affliction, and his reign had lasted twenty-one years may God crush his bones. And the space of time from Adam up to his death was four thousand five hundred and thirteen years and seven months. And in those days the Book of Choice Selections was taken away, which had been in their hands since the days of Divine favor; and there was also taken away the Songs and Praises, which they were accustomed to utter over the offerings, each offering according to its merits; and also the Hymns, which they were wont to sing in the days of Divine favor: now all these constituted a library which had been preserved with greatest care generation after generation through the time of the prophets unto that day, by the hands of the chief imâms. And there was also taken away the Book of the Imams, which they had, wherein their genealogy was traced back to Fînahas; and there was also destroyed the Annals, wherein was recorded their birthdays and the years of their lives, and of these not one ancient book or chronicle was found, except the Law and a book containing their lives. But we have written up the years of the life of the chief imâm, and a genealogy from the chief imâm 'Aqbûn; and this comes (in the next chapter).

CHAPTER XLVIII.

THE HISTORY OF 'AQBUN THE IMAM.

Now it was once said to him: "Brother of the king! every thing in thy house belongs unto the king," and Aqbûn said: The whole of it belongs unto God, and I have given over my spirit unto God and I will not renounce my Lord." And they (the Romans ?) went and seized two

5 Note 104.

men of the children of the imâms, and said unto them: "Seek refuge in our gods, and ye can depart to your houses unharmed." But they utterly refused, and said: "We will not do that: so they killed them in punishment and threw their corpses outside the wall-that is the wall of Sebustieh; and they crucified of the wise men of Isrâîl a company of thirty-six men on the gate of Nâbulus. In that day the instruction of Isrâîl was like as dust; there was no imam among them, nor wisdom, nor teaching of the Law, nor was any one able in the days of these kings to give instruction in the Pentateuch; except one in a thousand and two in a myriad. And the children of Isrâîl continued in this calamitous state until Babâ Rabba arose.

66

In those days 'Aqbûn knew his wife, and she conceived and gave birth to a son, and he named him Natanal (Nathaniel), and this Natanal was the father of Babâ Rabba who broke the brazen bird which was on the Mount preventing them from ascending it; for this the Romans and (their) magicians had done. After this the chief imam 'Aqbûn died; but before he died he said at this time to his son Natanal: "O my child, be not troubled with regard to these times, or these calamities, or the power of the enemies; know that in a short time these distresses will disappear, for these calamities are tests sent by God upon us, that He may prove whether we ourselves are faithful, and are not forsaking the worship of God our God. O my child, these calamities and straits will vanish away; for God

-may He be exalted-is able to cause them to disappear from us." And the imâm 'Aqbûn proceeded to make a revelation unto his son in accord with this, and invoked blessing on him, and said unto him: "O my child, be on thy

1 Note 105.

guard against worshipping any other than God; for wert thou to be crushed under stones, God would give thee strength to worship Him. And God will raise up from thee one who will get the ascendancy over this infidel oppressing nation." And the prayer of the Rabbis 2'Aqbûn was granted at that time, with regard to all that he invoked for his son; for there arose from his son, Babâ Rabba, and he brought about that which happened to the Romans. And at that the imam 'Aqbûn died, and was removed to his people may God benefit us with his blessings. And all Isrâîl mourned for him, and wept for him thirty days.

CHAPTER XLIX.

THE HISTORY OF WHAT HAPPENED UNTO NATANAL FROM THE ROMANS, AFTER THE DEATH OF HIS FATHER.

WHEN the Rabbîs 'Aqbûn died and was translated to his people, Natanal took the office of imâm in place of his father. And he knew his wife, and she conceived and gave birth to children, and he was granted of her three children; his first born was Babâ Rabba, his second was 'Aqbûn, and the third after these two was Fînahas. Now when the imâm Natanal was granted his first born, he was for some time perplexed with regard to him, as to how he should circumcise him; for the Romans at that time forcibly prevented them from performing circumcision, and set over them curators, that they might not circumcise their children, and there was stationed at the door of the residence of the imâm Natanal a deputy of the king, named Jarman the Roman.

2 Note 106,

And when the Rabbîs was granted this child, he took it on the day of circumcision, and placed it in a basket and put wool on top of it and under it, and said unto the maidservant that was with him: "Take this boy and go in advance of us unto the field to the cave, and we will follow after and overtake thee, that we may circumcise him; but let no one know what thou hast. Take him and go out from the door of the house, while we will go out from the rear of the house." And the maid took it and went out; and when she issued forth from the door of the house, Jarman the deputy said to her: "Perform, girl, what thou hast in mind, and fear not." And the maid went with the infant to the cave, and repeated unto the Rabbîs Natanal the speech of Jarman; and he in fear said: "The affair is God's." And they circumcised the little one, and the maid-servant returned with it just as it was; and when she came to the door, Jarman said unto her: "Rear him in peace, O my child.” And when she had passed, she repeated to the Rabbîs the speech of Jarman, and he was smitten with great fear, and said: "Who has informed Jarman of our business? I cannot mollify his anger except with great riches. And the Rabbis was worried, and went forth to Jarman, the deputy over his house, with his hands full of gold. And Jarman said unto the Rabbîs: "I will have nothing to do with this, except only I will take of this just three dinars, so that thou mayest not say that I am laying a plot for thee; for, verily, I will not make this known unto the king." And when Jarman had bound himself by oath unto the Rabbîs, his heart became good, and the Rabbîs made it to be remembered of Jarman; and it came to pass that whenever they circumcised any of their children in a cave, they would

1 Note 107.

invoke a blessing on Jarman, saying in the Roman language: "May God be merciful unto Jarman the Roman priest;" and unto this our day, they invoke a blessing on him, immediately after every circumcision. And the Romans did mix hogs' lard in every thing that was eaten and drunken, so that they (the Samaritans) might be afflicted with bodily infirmity. And the houses of prayer that we had were shut up, and they prevented us from going up on to the Mount, by means of a talisman which they fixed above it. And we continued in this strait and great calamity for the space of twenty years; until God comforted us, and saved us from the power of the infidels, and this was brought about by the hand of Babâ Rabba.

CHAPTER L.

THE HISTORY OF BABA RABBA, AND WHAT HAPPENED TO HIM WITH THE ROMANS.

WHEN the kingdom passed away from the children of Isrâîl, and the Romans ruled, they gave over to judgment and crushed under the stones of torture many of the Samaritans, until they should abjure their faith and bow down unto idols; and many of the Samaritans perished through this cause. And the Romans suffered not one of the Samaritans to circumcise his child, but stationed trustworthy men of the Romans over the houses of the Samaritans to prevent them from performing circumcision. And the Samaritans were wont at that time, when a child was born unto them, to place it in a basket and cover it with wool, and go with it to the cave and circumcise it under ground by the light of candles. And also then the Romans prevented the Samaritans