediately. Having continued there three days, I departed for Ta- richea:, which is diilant about thirty furlongs. Immediately after my dc: parture, a body of Roman troops, being on their march,, palled within fight 20 Τ II Ε LIFE OF ofTibciiasi and ilie inhabitants, miilaking them for the forces of King A"ripp3, gave a luddcn loofc to the moll extravagant encomiums on the kin", aiKUo the fevered cenfiires on me. A meflengcrr was foon afterwards tHrpa'rched to me, in great haile, with information that the people were ripe for a revolt. This intelhgence threw me into the utmoft confternation ; for, the fabbath now approaching, I had fent away the foldiers from Taricheie, in order to the more quiet celebration of that fcilival. Moreover, fuch was my confidence in the zeal and aftedion of the inhabitants, that I feldom re- tamed any guard about me during my refidence in that place, and had only icvcn loldie^s, and a linall number of my friends with me at the time in quellion. Thus circumflanced, I was perplexed in the higheft degree what courfe to take. It being now evening, to have re-afiembled my troops would have anfwered no purpole, as they could not have aded on the next day, and, with refpeft to the inhabitants of Tariches, their number, including fo- reigners and natives, could I have purchafed their alii fiance, which I probably might have done by the promife of granting them leave to pillage the city, would have been too inconfiderable to have anfwered my purpofe. How- ever, it was neceflary that I Ihould be fpeedy in my determination, left the mal-contents Ihould poileis themfelves of the city, and fhuc me out; I therefore adopted the following ftratagem: I committed the care of the gates to iome of my mofl intimate and trufly friends, with a llrift injumflion to fuffer no perlbn whatever to pafs through. They had it, further, in charge from me, to caufe each of the principal citizens to go on board his rt-fpeftive boat, taking with him only one perfon to row it, and to follow me, whi'e I, in another boar, attended by afmal! party of my friends, and feven foldiers, itecred my courfe towards Tiberias •, the inhabitants of which city had, in tjie in- terim, difcovered their miflake relative to the troops they had feen. The Ti- berians, however, perceiving the lake thus covered with fo numerous a fieec of boats, which, they concluded, were tilled with an army deftined to the attack of their city, aftuaied by their apprehenfions, inftantly laid down tlieir arms, and, accompanied by their v/ives and children, in the moft (ubmiilive manner welcomed me on my arrival, wiihed me fuccefs in my undertaking, never fufpecling that their defigns were difcovered, and invited me into the city. Previous to my landing, I had given orders that all the boats iliould be anchored at fuch a dirtance from the fiiore, as to prevent the Tiberians from difcovering the weaknefs of my apparently formidable fleet. I had now reached the quay, and, after feverely reproaching them with their late treach- erous conduit, I declared myfclt willing to pardon what had palfed, on con- dition, that they ihould fend on board of my boat ten of their chief citizens, as hoftages •, with which demand they iiiRanrtly complied, and, by this Ura- tagem, I, by degrees, got the whole fenate and moft of the principal in- habitants into my hands. The rcfc, now taking into conlideration the cri- tical flate of their affairs, with one voice imputed the whole blame of the late dirturbances to a bold and turbulent fellow, named Clitus, and requeflc;d that I would order him to be puniflied according to his deferts. This fellgw bc- i»i5 FLAVIUS JOSEPH US. ii -jng of my own tribe, I could not conrcicntiouily put him to death •, yet, as I perceived the necefi'ity of iniliifling on him Tome exemplary punifhmenc •, I commanded one of my guards, named Levi, to cut off one of his hands. This man, dreading the refentment of the people, dared not execute my orders ; and ], on the other fide, was equally apprehcnfive left they ihould notice his hefitation. Without further deliberation, therefore, I addrcfled myfelf to Clitus, and, feverely reproaching him with his ingratitude and treachery, condemned him to the lofs of both his hands, and, as far as in him lay, to be his own executioner ; further enjoining him to make all dif- patch, left I fliould change his fentence to one ftill more fevere. 'Ihc fellow was very urgent with me to remit him one half of the punifliment •, to which ■requeft, with much feeming difficulty, I, at length, yielded ; and he inftantly ftruck off his left hand with his right, and thus the tumult was at once appeafed. I now returned to Tarichese, leaving the Tiberians imprciTcd with the Jiigheft opinion of my wifdom, in thus fubduing , without bloodlhed, fo formidable an infurreftion. At an entertainment, which I gave to my Tibe• Tian holtages, among whom were Juftus and his father Piftus, I chanced to ■obferve, in the freedom of table difcourfc, that I confidered the Romans as the greateft people on the face of the earth •, neverthelefs, that, circumftanced as I was, with refpeib to the prefent faftion, I thought it moft prudent to Jt,"_r.iid I, confining ray ad.lrefs to Junath.in, " wlui if I Ihoiild refer " myfclf to the evidence of every perfon here aifembled, lur the juftification " both of my private and public condiid ?" Then, turning to the people, I conjured them, to deHver their fentiments of my adminiftration, without the lead referve. They inilaRtly, with one voice, made an open di.-cIaracion of the bieOings which they had enjoyed under my government ; affirmin'^, v;ich repeated aiTeverations, that I had been as cautious to prevent any injury or infult being offered to their vvives and daughters, as to preferve them in the undifturbed ροίΓ-ίΓιοη of their rights and property •, concluding, that they had no other wiih, than that thofe bleffings might be confirmed to them by my continuance in the command of the province. I next read, in the hcarin•»• of numbers of the Galileans, the two intercepted letters of Jonathan, men- tioned above. They were replete with falfehoods and fcunility, andrepre- fented me in the light rather ot a tyrant, than of a governor. Being defirous ot concealing from my foes the manner in which thofe let- ters came into my hands, left they Hiould fend their future difpatches bv fome other rout, I feigned that they had been voluntarily brought to mc by their own couriers. The multitude were fo highly incenfed againft Jonathan and his affociates, on account of thefe letters, that they would, doubtlefs, have facrificed them, but for my interference. After enjoining the deputies to repentance and amendment, 1 gave them their liberty; and, at parting, de- fired them, u;.on their arrival at Jerufalcm, to make the pcoplj acqu'Tiinted with the exaift ftue of all that had paiTed ; with which requeft, however, I was fully perfuaded, beforehand, they would not comply, notwithftanding their promifes, of which they were very liberal. In fpite of the great influ- ence which I had obtained over the people, their refentm^nt againlt Jonathan and his colleagues had rikn to fo high a pitch, that they formed the refolution of facrificing them in their quarters. They were very urgent with me to orant my fanftion to this defign ; but, reflecting on the dangerous confequences of an infurredion, I exerted myfelf to the utmoft, to divert them from their intention. Perceiving, at length, that all my efforts to reflirain them would be vain, I put myfelf at their head, and ordered them to follow me to Sogane, a vil- lage of Arabia, which is a'tiout forty ftadia diilant from Gabara; and thus I avoided the imputation of being the author of a civil war. At a fmall diilanc»; from the place, 1 commanded my troops to halt, and, after a fliort fpeech, in which 1 recommended it to them to ail with moderation, I fcltoled one hun- dred perfons, the moft eminent in point of r.-'.nk and abilities, for the puipofe of fending them to Jerufilem, to prefer a complaint to the council, a<'-3inil: the ring-leaders in the late tumults. They were further inftruil d, in cafe they fliould find the inhabitants of Jerufalem well difpofed towards me, to en- deavou»• to procure a renewal of my commiiTion, together with the recall of John. Thus inibufled, they bigan their journey on the third day, attend- ed by an efcort of five hundred foldiers. At the fame time, I difpatched letters to my friends at Simaria, requefling a free paffage thiough that dif- ' trift for my deputies, the city being, at that period, under the Roinan go- vernment, and a?, by this rout, they might arrive at Jerufalem in three days. Vol. I. Η 1 accom- 2 30 TflELIFEOF I accompanied them as far as the frontiers of Galilee, and took fucli precau- tions to conceal their departure, that ic remaintd a fccrct for a confidcrable time : after this I continued a few days at Japha. When Jonathan and his colleagues found all their fchemes thus difappcint- cd, they frnt John back to Gifchala, and repaired to Tiberias, of which cit/ they hoped to pofiefs themielves, through the influence of Jefus, who was the chief mgiftrate there, and who had pledg• d himfelf to engage the citizens in their inteieft. But Silas, who commanded there, in my abfcnce, fenc me intelligence, from time to time, of all that paiTed, and prelTed me to return thither with all polTible difpatch. In confequence of my adopting this ad- vice, I fell into a fnare, which had nearly proved my deftruition. The deputies from Jerufalem, who had raifcd a powerful party againit me in Tiberias, were greatly confounded upon my arrival at that city. They however, paid me the compliment of a viilt•, repeatedly felicitating me on the high reputation I had acquired in the execution of my oflice, and chiming to themielves fome fmall fhare therein, both as I was their fl-llow- citizen, and had been, in a manner, their pupil. They profcfled much friendlliip for me, and engaged, if I would return, and leave the management of the bufinefs to them, to deliver John into my hands in the courfe of a very fliorttimej confirming their promifes with fuch folemn oaths and impreca- tions, as induced my fulled confidence. This being the eve of the fab- bath, they from thence took occafion to recommend me to retire with my troops to fome neighbouring place, leil any tumult ihould arife among the people on that day. In order to quiet their feigned apprehenfions, I, fuf- p.'cling nothing of their defigns, repaired to Tarichene ; taking the precau- tion, however, to place my fpies about the city and upon the road, to