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