fought rather in a bold than in a skilful manner, were destroyed. And although Simon had saved himself, by fleeing away through a certain valley, yet Gratus overtook him and cut off his head. The royal palace also at Amathus, by the river Jordan, was burnt down by a party of men that were got together, as were those belonging to Simon. And thus did a wild fury spread itself over the nation, because they had no king to keep the multitude in good order; and because those foreigners, who came to reduce the seditious. to sobriety, did, on the contrary, set them more in a flame; because of the injuries they had offered them, and the avaricious management of their affairs.

One Athronges also, a person neither eminent by the dignity of his progenitors, nor for any great wealth he was possessed of; but one that had in all respects been a shepherd only, and was not known by any body; yet because he was a tall man, and excelled others in the strength of his hands, was so bold as to set up for king. This man thought it so sweet a thing to do more than ordinary injuries to others, that although he should be killed, he did not much care if he lost his life in so great a design. He had also four brethren, who were tall men themselves, and were believed to be superior to others in the strength of their hands; and thereby were encouraged to aim at great things, and thought that strength of theirs would support them in retaining the kingdom. Each of these ruled over a band of men of their own; for those that joined them were very numerous. They were every one of them also commanders. But when they came to fight, they were subordinate to him, and fought for him. While he put a diadem about his head, and assembled a council to debate about what things should be done; and all things were done according to his pleaAnd this man retained his power a great while: he was also called king; and had nothing to binder him from doing what he pleased. He also, as well as his brethren, slew a great many both of the Romans, and of the king's forces; and managing matters with the like hatred to each of them. The king's forces they fell upon, because of the licentious conduct they had been allowed under Herod's government; and they fell upon the Romans, because of the injuries they had so late

sure.

ly received from them. But in process of time, they grew more cruel to all sorts of men. Nor could any one escape from one or other of these seditions. Since they slew some out of the hopes of gain; and others from a mere custom of slaying men. They once attacked a company of Romans at Emmaus, who were bringing corn and weapons to the army; and fell upon Arius the centurion, who commanded the company, and shot forty of the best of his foot-soldiers. But the rest of them were affrighted at their slaughter, and left their dead behind, but saved themselves by the means of Gratus; who came with the king's troops that were about him, to their assistance. Now these four brethren continued the war a long while, by such sort of expeditions, and harassed the Romans; but did their own nation also a great deal of mischief. Yet were they afterward subdued. One of them in a fight with Gratus; another with Ptolemy. Archelaus also took the eldest of them prisoner; while the last of them was so dejected at the other's misfortune, and saw so plainly that he had no way left to save himself, his army being worn away with sickness and continual labours, that he also delivered himself up to Archelaus, upon his promise and oath to preserve his life. But these things came to pass a good while afterward.

And now Judea was full of robberies. And as the several companies of the seditious found any one to head them, he was created a king immediately, in order to do mischief to the public. They were in some small measure, indeed, and in small matters, hurtful to the Romans: but the murders they committed upon their own people lasted a long while.

As soon as Varus was informed of the state of Judea, by Sabinus's writing to him, he was afraid for the legion he had left there. So he took the two other legions, (for there were three legions in all belonging to Syria,) and four troops of horsemen ; with the several auxiliary forces which either the kings, or certain of the tetrarchs, afforded him; and made what haste he could to assist those that were then besieged in Judea. He also gave order that all that were sent out for this expedition should hasten to Ptolemais. The citizens of Berytus gave him one thousand five hundred auxiliaries, as he passed through their