give me the earlieft notice of any material incident that might happen during my abfcnce. The people aiTembled on the next day in the Oratory, the chief place of worihip in that city, and which was capable of containing a valt number ofperfons: with the reft came Jonathan, accompanied by his col- leagues. In a fhort time after his entrance, he rofe, and, addrefling himfelf to the people, expreiled his concern, that the city was not provided with better governors ; and there he flopped •, being, at lirft, cautious of fliewing too plainly that he meant to incite the citizens to a fedition. But Jefus, the chief magiilrate, fpoke with lefs referve, and told the alfcmbly, in plain terms, that it would be far more to their advantage to be governed by four peilons, than by one•, efpecially if fuch governors were of noble birth, and approved abilities as thole men were, pointing to Jonathan and his aflbciates, whj Rood clofe by him. Juftus, likewife, declared himfelf of the fame o- pinion, and he induced many others to adopt the like fentiments. But the populace were fo itrongly poifeiled with the contrary perfuafion, that a dan- gerous tumult mufl: inevitably have cnfued, had not the deputies, it being now the hour of twelve, which is the dinner-hour among the Jews on the fabbah-day, adjourned the meeting to the next morning. The moll early intelligence of thefe proceedings having been conveyed to me, I departed at fun-rife, the next day, for Tiberias, where I found the people afiemblcd in the Oratory, though they were totally ignorant of the caufe of 3 their FLAVIUS JOS Ε Ρ II US. 31 their meeting. My unexpeited appearance lb greatly conioundcd tli<; deputi-rs, that they were uitcily at a lols, for feme timr, how to pro- ceed -, at length, however, thy determined to raife a report, th.ic a body ot Roman cavalry had b; en feen at the dillaiice of about thirty Ihidia fiom the city, near Hoinon;ta. This rumour was fpread with kuh indultry ami confidence, even by the authors of it thcmfelves, that it quickly ciulld a fenrenc among the pco[;le, who loudly exclaimed againft the fcandal of per- mitting their country to be thus ravaged and dcftroyed, while they remained inaftive fpedtators of the devaftation. I plainly perceived that the deputies intended, by this ilratagem, to compel me to quit the city, and to go in piir- fuit of this ideal enemy, that they might fecure the pofieiTion of it to ihem- felvtrs, by alienating the aflvtlions of the citizens from me. Ncvcrtheltls, that I might not a[)pear deficient in my attention to the welfare of the Ti- berians, I determined immediately to begin my march in ft-arch of thofe troops, though convinced that I fliould thereby further the defigns which my foes were concerting againfl: me. But finding, upon my ai rival at the place where this body of cavalry was fuppofed to have been fcen, that none fuch had appeared, or been heard of, I poHed back, in all hafle, to Tiberias, where the fenate and people were engaged in fecret council, and the deputies, in the midlt of a tedious harangue, filled with the moft bittt-r invtdfives againil me, whom they reprefented as a man totally addiefed to his plealures, and utterly regardlefs of the public wcltaie. At the fame time they produced four letters, which they feigned to have received from four of the moil diifant parts of Galilee, containing a reprcfen- tation of the imminent danger to which they were expoild, and requelfing immediate adiftance. This ftory was readily believed by the credulous 'J i- berians, and they unanimoufly infiiled that fuccour ihould be fent to their allies with the utmoft expedition. I, therefore, having by this tim.e [)ene- trated into the defiun, exprefled my willingnefs to bear an adequate part in the execution of whatever meafures might be deemed requifite forihe public fervice ; obferving that, as the advices which had been received, mentioned four feveral incurfions, the army ought to be divided into as many dillererc bodies, in order to repel them ; and that, it being the duty of every good citizen to ferve his country in perfon as well as with his advice, the deputies were under an obligation each to take upon himfeif the command ot one of the divifions. Ί his propofition was univerfally approved, and the depu- ties, highly enraged to find all their treachery thus countermined and defeat- ed, were compelled to take their refpeclive parts in this adventure, Ananias, one of the four pretended deputies, and a man of a malig- nant difpofition, advifed the appointment of a folemn fall, to be ob- ferved on the next day, with an injunftion to the people to meet at a particular hour, and without arms ; proclaiming his confidence in the affiltance of the Almighty, independent of human aid. His intentioix in this propofal was, evidently, to difarm me and my troops •, yec was I necefiitated to concur therein, that I might not be fufpeded of a con- tempt of the religious motives by which he appeared to be afluated. Jonathan and his colleagues, upon the rifing of the afiembly, difpatched a ineflengcr to John, defiring him to come to them without fail at an early hour the THE LIFE OF the ncx: morning, witli whatever force he might be able toralfc; being con- vinctil that, if they could Ic-cure my perfon, they might afterwards aft as they pleafed. O.i the next day, I privately armed niyfelf v.'ith a corflet and Avord, concealed under my cloaths, and chufing two of the bravell; and moll trully of my guards 1 ordered them to take a fliort fword each, and to fol- ow me to the Oratory. This precaution I took, that 1 might be enabled to epelany infult which might beofie'-ed me. When v.-c came to the Oratory, I was dircdtly admitted, with my friends ; but Jefus ^^Ho kept the door, would not permit any of my attendants to follow. Juil ai the inftant that the aifembly were about to proceed to their devotions, Jefus flarted up, and quellioned me, Where, and in whofe hands, the valuable furniture, and the fiivcr in the mafs, which were faved from the flames when the royal pa- lace was confumed, had been depofited ? This he did merely with the view of delaying the time, till the arrival of John with his troops. I anfvviered him, however, that all thofc articles had been committed to the care of Ca- pella, and ten of the chief citizens of Tiberias ; to whom I referred him for a lonfirmation of the trurh of what I advanced. Capella and the rtit, there- upon, acknowledged the receipt of the effcifls in queftion. I was then required to give an account in what manner I had difpofcd of the twen'y pieces of gold, which I received for a like value in filver ? I replied, that I bad diftributed that money to defray the expenccs of the envoys whom I had fent to Jerufa- lem. Jonathan and his alTociates obferved, that I had afled very wrong, in paying my own agents from the public treafure. This evident captioufnefs of my fo?s enraged the populace to that degree, that all things feemed to tend towards an infurreilion : perceiving which, I judged it would be for my ad- vantage to foment the diflurbancc. I, therefore, told Jonathan, that he need give himfelf no further concern about the money in quellion, as I would take due care that it fliould be refunded. In proportion as my condu6l appeared clear from imputation, the refent- ment of the multitude grew more violent. This happened fo contrary to the expeftatiun pf the fiftion, that Jefus ordered the place to be cleared of all thofc who were not fenators, under the pretext that the bufinefs on v/hich they had met, could not be traniaflcd in the midfhof fiich clamour and confufion ; the people, on the other hand, loudly declaring their rcfuUition not to leave me alone wi;h them. In the midft of the conteft, a meficnger enter- ed, and whifpered Jonathan, that John was clofe at hand with his troops. This intelligence fo far emboldened Jonathan, that, giving a loofe to his vii ulenre agair.ft me, he addreffed himfelf to the people aifembled, in thefe words : Do not hmgine, ye men of Jiberias, that I wiflj ίο have Jcfepb fumfljed for his τηψοηάν.Π in the affair of the money, but for his impcftions on the v^ncrant multitude, and an undue exertion ''f arbitrary power. He had no fooner finifhed his fpeech, ihan fevcral ruffians, who had been hired for the purpofe, attacked me, and would certainly have put me to death, had not rny friends drawn their fworris and interpofed in my defence ; the populace, threat- ening to ftone Jonathan, whom they confidered as the projeitor of the defign againft me ; and thus, by the efforts of both parties, I was prefcrved Irom the attempts of my foes. I had fcarccly quitted the affembly, when I nicE F L A ν I υ S J Ο S Ε Ρ II U S. 35 met John at the head of his troops. 'I'his iinexpeflcd rencounter confounded me greatly, bur, wiih fome difficulty, I avoidtd them, and, taking a bye- road, reached the hike, where I took boat, and arrived fafcly at Taricheic. Upon my arrival, I fummoned a meeting of the principal men of the pro- vince, and particularized to them the |)alpablc breaches oi humanity and faith of Jonathan, recapitulating the circumftances of his treachery and inhumanity towards the Tiberians. The Galileans were fo highly cxafperated by my harangue, that it became neceifary to take fome meafures for appeafing their fury, and preventing an immediate declaration of war againll Jonathan, John, and their adherents, whom they declared themfclves refolutely de- termined to purfue with unremitting fury, on condition only of my givin" a vote of confcnt. I reprefented to them the probable ill confequences of an im- petuofity of conduit on the prefent occafion, and declared myfelf of opinion, that it would be moft eligible to wait for intelligence ot what had been tranfailed by the deputies at Jerufalem, as their concurrence was neceflary previous to our adopting any meafures of confequcnce. Thefe, with fome other arguments I made ufe of, happily occafioned the rage of the Galileans to fubfide : and John, being once more difconcerted in his treachery, return- ed to Gifchala. Some days fubfiqucnt to the above events, difpatches were received from Jerufalem, intimating that Ananus and Simon, the fon of Gamaliel, had fallen under the difplcafure of the government there, in confequence of having made attempts, by means of their agents, to deprive me of the government of Galilep, and for prcfuming to acV, without the fanition of public au- thority, in a bufinefs of i'o much importance ; and that their condud had proved fo highly difgufting to the people, that it was with the utmoft difficulty they could be prevented