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 wickedness 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.