city. Aretas also, the king of Arabia Petræ, out of his hatred to Herod, and in order to purchase the favour of the Romans, sent him no small assistance: besides their footmen and horsemen. And when he had collected all his forces together, he committed part of them to his son, and to a friend of his, and sent them upon an expedition into Galilee, which lies in the neighbourhood of Ptolemais. Accordingly, they made an attack upon the enemy, and put them to flight, and took Sepphoris, and made its inhabitants slaves, and burnt the city. But Varus himself pursued his march for Samaria, with his whole army. Yet did he not meddle with the city of that name, because it had not joined with the seditious; but pitched his camp at a certain village that belonged to Ptolemy, whose name was Arus; which the Arabians burnt, out of their hatred to Herod, and out of the enmity they bore to his friends. Thence they marched to another village, whose name was Sampho; which the Arabians plundered and burnt; although it was a fortified and strong place. And all along this march nothing escaped them; but all places were full of fire and slaughter. Emmaus was also burnt by Varus's order, after its inhabitants had deserted it; that he might avenge those that had there been de stroyed. From thence he marched to Jerusalem: whereupon those Jews whose camp lay there, and who had besieged the Roman legion, not bearing the coming of this army, left the siege imperfect. But as to the Jerusalem Jews, when Varus reproached them bitterly for what had been done, they cleared themselves of the accusation; and alleged that the conflux of the people was occasioned by the feast; that the war was not made with their approbation, but by the rashness of the strangers; while they were on the side of the Romans, and besieged together with them, rather than having any inclination to besiege them. There also came beforehand to meet Varus, Joseph, the cousin german of king Herod; as also Gratus and Rufus; who brought their soldiers along with them; together with those Romans who had been besieged. But Sabinus did not come into Varus's presence, but stole out of the city privately, and went to the sea side.

Upon this, Varus sent a part of his army into the country, to

seek out those who had been the authors of the revolt; and when they were discovered, he punished some of them that were most guilty, and some he dismissed. Now the number of those that were crucified on this account, were two thousand. After which he disbanded his army, which he found no way useful to him in the affairs he came about. For they behaved themselves very disorderly, and disobeyed his orders, out of regard to that gain which they made by the mischief they did. As for himself, when he was informed that ten thousand Jews were gotten together, he made haste to catch them. But they did not proceed so far as to fight him: but by the advice of Archiabus they came together, and delivered themselves up to him. Hereupon Varus forgave the crime of revolting to the multitude; but sent their several commanders to Cæsar. Many of these Cæsar dismissed: but for the several relations of Herod, who had been among these men in this war, they were the only persons whom he punished; who, without the least regard to justice, had fought against their own kindred.

CHAP. XI.

OF AN AMBASSAGE OF THE JEWS TO CÆSAR; and the CONFIRMATION OF HEROD'S TESTAMENT.

WHEN Varus had settled these affairs, and had placed the former legion at Jerusalem, he returned to Antioch. But as for Archelaus, he had new sources of troubles* come upon him at Rome, on the following occasions; for an ambassage of the Jews was come to Rome : Varus having permitted the nation to send it; that they might petition for the liberty of living by their own laws. Now the number of the ambassadors that were sent by the authority of the nation, was fifty, to which they joined about eight thousand of the Jews, that were at Rome already. Hereupon Cæsar assembled his friends, and the chief men among the Romans, in the temple of Apollo, which he had

Every station of life is exposed to trouble and danger. Trials, like the waves and billows, which rapidly succeed one another, perpetually accumulate upon man in his present state. B.

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built at a vast charge. Whither the ambassadors came: and a multitude of the Jews that were there already, came with them as did also Archelaus, and his friends. But as for the several kinsmen which Archelaus had, they would not join themselves with him, out of their hatred to him; and yet they thought it too gross a thing for them to assist the ambassadors against him as supposing it would be a disgrace to them, in Cæsar's opinion, to think of thus acting, in opposition to a man of their own kindred. Philip also was come hither out of Syria, by the persuasion of Varus, with this principal intention to assist his brother; for Varus was his great friend. But still so that if there should any change happen in the form of government, which Varus suspected there would; and, if any distribution should be made on account of the number that desired the liberty of living by their own laws; that he might not be disappointed, but might have his share in it.

Now upon the liberty that was given to the Jewish ambassadors to speak, they who hoped to obtain a dissolution of the regal government, began to accuse Herod of his iniquities; and declared that he was indeed in name a king, but that he had taken to himself that uncontrolable authority which tyrants exercise over their subjects; and had made use of that authority for the destruction of the Jews; and did not abstain from making many innovations among them, according to his own inclinations. And that whereas there were a great many who perished by that destruction he brought upon them; they that survived were far more miserable than those that suffered under him; not only by the anxiety they were in from his looks and disposition towards them, but from the danger their estates were in of being taken away by him. They said he was continually adorning those cities that lay in their neighbourhood, but were inhabited by foreigners; but so that the cities belonging to his own government, were ruined, and utterly destroyed. That whereas when he took the kingdom, it was in an extraordinary flourishing condition, he had filled the nation with the utmost degree of poverty. And when, upon unjust pretences, he had slain any of the nobility, he took away their estates; and when he permitted any of them to live, he condemned then to