from deftroying their habitations. Other letters were alfo brought, from which it appeared, that the chief inhabitants of Je- rufalem, acting with the confent and authority of the public, had command- ed the immediate departure of John and his aiTociatcs, and, by unanimous conient, confirming me in the honourable flation I polTeiTed. I now hailed to Arbela, where 1 had fummoned an aiTembly of the Gali- leans : and when they had convened, my deputies reprefented what had paiTed at Jerufalem, fetting forth the refentment which prevailed among the people aga'nft Jonathan; that a comminion had been tranfmitted to me, whereby a formil ratification was given for the continuance of my govern - m-nt of the province ; and that an order had been iflued, enjoining Jonathan and his followers to decline all further pretences. This order to John and his afibciates was difpatched to them by a meffenger, who was direited to make the moft particular obfervation of their features \ν1κη they received it. They wjexe thrown into the greateft confternation, on the perufal of the order, and immediately fummoned a council, John himfelf, and the chiff men of Tibe- rias and Gabara being nominated tocompofe the fame, in order to determine upon mealures. The Tiberians were unwilling to truft the power out of their own hand^, and to abandon a people who had claimed their protedion, at a time, when Vol. I. I they 2 ^^ THE LIFE OF they wickedly allertcd, I had threatened them with an ΙηναΠοη. John co iiuided in the opinion of the Tiberians, and propofed that two deputies fliould b- lent to Jcriilalcm, to exhibit an acculation of mai-pradiccs in the execu- tion ϋί my office, pretending that the reputation of my accufers, and the unllcady dirpolitio.i of the people they had to negotiate with, would inevitably operate to my difadvantagc in the minds of the populace. This matter was allented to, and a guard of an hundred foldieis was appointed to conduft Jonathan and Ananus to Jcrufalem, the reft of the troops remaining at Ti- bcriay. A confiderable body of John's troops being at Gifchala, they were• ordered to repair to Tiberias, where the people made preparation for taking, up arms, and began a general repair of their walls. Jonathan and his followers having proceeded as far as Dabaritta, (an ex- tenfive plain on the borders of Galilee) about mid-night were met by a de- tachment of my out-guards, who, in compliance with my command, at- tacked, and made prifoners of them. Levi, who commanded the party,, gave me information of this circumftance, which for feme days I omitted to ial<.e notice of : I lent mcilengers, however, to perfuade the people of Tibe- rias to lay down their arms : but from an idea that Jonathan bad by this tim': arrived at Jerufalem, inftead of proper and manly anfweis, they fent ητ$ mclTages in the moft contemptible terms. But this indecent treatment did; not, in the leaft, abate my defire of prevailing with the Tiberians ; fori would, on no confideratron, have been the promoter of civil dilcord. Ιε occurred, that fome advantage might arife, if I could entice them out of the town ; and, in confequence of this fuggeftion, I drew off ten thoufand choice men, dividing them into three corps, and ftationing one thoufand of them about four ftadia from Tiberias im a village upon the mountains, and: o.dering the reft to Dora. I now came out of the village, and being within fight of the Tiberians^, they approached me, cxprefimg the utmoft contempt, and cafting refleftions- on me, equally undcferved and fevere. Their vanity and iniblence was fo extreme, that, in order to expofe mc as an objcdl of derifion, they even re- prefented my funeral ; in which ridiculous and fantaftical parade, the effigy• of my body was expofed in the open field amidft a group of people meant to• perfonate my mourners. But it was not my bufinefs to attend to this trifling. I judged it expedient to get Simon and Joazar into my power, and to eifedt. this, 1 pretended a defirc of compromifing the prevailing differences, by di- viding the adminiftration among us. I imagined that this ftratagem would have brought them out of the town, with fonie friends, and fuch a number ot guards as they might judge neceffary for the fatety of their perfons. Joa- zar being the more craf.y man, fufpecled my defign, and rejccled the pro- pofal : but Simon having meaner abilities, and being avaricious withal, came over to me without hefitation, attended by his friends and guards. I treated him wi'h proper refpeft and acknowledgements, and after iome time fpcnt in convcrfdtion, under pretence of a defire to be more private, I led him to Iome diftance from the perfons by whom he was attended, then ieized him round the waift, and ordered him to be conduced to an adjacent village. At this inftant FLAVIUS JOSEPHUS. ^5 indant I gave a fignal for my people to join me, and that being duly com- plied with, proceeded cowards J iberias. On our way, we had an encounter witii the enemy, who behaved with fo much bravery, that it was with great difficulty I kept my men to their ground ; but alter an obflinate contcll, ic was my fortune to prove victorious, and the Tiberians retreated into the town. I had difpatchod a party, by the way of the lake, to fet tire to the firll houfe they fhould meet with ; and this being done at a lucky moment, the enemy imagining that the city was taken by toice, laid down their arms, and, as a vanquiihed people, came, with their women and children, and fued for clemency. Satisfied with this fub- mifiion, I founded a retreat, and the evening drawing on, retired for refreih- ment, and invited Simon to fup with me, accompanying my meifage with the encouraging aflurance, that he fhould be fafely conduifted to Jerufalem, and provided with every convenience on his journey. I marched into Tiberias on the following day, with ten thoufand men ; and having ailembltd the moft confiderable people ol the town, made all ncceifary enquiries concerning the faiSlion, the moll aclive promoters of which I fenc under a proper guard to Jotapata•, excepting Jonathan and his particular followers, whom 1 difmilTed, and moreover appointed a guard of five hun- dred men to convoy them I'afe to Jerufalem, giving them a fum fuiRcient to defray all the expencesof their journey. I had now a fecond vifit from the people of Tiberias, who fupplicated my forgivenefs, and made the moil folemn proteftations that an unremitting fide- lity fliould make ample recompence for former errors, finally petitioning that the plunder mi^ht be reilored to the proper owners. Upon the interceilion of theie people, I commanded every article which had been pillaged to be brought into my prefence ; but I obfcrved, that the foldiers obeyed with re- luctance, and that one of them had on a more coftly habit than I thought it became a man in his ftacion to wear •, 1 therefore queftioned him, as to the manner of obtaining ic, and his anfwers proving it to be a part of the plunder, I ordered a fevere difcipline to be intlided upon him, and gave notice, that if any other fhould be found guilty of a fimilar offence, he fhould be doomed to a Hill more exemplary punifhmcnt ; and I afterwards, as far as• circumflances v,Ould admit, caufed the articles which had been feized, to be returned to their relpeftive proprietors. I cannot difmifs this fubjeft without endeavouring to controvert the afler- tions of Julius, who, in treacing upon the matter at preitnt in queilion, has- tranfmitted to pofterity the moil profligate falfehoods, under the refpedtable- name of hiftory •, and the fame charge may, with equal juftice, be adduced againft other writers, : but I fnall confine myfelf tojufius, who, in giving an account of the war, has advanced a number of palpable fiflions, w'hich are calculated to refledl on his own country, and to brand me with diflionor. It; is therefore necefTary, that I ihould now divulge certain matters, which I have hitherto concealed from the world. An hiftorian is peculiarly bound to keep within the limits of truth ; but a modeft author is embarrafTed when an abandoned charafter coines in his way,, and he will fometimes hefitate to record difgraceful fads ; but he will not fupprefa 35 Τ H Ε L I F Ε Ο F fiipprifs his fcntiments from a motive of delicacy towards the infamous fub- jcct, but fioni a regard to tlie dignity of his own profcllion. " Tiiou, Juiliis, «' who hill put in a claim to the charadcr of an impartial writer, fay,^ Did " not you, and your Ί ibsrians make war againll the Dccapolitans in Syria, " and burn their villages, previous to the revolt of the Galileans from their " prince and the Roman empire, and the honour that was conferred on me " by the commiiTion conQituting me governor of Galilee: and was not one " of your a.tcndants (lain in the adlion ? How, tlien, canfl thou attribute to " me the caufe of that revolt ? The records of the emperor Vefpafian will " confirm my aiTcrcions on this head : from which it will appear, that, du- " rin<^ the refidence of that prince at Ptolemais, the Dccapolitans were con- " tinudlly impoi tuning him for juftice on you, as the chief author of all their " troubles ; with which requelt he would, undoubtedly, have complied, " had not kin» Agrippa, who was charged with the execution of the fcntence, " granted you your life, at the interceiTion of his filler, Berenice : but not- ♦' withllanding this remiilion, you did not obtain your liberty for a con • " fiderable time afterwards. Moreover, your conduit has been perfedly " confillent ihrough life, as will hereafter be feen ; for I iliall demonilrate, '« beyond a doubt, that you was the chief inftigator of the Tiberian rebellion. *' I fhall now prove, that both youifeltand the Tiberians equally betrayed " the inte.ellsof your fovercign, and of the emperor. •' S-jpphoris and Tiberias, the latter your native place, are the two prin- " cipal cities of Galilee. The former of thefe is fituated in the center of the " province, and has feveral villages under its jurifdiftion ; and fuch was the *' lidelity of the inhabitants to the fuptriors of the town, that they, not fatif- " fied svith fliutting their gates againft me, flridly prohibited, by a public " ediolj all perfons whatever from bearing arms in the fervice of our " nation. " With the view of making all poiTible provifion for their defence, they *' artfully obtained from me a promile to enclofe their city with walls •, which " I had no fooner performed, than they ejeded me in the mofl: contemptuous " manner ; and, without the leaft hefitation, admitted a Roman garrifon, " under the command of Ceflius