Page images
PDF
EPUB

made certain men to be so that were of no eminent || moved by pity, and never was satisfied with any families, but barely of those that were priests: degree of gain that came in his way. Nor had excepting that he once gave that dignity to Aris- he any more regard to great than to small acquitobulus. For when he made this Aristobulus, the sitions; but became a partner with the robbers grandson of that Hyrcanus who was taken by the themselves. For a great many fell then into that Parthians, and had taken his sister Mariamne to practice without fear, as having him for their pawife, he thereby aimed to win the good-will of the tron, and depending on him, that he would save people, who had a kind remembrance of Hyrcanus them harmless in their particular robberies. So his grandfather. Yet did he afterward, out of his that there were no bounds set to the miseries of fear lest they should all bend their inclinations to the nation; but the unhappy Jews, when they Aristobulus, put him to death: and that by con- were not able to bear the devastations which the triving to have him suffocated, as he was swim- robbers made among them, were all under a neming at Jericho, as we have *already related. But cessity of leaving their own habitations, and of after this man he never intrusted the high-priest- fleeing away; as hoping to dwell more easily anyhood to the sons of Asmoneus. Archelaus also, where among foreigners than in their own counHerod's son, did like his father in the appointment try. And what need I say any more upon this of the high-priests: as did the Romans also, who head, since it was this Florus who necessitated took the government over the Jews into their us to take up arms against the Romans; while hands afterward. Accordingly the number of the we thought it better to be destroyed at once, than high-priests, from the days of Herod, until the day by little and little. Now this war began in the when Titus took the temple and the city, and second year of the government of Florus, and the burnt them, were in all twenty-eight. The time twelfth year of the reign of Nero. But then what also that belonged to them was a hundred and actions we were forced to do, or what miseries we seven years. Some of these were the political were enabled to suffer, may be accurately known governors of the people under the reign of Herod, by such as will peruse those books which I have and under the reign of Archelaus his son: although written about the Jewish war. after their death the government became an aristocracy; and the high-priests were intrusted with a dominion over the nation. And thus much may suffice concerning our high-priests.

CHAP. XI.

CONCERNING FLORUS THE PROCURATOR, WHO PROVOKED THE JEWS
TO TAKE UP ARMS AGAINST THE ROMANS.-THE CONCLUSION.

Now Gessius Florus, who was sent as successor to Albinus by Nero, filled Judea with abundance of miseries. He was by birth of the city Clazomenæ, and brought along with him his wife Cleopatra, by whose friendship with Poppea, Nero's wife, he obtained this government, and who was noway different from himself in wickedness. This Florus was so violent in the use of his authority, that the Jews considered Albinus to have been comparatively their benefactor; so excessive were the mischiefs that he brought upon them. For Albinus concealed his wickedness, and was careful that it might not be discovered to all men. But Gessius Florus, as though he had been sent on purpose to show his crimes to every body, made a pompous ostentation of them to our nation; as never committing any sort of violence, nor any unjust punishment, for he was not to be

[blocks in formation]

I shall now, therefore, make an end here of my Antiquities: after the conclusion of which events And I began to write that account of the war. these Antiquities contain what hath been delivered down to us from the original creation of man, until the twelfth year of the reign of Nero: as to what hath befallen us Jews, as well in Egypt as in Syria and in Palestine; and what we have suffered from the Assyrians and Babylonians; and what afflictions the Persians and Macedonians, and after them the Romans, have brought upon us: for I think I may say that I have composed this history with sufficient accuracy in all things. I have attempted to enumerate those high-priests that we have had, during the interval of two thousand years. I have also carried down the succession of our kings, and related their actions and political administration, without any considerable errors; as also the power of our monarchs; and all according to what is written in our sacred books: for this it was that I promised to do in the beginning of this history. And I am so bold as to say, now I have so completely perfected the work I

proposed to myself to do, that no other person, whether he were a Jew or a foreigner, had he never so great an inclination to it, could so accu

ever, is concerned, urgent indeed must be the danger that can justify the wilful anticipation of the worst result. B.

rately deliver these accounts to the Greeks as is done in these books: for those of my own nation freely acknowledge that I far exceed them in the learning belonging to the Jews. I have also taken a great deal of pains to obtain the learning of the Greeks, and understand the elements of the Greek language; although I have so long accustomed myself to speak our own tongue, that I cannot pronounce Greek with sufficient exactness. For our nation does not encourage those that learn the languages of many nations, and so adorn their discourses with the smoothness of their periods; because they look upon this sort of accomplishment as common, not only to all sorts of freemen, but to as many of the servants as please to learn them. But they give him the testimony of being a wise man, who is fully acquainted with our laws, and is able to interpret their meaning. On

* What Josephus here declares his intention to do, if God permitted, is not, that I have observed, taken distinct notice of by any. Nor do we ever hear of it elsewhere, whether he performed what he now intended or not. Some of the reasons of this design might possibly be his observation of the many errors he had been guilty of in the two first of those seven books Of the War, which were written when he was comparatively young, and less acquainted with the Jewish Antiquities than he now was; and in which abridgment we might have hoped to find those many passages which himself, as well as those passages which others refer to, as written by him, but which are not extant in his present works. However, since many of his own references to what he had written elsewhere, as well as most of his own errors, belong to such early times, as could not well come into this abridgment of the Jewish War; and since none of those that quote things not now extant in his works, including himself as well as others, ever cite any such abridgment; I

[ocr errors]

this account, as there have been many who have done their endeavours, with great patience, to obtain this learning, there have yet hardly been two or three that have succeeded therein, who were immediately rewarded for their pains.

I shall now put an end to these Antiquities, which are contained in twenty books, and sixty thousand verses. And if *God permit me, I shall briefly run over this war again, with what befell us therein, to this very day; which is the thirteenth year of the reign of Cæsar Domitian, and the fifty-sixth year of my own life. I have also an intention to write three books concerning our Jewish opinions about God, and his essence; and about our laws; why, according to them, some things are permitted us to do, and others are prohibited.

am forced rather to suppose that he never did publish any such work at all; I mean as distinct from his own life, written by himself; and this at least above seven years after these Antiquities were finished. Nor does it appear to me, that Josephus ever published that other work here mentioned, as intended by him for the public also; I mean the books concerning God and his essence, and concerning the Jewish laws; why, according to them, some things were permitted the Jews, and others prohibited: which last seems to be the same work Josephus had also promised, if God permitted, at the conclusion of his preface to these Antiquities. The death of all his friends at court, Vespasian, Titus, and Domitian; and the coming of those he had no acquaintance with to the crown, I mean Nerva and Trajan; together with his removal from Rome to Judea, with what followed it; might easily interrupt such intentions, and prevent his publication of those works.

END OF THE ANTIQUITIES OF THE JEWS.

Drawn by J.Aspin

SOUTH VIEW OF THE REMAINS OF THE TWO TEMPLES AT HELIOPOLIS

Engraved on Sel Haines

[graphic]
« PreviousContinue »