Produced by David Reed
THE LIFE OF FLAVIUS JOSEPHUS
By Flavius Josephus
Translated by William Whiston
1. The family from which I am derived is not an ignoble one, but hath
descended all along from the priests; and as nobility among several
people is of a different origin, so with us to be of the sacerdotal
dignity, is an indication of the splendor of a family. Now, I am not
only sprung from a sacerdotal family in general, but from the first
of the twenty-four [1] courses; and as among us there is not only a
considerable difference between one family of each course and another,
I am of the chief family of that first course also; nay, further, by my
mother I am of the royal blood; for the children of Asamoneus, from whom
that family was derived, had both the office of the high priesthood, and
the dignity of a king, for a long time together. I will accordingly set
down my progenitors in order. My grandfather's father was named Simon,
with the addition of Psellus: he lived at the same time with that son
of Simon the high priest, who first of all the high priests was named
Hyrcanus. This Simon Psellus had nine sons, one of whom was Matthias,
called Ephlias: he married the daughter of Jonathan the high priest,
which Jonathan was the first of the sons of Asamoneus, who was high
priest, and was the brother of Simon the high priest also. This Matthias
had a son called Matthias Curtus, and that in the first year of the
government of Hyrcanus: his son's name was Joseph, born in the ninth
year of the reign of Alexandra: his son Matthias was born in the tenth
year of the reign of Archclaus; as was I born to Matthias in the first
year of the reign of Caius Caesar. I have three sons: Hyrcanus, the
eldest, was born in the fourth year of the reign of Vespasian, as was
Justus born in the seventh, and Agrippa in the ninth. Thus have I set
down the genealogy 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 his
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, with 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 directly 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.