Callus, who was at that time governor of " Syria ; and thefe tranfadions happened at the very time that I held all the " neighbouring country in abfolute fubjeilion. Nay, fo cautious v/ere they " of giving the leaft umbrage to the Romans, that, when the temple was " befieged, and the very exiftcnceof our nation, confcquently depended upon " the event, they declined contributing, in the fmalleft degree, to our " relief. " With refpeft to the fituation of the diilricil in which you commanded ; ic " lies on the banks of the lake Gennefareth, at the diftance of about thirty " ftadiaffom Hijjpos, fixty from Gabara, and an hundred and twenty from " Scythopolis; all which places were in the pofleiTion of the king's troops, " and, moreover, ftrongly garrifoned. What, let me a(k you, with all " ihefe advantages on your fide, could have prevented you from difcharging *' your d'jiy to the Romans, had you in your heart been inclined thereto ? «* iJur, admitting that 1 was, as you contend, at that time, in fome meafure, 3 ^ " the Λί * FLAVIUS JOSEPH US. 37 " the caufe of che war: to whoin, I wifh to know, is tlie blame of tlic fiib- " fequent tranfailions to be imputed ? For you cannot be ignorant, that " I had been taken prifoner by the Romans fome time before the fiege of Je- " rufalem ; that the Caltle of Jotapata, with many others, hud been earned *' by ftorm, and that multitudes oi the Galileans had fallen in the various tn- *' counters. If it be true, therefore, as you would infinuate, th.u you dif- approved of the war, and was forced into it againft your will, \\ hv did you not, when that pretended necefiky no longer fubfiftcd, hiy down your arms, " and throw yourielf on the mercy of your fovcreign, and ot the Romans, *' as I was then no longer in a condition to hurt you. " But you perverfely perfifted in your rebellion, till Vefpafian had advan- ' ced with his troops to the very walls of your city; when you found it ab- *' folutely requifite to fubmit, in order to avoid that ruin which muft, other- " wife, have been inevitable. Nor would this fubmiffion have availed you " any thing, but for the interceiTion of the king in your behalf; for your " madnefs and folly would certainly have beenpuniflied with the total deftruc- *' tion of che city, had he not obtained your pardon from the emperor: your *' enmity, thtrefore, to the Romans proceeded, not from any faulr of mine, " but merely from the impulfe of your own rancourous difpufition. Did I *' not repeatedly grant you both life and liberty, when the chance of war had *• put you in my power? Yet, it is notorious that, in the rage of your intef- " tine broils, aftuaced neither by a zeal for the king's fervics its couife through Fgypr, and is called by us Gihon, which means, to (uiiic from the eaft ; but the Grtcks term it the Nile. It was iwrmiued to Adam and Eve to eat of every fruit in the garden, ex- ctit of the tree of knowledge ; which they weie prohibited from tailing, up- on pain of death. Hitherto, a pcrfe>.H harmony had fubfifti-d among all the creatures •, and the ierpent appeared to be pjrticularly familiar with Adam and Eve; but, being envious of the happincls they enjoyed, wh:le they con- rinued in their obedience to the commands of God •, and knowing, on the other hand, the niifery they would bring upon themlVIvcs by a difregard of the divine injundion, tempted the woman to tafle of the fruit-, by reprcfent- infT to her that, upon eating of it, flie would be endued wiih a miraculous T^cTwer of d.flinguifliing between good and evil, and would attain to an equal portion of happinefs with the Deity. Thus was the woman prevailed upon to violate the command of God ; and the flavour of the fruit proved io giatc- ful to hrr, that ihe fulicited her huiliand, alio, to eac of it, and he yielded to her perfuafion. The virtue of the fruit beginning now to opera'.e upon them, they perceived that they were naked, and made themfelves coverings of fig- leaves, woven together, to conceal their fliame ; confidering this difcovcry of their wants as an increafe of happinefs. Some time afterwaids, Adam perceiving the Almighty walking in the garde n, was ftruck with a confcioufnefs of his guilt, and endeavoured, for the fird time, to conceal himfelf. But God, ordering him to draw near, de- manded, why he, who had hitherto fo eagerly fought all opportunities of pre- fenting himfelf before his Creator, fhould now avoid him ? Adam was inca- pable of rejjlying •, and the Almigjuy thus proceeded : " I had made evefy " nfceffary provifion for the eafe and happinefs of your life; nor had 1 lelc " you even a fingle wifli to be gratified ; neither could your enjoyments " have been interrupted by the infirmities of old age : bur, as you have *' daied to break through the reftriftions I had laid on }ou, and are unable, " through guilt, to oiicr any plea in defence of your conduit, 1 will ihorten *' the number of your days." Adam extenuated his oflence in the beft man- ner he could ; fupplicatcd pardon for his tranfgrelTion, and cait the whole blame upon his Wite. The woman, on her part, alledged that it was the ferpent who had fsduced lier fiom the obedience which ihe owed to the divine command. God, there- lore, to punilh y\dam for liifening to the infmuatlons of his wife, pronounced a curfe on the ground •, declaring that, in future, it ihould produce nothin"' but what fhould be extorted from it by labour, and the fweat of man's brow ; neither ihould us produce be always anfwerable to his expeftation and alTidu- ky. The fentence denounced againft: Eve, in eonfequence of her complyino- with the foggeRions of the ferpent, and afterwards luring Adam into the iame fnare, was, " in forrow to bring forth children;" and, as tlie jufi: pu- nifhment of the malice and wiles of the ferpent, God deprived him of the gift of fpeech, put poifon under his tongue, condemned him to the lofs of his feet, and to crawl upon his belly in future ; and branded him as the avow- ed enemy of mankind ; further commanding Eve to tread upon his head, as being THE ANTIQUITIES OF THE JEWS. 51 being the fource of all our iniferies, and thar part in which lie is moil fufccpt- iblf ot a mortal wound. Immediately alter the dcnunci.itiun of .ihtTe penal- ties, the Almighty dilmiiTcdour firll parents from the Gard^rn of Eden. CHAP III. 7he kijhry of Cain and Abel. Cain mwders his brother. Cod calls him to aji• acccuKt for the d:ed ; dijiingnifljes him by a mark, and dcnon)ices a curfe a^airiH kim. 1 he invention of weights and meafures difcovered by Cain. Cain builds the firfi city. Jubnl the inventor of Mufic. 'Tubakain the β>β artificer in brafs and ircn-ivork. ylJam lived g^o years. Seth and his Jons apply ihemfdves to the j'tudy of Aflron'jmy. The Fillars cf 8eih. EV Ε bore two fons : the eldeft was named Cain, which means, Poffeffion, o\• Acquiftion; and the fecond was called Abel, fignifying /ijf.iiiwn, or , Mourmug. The tempers of theie brothers were totally ditlerent from each o- ther. Abel, whofe prottil'ion was that of a fhepherd, led a virtuous and god— Jylife: whereas Cam, who was a hufbandman, and the firit inventor of til- lage, abandoned himlclf to all kinds of wickednefs. He was influenced by interefled motives alone,^ and proceeded fo far in his wickedncfsas, on the fol- lowing account, to put his own brother to death. They had mutually agieed to oiler a facrifice to God. Cain's oblation confiiled of the fruits of the eaitlv j. but Abel offered up the milk and firf'lings of his flock. The latter, being folely the produdtion of nature, gave the moft fatisfacfion to the Almighty ; whereas the other appeared to be rather an offering extorted by avarice, in- dulfry, and force, than a teftimony of the good-will of the facrificer *. The preference thus manifeRed for Abel, gave fuch hiyh offence to his brother, that he privately flew him and concealed his body. When God, who knew what had pafled, enquired of Cain, where his brother was, he betrayed great confufion, and replied, with much hefitation, that he had not feen him for fomc time paft, and was much furprized at thecircumflance. Being qucitioned more clofely, he anfwered, with great infolence, that he was " not his bro- " ther's keeper, nor was he of his council." God now charged him home with the murder of his brother, and he was compelled to acknowledge the fdd. Upon his fubmiflion, however, God was pleafed to remit the punifli- ment of " blood for blood ■" but pronounced a curfe on him and his dcfcen- dants, to the feventh generation, and banilhed him, together with his wife, to a diftant part of the earth. This fentence filled him with terror, leif, in wandering through the world, in fearch of a fettlement, any accident ihould befal him ; but, to preferve him from every danger to which he might chaace to be expofed, either from man or beaft, God fet a diflinguifliing mark on ■ him, and difmiffcd him from his prefence• Cain * It isobfervcdby Leo Abtius, in his notes upon Euilatius's Ilcxatm, ρ 2' ο, and by Ciinius, 1. 3. de Rep. Htbi- c. 1. that Joleph has committed an error in fpc.iking uf thele faciifices. Sce^ Dr. Patrick on Genefis. 