6. To write concerning the Antiquities of the Jews, who they were [originally,] and how they revolted from the Egyptians, and what country they travelled over, and what country they seized upon afterward, and how they were removed out of them, I think this not to be a fit opportunity, and on other accounts also superfluous; and this because many Jews before me have composed the histories of our ancestors very exactly; as have some of the Greeks done it also, and have translated our histories into their own tongue, and have not much mistaken the truth in their histories. But then, where the writers of these affairs, and our prophets, leave off, thence shall I take my rise, and begin my history. Now as to what concerns that war which happened in my own time, I will go over it very largely, and with all the diligence I am able; but for what preceded mine own age, that I shall run over briefly.

7. [For example. I shall relate,] how Antiochus, who was named Epiphanes, took Jerusalem by force, and held it three years and three months, and was then ejected out of the country by the sons of Asamoneus; after that, how their posterity quarrelled about the government, and brought upon their settlement the Romans and Pompey; how Herod also, the son of Antipater, dissolved their government, and brought Sosius upon them; as also how our people made a sedition upon Herod's death, while Augustus was the Roman emperor, and Quintilius Varus was in that country; and how the war broke out in the twelfth year of Nero, with what happened to Cestius; and what places the Jews assaulted in an hostile manner in the first sallies of the war.

8. As also, [I shall relate] how they built walls about the neighbouring cities; and how Nero, upon Cestius's defeat, was in fear of the entire event of the war, and thereupon made Vespasian general in this war; and how this Vespasian, with the elder * of his sons, made an expedition into the country of Judea; what was the number of the Roman army that he made use of; and how many of the auxiliaries were cut off in all Galilee; and how he took some of its cities entirely, and by force, and others of them by treaty, and on terms. Now when I am come so far, I shall describe the good order of the Romans in war, and the discipline of their legions; the amplitude of both the Galilees, with its nature, and the

*Titus.

that are in them, and what miseries happened as they were taken; and all this with accurac things done, or suffered in them. For I shal any of the calamities I myself endured, since them to such as know the truth of them.

9. After this, [I shall relate] how, when th were become very bad, Nero died, and Vespa was going to attack Jerusalem, was called back vernment upon him; what signs happened to his gaining that government, and what mutati ment then happened at Rome, and how he w made emperor by his soldiers, and how upor to Egypt to take upon him the government the affairs of the Jews became very tumultuou the tyrants rose up against them, and fell i amongst themselves.

10. Moreover, [I shall relate] how Titu of Egypt into Judea the second time; as also ho and how many forces he got together; and the city was by the means of the seditious what attack he made, and how many rampar of the three walls that encompassed the city measures; of the strength of the city, and i the temple, and holy house; and besides, th those edifices, and of the altar, and all accura ed. A description also of certain of their seven purifications of purity, and the sacred the priests, with the garments of the priests, a priests; and of the nature of the most holy pl ple, without concealing any thing, or adding the known truth of things.

11. After this, I shall relate the barbarity towards the people of their own nation, as dulgence of the Romans in sparing foreigners ten Titus, out of his desire to preserve the temple, invited the seditious to come to term dation. I shall distinguish also the sufferings

* These seven, or rather five, degrees of purity are numerated hereafter. B, v. ch. v. § 6. The Ra

and their calamities; how far they were afflicted by the sedition, and how far by the famine, and at length were taken. Nor shall I omit to mention the misfortunes of the deserters, nor the punishments inflicted on the captives; as also, how the temple was burnt, against the consent of Cæsar, and how many sacred things that had been laid up in the temple were snatched out of the fire; the destruction also of the entire city, with the signs and wonders that went before it; and the taking the tyrants captives, and the multitude of those that were made slaves, and into what different misfortunes they were every one distributed. Moreover, what the Romans did to the remains of the war; and how they demolished the strong holds that were in the country; and how Titus went over the whole country, and settled its affairs; together with his return into Italy, and his triumph.

12. I have comprehended all these things in seven books; and have left no occasion for complaint or accusation to such as have been acquainted with this war; and I have written it down for the sake of those that love truth, but not for those that please themselves [with fictitious relations.] And I will begin my account of these things with what I call my First Chapter.

CONTAINING AN INTERVAL OF 167

[From the taking of Jerusalem by Antiochus Ep death of Herod the Great.]

CHAP. I.

How the city Jerusalem was taken, and the te [by Antiochus Epiphanes.] And also conc tions of the Maccabees, Matthias, Judas; a the death of Judas.

§ 1. Ar the same time that Antiochus, wh Epiphanes, had a quarrel with the sixth Ptole right to the whole country of Syria, a great among the men of power in Judea, and they h tion about obtaining the government; while that were of dignity could not endure to be su equals. However, Onias, one of the high-pri better, and cast the sons of Tobias out of the ci to Antiochus, and besought him to make use of leaders, and to make an expedition into Judea being thereto disposed beforehand, complied wi came upon the Jews with a great army, and to by force, and slew a great multitude of those t Ptolemy, and sent out his soldiers to plunder t mercy. He also spoiled the temple, and put a constant practice of offering a daily sacrifice for three years and six months. But Onias the fled to Ptolemy, and received a place from him mus of Heliopolis, where he built a city resemb lem, and a temple that was like * its temple; which we shall speak more in the proper place

* I see little difference in the several accounts in Jos the Egyptian temple Onion, of which large complaints his commentators. Onias, it seems, hoped to have like that at Jerusalem, and of the same dimensions appears to have really done, as far as he was able, a proper Of this temple, see Antiq. B. xiii. ch. iii § 1,

2. Now Antiochus was not satisfied either with his unexpected taking the city, or with its pillage, or with the great slaughter he had made there; but being overcome with his violent passions, and remembering what he had suffered during the siege, he compelled the Jews to dissolve the laws of their country, and to keep their infants uncircumcised, and to sacrifice swine's flesh upon the altar; against which they all opposed themselves, and the most approved among them were put to death. Bacchides also, who was sent to keep the fortresses, having these wicked commands joined to his own natural barbarity, indulged all sorts of the extremest wickedness, and tormented the worthiest of the inhabitants, man by man, and threatened the city every day with open destruction; till at length he provoked the poor sufferers by the extremity of his wicked doings to avenge themselves.

3. Accordingly Matthias, the son of Asamoneus, one of the priests, who lived at a village called Modin, armed himself, together with his own family, which had five of his sons in it, and siew Bacchides with daggers; and thereupon, out of the fear of the many garrisons [of the enemy.] he fled to the mountains; and so many of the people followed him, that he was encouraged to come down from the mountains, and to give battle to Antiochus's generals; when he beat them, and drove them out of Judea. So he came to the government by his success, and became the prince of his own people by their own free consent, and then died, leaving the government to Judas, his eldest son.

4. Now Judas, supposing that Antiochus would not lie still, gathered an army out of his own countrymen, and was the first who made a league of friendship with the Romans, and drove Epiphanes out of the country when he had made a second expedition into it, and this by giving him a great defeat there; and when he was warmed by this great success, he made an assault upon the garrison that was in the city, for it had not been cut off hitherto; so he ejected them out of the upper city, and drove the soldiers into the lower, which part of the city was called the Citadel. He then got the temple under his power, and cleansed the whole place, and walled it round about, and made new vessels for sacred ministrations, and brought them into the temple, because the former vessels had been profaned. He also built another altar, and began to offer sacrifices; and when the city had already received its sacred constitution again, Antiochus