52 FLAVIUS JOSEPH US. UPON Cain acconrmiwj}ies of nations d, at the command even of his father alone. He then advanced to the altar, and, baring his throat, waited in patient expedlation of the event; but, at the very inftant that Abraham raifed his arm to ftrike the blow, die Almighty called aloud to him from heaven, and j>revented his dcfign- God commanded him to ftay his hand, and to Ipare the life of his fon; declaring, that it was not from any pleafure that he took in human facrilkes, nor from an intention of conilituting a father the jTiurderer of tliat very child which he had himfelf beilowed on him, that he had enjoined him to this aftion; but folely to try how far a fenfe of his duty to the Almightv might operate upon him, inoppofition to the didtates of af- fedlion and nature; that, finding his piety fuperior to all temptations, he, confirmed to him his feveral former promifcsj accepted of his intended iacrifice, and engaged that his providence ihould never forfakc either him or his pofteritv; that he would blefs his fon, Ifaac, with length of days, and a numerous and illuitrious offspring, who il:ould eftabliih their authority over manv nations, and ihould fubdue the land of Canaan by the fword; rendering jhemfelves the envy of the rcltof mankind, by the abundance of their wealth, ;ind the fame of their glorious deeds. AVhen God had finiilied fpcaking, a ram moil unexpedledly appeared, at a imall dill;ince from the fpot. The father and fon, in a tranfport of lurpriz-.e and rapture, novV exchanged their mutual endearments; fervently praifino- God for his gracious promiles and unbounded goodnefs: and thereupon, of- fered up a facrificcon the fpot. When they had performed this duty, they returned home, where they paffcd a life of eafe and happinefs; God profper- ^ng them in ail their undeitakings. CHAP. THE ANTIQUITIES OF THE JEWS. 73 C HAP. XV. Ί'he death of Sarah, SOON after this event Sarah died, in the hundred and twenty-feventh year of her age, and was buried in Hebron. The Canaanites prcfled Abraham to accept of a fepulchre for her interment ; but he perfifted in de- clining the offer, chufing rather to purchafc a field, belonging to an inhabi- tant of Hebron, named Ephraim, for which he paid four hundred ihekels of iilver, and applied it to the above-mentioned purpofc ; and feveral monu- ments, erefted in honour of himfelf and his poitcrity, may be feen there to this day« CHAP. XVI. Particulars concerning Mraham, his wife Chetura, and their progeny. The mar^ riage of Ifaac and Rebecca. t SOME time after the death of Sarah, Abraham married a fecond wif& named Chetura, by whom he had fix fons, viz. Zembran, Jazar, Ma dan, Madian, Jozubac, and Suus. Sabathan and Dadan were the two fons of Suus, of whom the latter had Latufim, Affur, and Luom. To Madian were born five fons ; Epha, Opher, Enoch, Ebidas, and Eldas. At the inftigation of Abraham, thefe perfons fettled in different parts, and poffeffed themfeives of the country of the Troglodytes, and that part of Arabia Felix bordering upon the Red-Sea. A tradition has been handed down tots, thatOpher, having entered Libya with a powerful army, made ap. entire conqueft of the country : the defcendants of this man, who fucceed- ed him in the government, named it Aphrica. There is a paHage in Alex- ander Polyhiilor, relating to this fubjcdt, which mentions that the prophet, -Cleodemus (furnamori of focieiy ; and Judah, or thank/giving. Rachel was very apprehenfive, left the fruitfulnefs of her fifter fliould, in part, abate Jacob's attachment to herfelf, and, therefore, contrived to de- ceive him, by fubftituting her woman, Bilhah ,in her place ; and by her JacdLi had a fon, named Dan, or U\c judgment cf Gcd; and Ihe was fome time after- wards, delivered of Nephthalim, Hgnifying arA^i/V?/ ; alluding to the cir- cumftance of Rachel's craft, in her contention with her fifter for children. Leah afterwards adopted her filter's arts, and introduced Zil])ah to Jacob, who bore him two Tons, one of which was named Gad, fignif) ing ly chance ; and the other Afer, or beautifying^ becaufe they obtained honor by the iranfaofion. On a certain day,, as the two fifters were fitting together, Reuben, Leah's cldeft fon, brought fom-e mandrake-apples to his mother, Rachel was eagerly defirous to partake of them, but was rcfufed by the other, wiio peeviihly told her, that it was vmreafonable to think of depriving her of her huiband and her apples alfo ; but Rachel, to foothe her, otiered to re- linquiili Jacob to her for that night. The propofal was accepted ; and Leah, afterwards, bore other children; as lllachar, which fignified horn for hire; Zabulon, ox ά pledge cf love ; and a daughter, named Dinah. A con- fiderable time elapfed before Rachel became ]iregnnat, but, at length, ihe was delivered of a fon, who was named Jofeph, llgnihing an addition. Jacob had now fcrvcd his fathcr-in-laWj in the ftatlon of a lupcrintcndant over his ihephcrds and herdfmen, full twenty years : he, therefore, began to entertain thoughts of returning home, and of conducing his wives thither with him. But, it was nccefibry to adt with caution; as he v/as confcious Vol.. I. X that . 5 . U FLAViyS JOSEPH us UPON that Laban would throw every obftacle in the way of his defign. He deter- mined, however, to adopt no rcfolution, till he fliould firll: have confulted his wives on the luhjeift, and have learnt how they were dilpofed to the mea- liire. binding them, however, well inclined to accompany him, he depart- ed immedlatelv, with his two wives, their attendants, and children ; and takino-with him one halt'of the flocks. Rachel lecreted the idols which her father had been accuAomed to worfhip ; not from any refpeftihe bore them, for her hulband had convinced her of the folly of fuch adoration ; but flie imagined that, in cafe her father ihould overtake them in their flight, thcfe images might prove the means of effedting a reconciliation between Laban and her hidband. No fuoner did Laban become acquainted, on the following day, with Ja- cob's fecrct departure, and all the attendant circumftances, than he alfeni- hleil a rtrong party of his foUawers, and went in purfuit of him. In the evening of the feventh day, he overtook Jacob and his company, as they were fitting on a hillock, to reft themfelves after the fatigue of the day's iourney : bur, it being late, Laban and his party laid themfelves down to rcpofe.. During the night, God appeared to Laban in a dream, and ftriftly enjoined him rather to accommodate matters than offer the leaft violence to his fugitive children ; cautioning him, moreover, not to defpile them on the inferiority of their numbers, as, in that cafe,, he would, himfelf, figlit on their fule. Karly the next morning, Laban fent for Jacob, \vho came to him witl^ the confidence ol' a man who is feniible of no crime. Having flrlt related to him his dream, Laban began to reproach him : " You mult be *' confcious," faid he, '^ that I received you into my houfe at a time when *' you were reduced to the moft abject flate of indigence; that I gene- " roufly relieved ami entertained }ou, and gave you my daughters in mar- " riage, as the moft efteetual means to bind you to- my incerefls. Yet, fet- •* ting at nought all regard for your mother, or far the clofe alliance which *' fubfifls between us, \ou have treated me more like an avowed enemy, thani *' as a near relation ; feizing my effects, compelling my daughters, againft " their wills, ta abandon their parents, and even fecrctly conveying away " the very gods of my counrrv, for which my anceffors entertained lb high α " veneration. This was an injury which a generous enemy would have ab- •' ftaiiied from. Aivi from whom do. 1 experience this undeferved ill-ufage,, *' but from my kinfman, ray nephew,, m.y fon-in-law, and the man,, whom. " I fo long harboured under my roof !" Jacob replied, invindication of himfelf, « That it was natural for a man, " who had been fo long abfent from his native countr)', to- wifh to return *^ thither ; tiiat, with refpect to the charge of robbery and Injultice, he was *' dilpofed to appeal to the decifion of any other perfon rather than Laban " himfelf; that he thought himfelf entitled rather to his acknowledgements, " for the care he had taken to improve his cflate, than to his reproaches for " having referved to himfelf fo fmall a pittance out of it ; and that, in the " cafe of his taking his wives with him at his departure, both he and they . *^ bad acted folely in conformity to their conjugal duty." Thus mucfi he 3, ' ' ' fiild; τ PI Ε ANTIQUITIES OF THE JEWS. 83 faid in vindication of himlelf; and then adverted to tlie conduct of Labiin, on whom he retorted his own reproaches ; complaining, and expnlliiiji; great ftirprize that, having (erved his father-in-law, with uninipeaehed ruUlity, for the long term of twenty years, he Ihould now be treated as the worlt of foes. It muft, doubtlefs, be admitted, that Jacob had fuflicicnt caufe to com- plain of the ufage he had experienced from Laban, who, obferving that God manifeiled a llrong predilection for Jacob, repeatedly impofed upon his credulity bv fair fpeeches and promifes ; engaging, at one time, to bellow on him all the white cattle which iliould be produced in the courle of the year, and at another, all the black ; and when, at the expiration of the twelve-month, he found that the ihare promifed to Jacob, amounted to the greater part of the cattle produced in the time, he reluled to fulfil his en- gagement till the following year ; being pre-determined to pay no more re- gard to his ftipulation,. at the end of that period, than he had done on former occafions, if his intereil fhould require it. Rachel had fccreted the idols in her laddie, and pretended to have a dilor- der incidental to her fex upon her. Liiban, therefore, to whona Jacob had given free permiffion to make a thorough fearch for the images, palled her by, not imagining that, in her condition, ihe would fufferany thing faered to be fo near her perfon. Laban, thereupon, entered into a covenant with "facob ; forgave his daughters all that had palled, and promifed that, for the future they fliould hold the fame place in his aftlftion they had ever pollelFed; all which he confirmeel with the iblemnity of an oath. Ί his ceremony was performed on a mountain, on which they ereded a pillar, refembling an altar, and they ityled it, and all the adjacent country, Galaud, or the Hill of IVttnefs. After the ratification of the league between them, they teailed to.- gether, and then feparated ; Laban returning to his o.vn home, and Jacoi) continuing his way to the land of Canaan.. CHAP. XX. The interview hetzveen Jacch and Efciu, AS Jacob purfucd' his journey to the land of Canaan, he had feveral vifions, all tending to give him hopes of future fucctls ; and the place where the Almighty was pleafed to grant him thefe revelations he named the Field of God. But he itill bore in mind the ancient refentment of Efau ; and therefore, privately exerted all his endeavours to difeover how his brother ftood difpofed to him; fending, moreover, feveral meliengers to find out his rendence, and to addrefs him, in his name, to the loUowing effeft : "That perceiving he had drawn upon himlVlf the refentment of his " brother, he retired from his own country ; but, confident that his long " abfence muft have obliterated all remembrance of pail, difagrcemcnts, he " was now on his return home, with his wives, ehiklren, and treaiurcs ;, " prcpofing to himfelf, as the firft wilh of his heart, to ihare the wealth. "■ God hud fo profufely bellowed on him, in common with his brother." This 84 ILAVIUS JOSEPHUS UPON This mcafurc afforded Kfau fuch heart-felt fatisfaftion, that he inftantly bfcan hisjovirney, at the head of four hundred men, to meet him on the road. \\'hen Jacob learnt that Efau was approaching at the head of fo nu- merous a party, he was fomcwhat confounded ; but, quickly recovering himfelf, determined, with the divine aflillance, to repel any attack that might be made on him. He formed his men into two bodies ; ordering the fiilt to advance, and the other to keep at fuch a dillance, as to be able to fe- cond the firft, in any advantage which they might obtain, or to fupport them, in cafe they iliould be repullcd. Having made thefe preparations, he fent foiue of his people before, with prefents to his brother, of difiereut fpe- cies of animals, lome for ufc, others for curiofity. 'I'hefe he ordered to march at a diftance from each other, that they might appear more numerous than thev in reality were ; and he particularly enjoined the peifons who con• duiUd them, to fliew the utmoft deference and refpect to Hlau ; trufting, by thefe means, to difpcl any rancour which might yet remain in his brother's mind. The whole day was fpent in adjuiting the difpofuion of the troo))s, and at night they marched. •After they had crofled the torrent of Jabac, Jacob being at a fmall diftance behind, an angel laid his hands on him ; and Jacob wreilling with the angel, overcame him ; whereupon he heard a voice, fpeaking to him in thefe words: " Ί hou mayeft with reafon, boaft of the advantage thou hail: *« obtained over me ; for it is not a common adverfary, but an angel of the " Lord, whom thou haft foiled. This ihall ferve thee for a token, that *' thy pofteritv iliall never become extinct, and that, in all thy contefts, thou *« ihalt prove victorious." The angel, thereupon, gave him the title of Ifrael, which, in the Hebrew, i\gr{\^c%, firuggling. Jacob had prayed for a revelation of his future fortune, and, when he perceived that it was an angel who fpake to hizn, he urged him to be explicit, and this being complied with, the angel difapiuared. 1 he joy which Jacob felt on this occafion was fuch, that he named the fpot, whereon the incident happened, Phanutl, iignifying, uit face of God, In this conteft, one of the finews of his thigh was flrained, upon which account, he would never afterwards eat of thjt part of any animal ; in which we follow his example tjo this day, Jacob being informed that Elau was approaching, ordered his wives, and their attendants to walk at a diftance from his troops, that, in cafe his brother ihould think proj^er to attack him, they might fee the engagement without lliaringthe danger. But when Jacob perceived that Efui drew near with looks of complacency and peace, he ran towards him, and threw himfelf at his feet, tfau raifed him up, embraced him, and, with many queftions ref]>ecting the Women and children, earneftly prcfted him to accompany him to his father's houfe. Jacob, however, declined the invitation; allcdging that his horfcs and cattle were too much tired to continue the journey; and Efau, thereupon dej)arted to his hal)itation at Seir ; which was fo named on accxjunt of the bairinejs of his perlbn. C Η A P. THE A Ν ΤΙ QJJ I TIES OF THE JEWS. CHAP xxr. ^he rape oj Dimh. The children of Jacob. JACOB, after his brother's departure," repaired to the j)lace called the Tabcnncles, which is the nume it bears to the ])reient time, and from thence to Sichem, in the land of Canaan. It chanced that the inhabitants vyere engaged in the celebration of a feftival,. and Dinah, the only dauglitcr of Jacob, went thither, to be prcfent at the fpedlacles exhibited on the occa- fion. Sichem, the fon of king Emmor, conceived a paffion for her, carried" her off, and forced her. He afterwards aikcd the confent of his father to marry her, anil he, not only Readily yielded thereto, but went in perfon to Jacob, to obtain his compliance alfo. Jacob was greatly jierplexed what anfwer to give the king ; feeing that his confcience forbad him to marry his. daughter to a perfon of a different religion from himfelf ; yet neither could he, with propriety, rejeif the application of a perfon of the petitioner's dillin- guiflied rank» After fome deliberation, however, he determined to refiueft a ihort time to confitler of the matter ; and the king quitted him, in full confidence of fucceeding in his views. When the fons of Jacob became acquainted with the indignity that had been offered to their filler, and the propofal made by Emmor, they wcrcfo much confounded, that they could not determine what meafurcs to adopt : but Simeon and Levi, the brothers of Dinah by the fame mother, concerted a defign, which, without the participation or privity of their father, they executed in the following manner. Embracing ihe opportunity of the next feitival at Sichem, thev, at a late- hour of the night, entered the city, o\'Terpovvered- the- guards, whom drovvfi— nefs and inebriety had rendered an eafy conquefi, and killed nil the males, they could find, among whom were the king and his fon; fparing the wo- men alone : after the completion of this enterprize, they conduced Dinah back to their father's houfe. The barbarity of this adfion ftruck Ja- cob with the utmolf horror, and highly inc^.ifed him againft his fons ; but God comforted him, in a dream, bidding him take courage, and cleanfe his tents, and to perform the faciifice which he vowed, in confequcnce of the vifion while on his journey into Mefopotamia. While Jacob was employed in the execution of this command, he acci^- dentally difcovered the gods of Laban,. which Rachel, unknown to him, had' buried under an oak. He then went to Bethel, where he had the vifion, and there performed facrificc. From thence he repaired to Ephrata, at which place Rachel died in child-birth, and was buried; being the only perfon of the family who was not interred at Hebron. He was greatly afTedted by this; Vol. I. Υ incident;; 86 FLAVIUS JOSEPHUS, &c. inciJcnt ; but, the child furviving, he named him Benjamin, from tne great grief he gave his mother*. Jacob had twelve fons, and one daughter. Of thefe, eight were legiti- mate ; fix being by Leah, and two by Rachel ; of the four illegitimate chil- dren, two were born to him by Zilpah, and the fame number by Bilhah» Their names have been already given, in aprecccding chapter. CHAP. XXII. Jfaac dies, at the age of an hundred and eighty-five years, and is hitried in Hehotu FROM Ephrata Jacob went to Hebron, in the land of Canaan, at which place Ifaac then dwelt ; but they refided together for a iliort time only. Rebecca died fome time previous to Jacob's arrival, and Ifaac did not long furvive her. He was interred, by Efau and Jacob, in the family fepulchre, in Hebron, where his wife, alfo, had been laid. Ifaac, by his vir- tuous conduiV, rendered himfelf acceptable in the fight of God, and, next to Abraham, appeared to be the peculiar favourite of heaven. He palled through life in the uniform and exemplary pradtice of piety and virtue, and died in the hundred and eighty-fifth year of his age. f This is an error. Sec Gen. xxtcv. ι 8. in the LXX, and Cotelerlus's notes to the fccond of his Eccks. Grac. Monumeiua, p. 548. See., alfo, Voflius Conftagationum AuiU- -ium, p. 363. End of the pirst Book.. FLAVIUS FLAVIUS JOSEPHUS U Ρ ON THE ANTIQ^UITIES of the JEWS. BOOK II. Including the tranfaclions from the year of the world 2230, to 2454. CHAP. L Efati and Jacob divide their pojfeffwns: Idunhea falls to the lot of the former ^ and the latter acquires Canaan for bisfjare. AFTER the death of Ifaac, the two brothers, Eiau and Jacob, iliarcd their pofleffions between thern ; and Efau, having yielded to his brother the city of Hebron, withdrew himfelf to Seir, where he fixed his refidence. The whole country of Idumsea belonged to him, and he named it after himfelf, Edom : this was a kind of nick-name, which had been given him in his youth, in confequence of the following incident. Returning one day from hunting, greatly fatigued and hungry, he found bis brother employed in preparing a foup of lentils for his dinner. The very colour of them, being a fme red, proved highly attraftive, and he •earneftly befought his brother to let him have apart of this pottage with him. But Jacob pofitivcly refufedto comply with this requcll:, unlels Efau would relinquilVi to him. his birtb-right, which, through mere hunger, he confented to, and confirmed the refignation with the folemnity of an oath. When this incident came to the knowledge of his youthful companions, they conitantly 88 FLAVIUS JOSEPH US UPON conilantlv rliiicukd him on the fubjcft; giving him, in dcrifion, the title of Et.!om, which, in the Hebrew, fignifies ;i^. The country ullb which he inhabited obtained the Πηιιο title, though the Greeks have fomewhat dif- guiled and lol'ten'.d it, bv converting it into Idiimsca. He hadfivc children, I'iz. Javis, 'jiilom, and Core, by his. wife Alibsdaia; Elijihaz, by Adah; and Knguel, by Balicmath. Lliphaz had five legitimate Ions, whole names were 1 heman, Omar, Sa- phas, Gotham, and Canaz ; and one natural fon, named Anialek, by his concubine, Thamna. Thefe perfons fettled in that diflrict of Iduma-a, which is named Gobolitis, and rn the country of the Amalekites, fo termed from Amalek, the fon ofEHpha?.. The whole was formerly ftyled ldums;a; but, at this day, the feveral diilridts retain the names of tlieir refpeftivc planters. C Η Λ P. Π. Jofepb'} dreams. He lecomes ihe envy af his Irelhren, who conjp'ire agair.fi his- Itfe. JACOB was one of the happieft of mankind: he not only furpaflcd all his neighbours in wealth ami power; bat was aifo blefl'ed with a progeny, who were ciiually renowned for theif indudry, valour and prudence; and whofevery fuiferings and afflidions it pleafed. God to render advantageous ta them, by making them the happy inttruments of extricating ovir anceilors from the bondage of the ^gvptians. The particulars are as follow. Jofejih, whom Rachel bore to Jacob, was the favourite of his father, both on account of his perfonal and mental qualifications. This predUectioa, which his father conftantly manifefted for him, excited the jealouf}' and ill-will of the reft of his brethren j aixl thefe difgufts received additional force, from the circumftance of certain dreams, which Jofeph communicated to his brethren, at different times, all appearing to prc-'gnoRicate• his fu- ture felicity and power. The vifions were thefe. Having been fent, b}' his father, to affift his brethren in reaping, he had a dream, which difiered widely fiom thofe fantaftic creations of the brain, to which the above title is ufually given. He made his brothers acquainted with the particulars of this vifion, and defired them to folve it. " I dreamt," faid he, " that I faw my own flieaf of wheat ftanding erect, and thofe of all- " my brethren haftening, and prollratingthemfelves before it." This dream might have been expounded without much difficulty, as it plainly portended the great power which Jofeph was to acquire over the reft of his brethren. But they pretended an incapacity to explain the meaning of it ; pi'aying earneftly, however, for heaven to avert the omen, and conceiving a ftill greater hatred againft Jofeph than before. A fccond vifion, which he had, was of a ftill more extraordinary kind than the former. He imagined that he faw the fun, the moon, and eleven ftars, defcending from the ikies, and doing him reverence. Still unconfcious of the evil defigns of his brethren, Jofeph alfo communicated this vifion 2 to THE ANTIQUITIES OF THE JEWS. 89 to his father, in their hearing, and cxprefled an earneft dcfirc to be acquaint- ed with the tendency of it. Jacob was greatlv pleafed with fhis dream ; con- iidering it as a prefage of the future happinefs ami glory of his ion Jofeph, and of the honor which, in procefs of time, he fliould receive both from his father and brothers. 1 he lun and moon he expoumkd to mean the father and mother; it being the oiilcc of the one toincrcafc and nourifli, and of the other to give form aud ftrength ; and he fuppofcd the eleven ftars to fig- niiy the eleven brethren, who alio derived their knowledge and virtue from above. This was, doubtlefs, a rational interpretation of the dream in qucfiion ; but it gave great ofll-nce to the brethren of Jofeph, who, on the eontrarv, ought to have rejoiced in the profpect of their brother's promifed happinefs, inftead of envying to fo near a relation thole advantages and benefits, which they would not have regretted the polleiTion of to a llranger. But, to that height had their inveteracy againfl him now arifen, that nothing lefs than his life would fatisfy them: and this was the method they took to effect their purpofe. No fooner was the harveft over, than thcv removed, with their llocks, to Sichem, which place is remarkable for the excellency of its paf- ture; but without giving their father the leail intimation of their departure. AVhen they had been gone fomc time, and no intelligence being received bv Jacob of the place to which they had retired, he difpatched Jofeph to ac- quire all poilible information concerning them. C FI A P. III. ^'he confpiracy of Jofeph'' s hrelhrcn : his life is preferved through the inter cejficn of Reuben^ and he is fold to Arabian merchants. ί Ν obedience to the command of his father, Jofeph went in fearch of his brothers, and upon his arrival among them, thev rejoiced exceedingly ; and, confidering him as an enemy whom God had delivered into their power, were defirous of putting their fanguinary purpofe into immediate execution. But Reuben exerted his utmoft jwwers of perfuafion, and endeavoured to prevail upon them in favour of Jofeph, by reprefenting tc them how hateful thev would render themfelves "both in the fight of God and man, by facri- ficing their brother to their defperate and unnatural confpiracv. Reuben, who was the elder of the brethren, addrelfed them in the following words: ■*' To deprive a perfect ilranger of life would be an abominable crime, but " the life of a kinfman and a brother, ihould be doubly facred, fince a fa- " ther and a mother wotdd be funk to the grave by the infupportable af- *< iliction confequent on the lofs of fo virtuous and hopeful a fon. Rcmem- " ber, there is an all-difcerning God, who will pour down his mighty *' wrath on the perpetrators of the horrid act you have meditated. Relin- *• quiih your bloody dcfign, and be no longer callous to the feelings of hu- *' manitv. You muit not hope to effect this enormous crime, and efcape '' the juft vengeance of heaven; for the Divine Providence is not confined to Vol. I. Ζ " cities; 5 90 FLAVIUS JOSEPHUS UPON «« cities; it pervades the whole creation; Co thar, till the end of yoiir «« davs, voiiuill labour under the inoft excruciating, and unremittii-ig tor- «• turesoi'an upbraiding conlcicnce, if you proceed in your cruel dctcr- «« mination. Suppofing even that your brother had committed .a fault,. •« would you, therefore, be julVifiable in depriving him of exillcncc ? •' Should you not rather excufe him, in confideration of his early years,. " and the fimplicity of his manners? But wherein bath Jofcph offended »' you.> Being his brothers, you, in particular, ihould exert yourfelvcs in " oflices of friendibip towards him, and become the guardians of his faftty : " but you now ftantl forth with the declared intention of taking away his lite. " The very foundation of your barbarous purpofe will greatly add to the «' heinoufnefs of the crime you arc about to commit. You have determined " to deftroy Jofeph from an apprehenfion that he will enjoy an extraordinary " portion of grandeur and happinefs, knowing, at the fame time, that your- " felves would partake of his good fortune. Be afl"ured, if you proceed in " this horrid, inhuman confpiracy, that the Almighty will call you to a fe- " vere account, and denounce an exemplary judgment againft you, for hav- " ing fpilt the blood of your innocent brother, in infolcnt defiance of his " power, and open violation of his facred commands. Your enmity is raifed " againit Jofeph, only becaufe he obferves a due reverence towards his «♦ Creator, and is favoured by him in return." He ufed other arguments to difcourage the aiTaiTination, but finding that neither religion, reafon, or hi> manity would prevail with his brethren, and that they were inflexibly de- termined againfl Jofeph, he fuggeiled a way to mitigate the rigour of the fen- tence they had pronounced. Addreifing himfelf to them a fecond time, he iaid, " Since you are inexorably determined upon the deftruction of the *' youth, do not aggravate your crime by fpilling his blood: cail him into " fome adjacent pit, and leave him there to periih; by which means the " crime itfelf will be leflened in fome degree, and you will evade the feverity " of reproach." This qualifying propofal being affented to, Reuben tied a cord round the body of Jofeph, and having carefully lowered him into a dry well, departed in fearch of his iheep. Soon after this, a company of Arabian merchants appeared, who were Ifhmaelites, and were on their way from Galaad, conveying fpices and other articles, the produce of Svria, intoiEgypt. In order to difpofe of Jofeph fo that they might never fee him again, and yet not itain their hands with his blood, Judas propofed felling him to thefe merchants; which being agreed to, he was taken from the well, and the merchants paid twenty pieces of filver for him, and took him away. He was at this time feventeen years old. Reuben endeavoured to fuggeft fome means for preferving his brother, but concealed his intention from the others ; and, at a late hour of the night, he went to the well and called to Jofeph, but no anfwer being returned, he imagined him to have been murdered, and was exceedingly diftreffed at the fuppofed cruelty. But when he learnt in what manner they had difpofed of him, he became reconciled to the proceeding: and his care now was to form fuch excufes to his father, as might prevent the fufpicion of unfair practices THE ANTIQJLJITIES OF THE JEWS. gi practices in his brothers. Some time was employed in debates upon this mat- ter; and it was, at length, refolved, to take the travelling coat which had been dripped from Joieph, and, after tearing ir and ilaining it with goat's blood, ro produce it to Jacob, as an evidence that his ciiild had been dc- ftroyed by Ibme voracious animal. With this pretence, they went ro their father, and ihewing him the coat, in a torn and bloody condition, faid they had not feen him, and were apprchenfive he had fallen a prey to foinc wild beaft., Jacob,, who had before received fome flight intimation of his fon's misfortune, entertained a hope that he might have been taken prifoncr, or, that he was detained by a ftill more favourable accident : but upon feeing the bloody coat, he inftantl) knew it to be Jofcph's, and concluding him to have been devoured, cloathed himfelf in fack-cloth, and gave way to^ the molt paiGonate lamentations and inconlblable forrow., CHAP. IV. The exemplary continence of Jofipb, ivho is tempted to kivdnefs hy the ixife of- Potiphar.^ THE merchants who had purchafed Jofeph,. proceeded into j^lgypt,. and there fold him to Potiphar, an officer of diilinguiihed rank in the fcrvice of king Pharaoh, by whom he was not treated as a menial fervant, but,,, on the contrary, with every inftance of liberality and kindnefs : he was allowed opportunities for cultivating the iludy of literature, and, in a fhori time,, was advanced robe fuperintendant of Potiphar's houfe. Ihis change of fortune had no effect upon the fteady integrity of Jofeph, the propriety and prudence of vvhofe conduct^, afforded an inftance that true virtue will not yield to the temptations and accidents of life,. He was remarkable for perfonal attractions, and the wife of his mailer foon diftinguifhed his fuperior qualifications, and became violentlv enamoured, of him. Prefuming on the inferiority of Jofeph's fituation, flie imagined that a motive of ambition would incite him to a ready acceptance of her ot- fer, and entertained no the leaft idea of the inflexible dignity of his mind. She fignified her intention to proftitute herfelf by intimations too palpable to be mifconceived : but upon the firft hint,, he rejected her invitation, and advifed her utterly to fupprefs her unruly deiires of what fhe could not poflibly obtain; urging that he could not return affront and treachery for the kind nefs and generofity he had experienced from his mailer. He faid, he would chearfully obey her lawful commands, and ihould think himfelf highly ho- noured by them; but that he could not condefcend to perform a guilty ac- tion. She was greatly difappointed by this refufal, which,, however, ferved but more to enflame the paifion fne had conceived, and was determined to gratify; and for effecting this,, ihe fuggefted the following ftratagem. A feitival being held, whereon it was ufual for the women of rank to afTemble, fhe counterfeited indifpofition, and remained in her chamber, w here ilie pro- cured Jofeph to be introduced to her, and behaved to him with iingular com- placency and tendernefs, addreiling herfelf to him in words to the following purpofe. ς2 FLAVrUS JOSEPH US UPON " ριίΓροΓ•. Had it been only froma motive of refpeft to the fuperior rank; of " your fiipplicnnt, and a proper regard ro the fervency of her love, yen ought, " lurelv, to have acqiiielced in my former folicitation ; fo would you have " fpared me the pain ariiing from fome cxprcffions, which even now I bluih " to recollecl : but your late error iliall be excufed, if you have fenfe enough to " make atonement for it by taking advantage of the opportunity which is now " otTered. Perhaps you expedted me to repeat my requeft ; and on this occafion " vou will perceive that I ad with more precaution than was obfcrvcd in our " former interview; for, under pretence of illncfs, I have avoided joining <' in the merriments of the day, that I might prove the warmth of my af- *' feClion for vou, by ilvcwing how greatly 1 prefer your company and con- •' vcrfation to that of my friends and equals who are now alfembled. If you *' have entertained a doubt on the fubjcd: of my application, be now aflured, " that I Itrioully meant \vhat I propofed, and that the paflion ftill reigns " within my breaft with unabated ardour; therefore, no'.v determine, either " to enjoy the embraces of the woman who adores you, or, by rejecting the •" profiercd favour, from a ridiculous parade of your own continency, ren- " der yourfelf the objed of my keeneil refentment; for, if you infult my paf- " fion by a fecond refufal, I will vehemently accufe you of having al- " tempted the violation of my virtue; and the charge being made, will re- " ceive immediate apd full confidence from my huiband, in fpite of every ar- ■" gument you will be able to offer in fupport of your innocence." She accompanied this fpeech with tears, prayers and menaces ; but all ■were ineffectual to feduce him from his duty, and, confcious that no puniil-i- ment could be adequate to his demerits, fliould he yield to the folicitations of this bafe woman, he refolved to brave every danger, rather than to comply ■therewith. Neither did he omit to reprefent to her the duties ihe owed to herfelf, her huiband, and the world. " What fatisfaction," faid he, " can " a momentary pleafure afford, which, we are certain, muft be followed bv " an inilant repentance ? Can that be called an enjoyment, which muft ■" be attended with continual regret, uncealing fears of detection, and " inevitable ignominv ? in a conjugal ftatc, on the other hand, the fame " pleafures are innocent, and allowable by the ordinances both of God and •" man. Reflect, moreover, how much you will degrade yourfelf by par- *' ticipating with your fervant in the commiffion ot this crime. How far " preferable is it to trufl: to a good confcience, which never fhuns the light, *' than feeretly to commit an infamous action, and embitter the reft of vour ^' days with rhecontinual dread of difcovery !" He enforced manv other ar- guments, to bring her back to decency and reafon: but this was only adding fuel to flame; for, perceiving, that ihe could effect nothing by entreaty, ftie had rccourfe to violence, and, feizing hold of his garment, endeavoured to force him to a compliance with her libidinous defires. But his indigna- tion againft this ftiamelefs woman, rofe to fuch a height, that, breaking from her, he haftily quitted the chamber, and left his garment in her hand. For a iliort interval, her mind was violently agitated, between the indignity of the repulle, and the apprehenfion of a difcovery ; but fhe quickly determined to ilieltcr herfelf from every dangerous confe(pience, by accufmg Jofeph : 2 thus. THE ANTIQ^yiTIES OF Τ Fl Ε JEWS. 93 thus, at once, jiroviding for her own fccuritv, and gratifying her malice. She, accordingly, confined herfclf clofely to her chamber, aliening to be in great trouble and affliction. Jull at this juncture, her huiband came in- to the chamber, and, obferving the diforder and confufion which was vifiblc in her face, earncftly requeued her to ac(iuaint him with the caufe thereof, ishc replied in thefe terms. " You are called upon, my dear hutband, ♦* by every confideration of juftice and aflection, to inJlict an exemplary *' puniflimcnt on that perfidious wretch, your ferva'nt Jofcph. Forgetful " of the abject Hate from which you railed him, and of the unlimited power " and authority which he poileires in your family ; regardlefs of all your " pail bounty and kindnefs to him, he has bafely attempted the violation of *' your bed ; fixing on this day of feftivity, when you were abfent, to foli- *' cit me to a compliance with his lewd defires. Invelled, as he is, with an " unbounded power over all things elfe in your houfe, will nothing content " this ungrateful villain; and Ihall he with impunity endeavour to poillfs him- *' felf of the affections of your wife ? What an exterior of modclh' did this " wretch aflume, without one fingle grain of it in his compcjfirion ! To *' give you the mod convincing proof of the truth of what I alledge, here is " his garment, which he left behind in the ftruggle, when he attempted to " force me." This plaufible fpeech, together with the tears and [wiTionate geftures with which it was accompanied, lb effectually impofed on the credulity of Poti- phar, that, without making any manner of inipiiry into the foundation of the charge againfl: Jofeph, he ordered him to be confined in the common prifon, which was appropriated to the reception of• the moft notorious criminals. CHAP. V. In confequence of a groundlefs accufation Jofeph is lodged in prifon. Circionliances attending him during his confinement. His interpretation of fever al dreams. JOSEPH patiently fubmittedto his fate, appearing neither folicitous to vindicate his own conduft, or to deftroy the credibility of the charge alledged againft him ; but, fatisfied in his innocence, cherifli -,χΐ the com- fortable hope that the power of the fupreme Being wouUl rife fuperior to that of his malicious enemies ; and the providence of God was ihewn to- wards him in the following inffance : the gaoler became fo prejudiced in his favour, by the gracefulnefs of his perfon, his pleafing addrefs, candour, di- ligence and integrity, that he freed him of his irons, ami fficwed him other marks of favour and refpett, which his fellow prifoncrs were not fo happy as to experience. Times were allowed for the j)rifoners to converfe together ; and Pharaoh's butler, who had held a high place in the cftimation of the king, being under confinement, on account of fome difpleafure his mailer had conceived againil him, an intimacy was contradled between him and Jofeph. This man dif- VoL. I. A a tinguiiliing 5 94 FLAVIUS JOSEPH US UPON tingiiilhing Jofeph for the fuperiority of his underllanding, communicated to him aiireain, and rc(iucrted him to give an interpretation of it; faying, that his unhappinefs confecpient on the king's difpleakire, was aggravated by the perplexity occafioned by many extraordinary dreams and vifions. " I ima- •' gined," fald he, " that I beheld three bunches of ripe grapes, depcnd- «' ino• on three feveral branches of a vine ; ;.nd that the king held a vellel, " into which I prcU'ed the fruit, and then prefenting the liciuor to his ma- " jcfty, he pronounced it to be wine of delicious flavour." Ujwn this rela- tion, Jofeph informed him, that the king having occafion for his fervices,, would reftore him to liberty, and re-eftablifh him in his office within the fpace of three days. "The Almightv," laid Jofc-ph, " has bufto.ved on " mankind the fruit of the vine, both for their ufe and comfort. He has '< ordained it to be offered to him in facrifices : it gives birth to friendiliips,. *' adjulls differences, difpels care and melanchol)', and converts forrow into " joy. I'haraoh, you tell me, received the cup from your hand : this cir- " cumflance denotes that, within the fame number of days as you faw " branches, you ilaall, allliredly, obtain your releafement. L.et me requcfl: *< of you that, when you find this prediflion verified, you will remember *' me, and ufe your intereft to procure me my liberty. I am not detained' " here for any criminal action which I have been guilty of, but merely for " having preferred the honor of my mailer to the gratification of a libidinous *' appetite." The butler was, as it may naturally be fuppofed, highly de- lighted with this interpretation, and waited with confidence for the event. It happened that the chief baker of Pharaoh was confined in the fiime prifon. He communicated a dream to Jofeph ; hoj^ng that it would bear an interpretation equally favourable with that of the chief butler. " I dreamt, lait night," faid he, " that I had upon my head three " baikets, one containing meats of fundry forts, and the other two containing " bread for fupplying the king's table. Aslpaiied along, the birds, in fpite of " all my endeavours to drive them away, fell upon the provifions with great " cagernefs, and entirely devoured them." Jofeph told him that his dream wouUl not bear fo favourable an explanation as he could wiili. " The " baficets," faid he, " denote, that at the expiration of two days, you will " infallibly be hanged on a tree, and that your body will be expofed, to be. " devoured by the fowls of the air." This explanation was verified in every particular ; for, precifely on the third day, as Jofeph had predicted, which was the anniverfury of Pharaoh's birth, the king commanded the chief baker to be hanged, and re-inftated the chief butler in his poft. Two years had now elapfed, and Jofeph (till remained in j)rifon, utterly forfaken by the ungrateful butler : but he fud- denlv obtained his liberty, by the following extraordinary means. The king had two dreams, in the fame night, and the expofition of them was revealed to him, during his fleep. The vifion he recollected, but had totally forgotten every particular of the explanation, fave that in gene- ral, it betokened him no good. Pharaoh, early the next morning, con- vened an aflembly of the molt learned men of the realm, and defired them to expound the vifions. They confulted together on the fubject, but were un- able THE ANTIQUITIES OF THE JEWS. 95 able to folve the dlfiiculty ; and the king's chagrin was greatly increafed by this dilappointmenr. The chiet butler now recollected the jiroof which Joleph had tormerlv given him of his ikill in the art of interpretation. He, there- tore, waited on the king, and acquainted him with the circumftances ot the vifions which he hinifelf, and the chief baker, formerly hail in the prifon, and of Jofeph's explanation thereof ; which was, in everv refpect, confirm- ed by the events ; adding, that Jofeph pailed for an Hebrew, and was fuppofed to be of no oblcure extraction. Pharaoh, being ftrongly in- ftigated thereto by the chief butler, fent for Jofeph in all halte. The king received him with great courtefy, and, familiarly taking hold on his right-hand, addrefled him in thefe words. " One of my domeftics has " reprefented you to me as a perfon of great learning and wifdom ; of which, " he fays, he has himfelf had frc