CHAP. XIV.

OF THE SUCCESSION OF FESTUS, ALBINUS, AND FLORUS TO THE PROCURATORSHIP OF JUDEA; THE LATTER OF WHOM, BY THE BARBARITY OF HIS GOVERNMENT, FORCES THE JEWS INTO THE

WAR.

NOW Festus succeeded Felix *as procurator, and made it his business to correct those that made disturbances in the country. So he caught the greatest part of the robbers, and destroyed a great many of them. But Albinus, who succeeded Festus, did not execute his office as the other had done. Nor was there any sort of wickedness that could be named, but he had a hand in it. Accordingly he did, not only in his political capacity, steal and plunder every one's substance; nor did he only burden the whole nation with taxes; but he permitted the relations of such as were in prison for robbery, and had been laid there either by the senate of every city, or by the former procurators, to redeem them for money. And nobody remained in the prisons, as a malefactor, but he who gave him nothing. At this time it was that the enterprises of the seditious at Jerusalem were very formidable: the principal men among them purchasing leave of Albinus to go on with their seditious practices. While that part of the people, who delighted in disturbances, joined themselves to such as had fellowship with Albinus. And every one of these wicked wretches were encompassed with his own band of robbers: while he himself, like an arch robber, or a tyrant, made a figure among his company, and abused his authority over those about him in order to plunder those that lived quietly. The effect of which was that those who lost their goods were forced to hold their peace, when they had reason to show great indignation at what they had suffered : but that those who had escaped were forced to flatter him that deserved to be punished; out of the fear they were in of suf

fering equally with others. Upon the whole, nobody durst speak their minds; but tyranny was generally tolerated. And at this time were those seeds sown which brought the city to destruction.

But although such was the character of Albinus, yet did Gessious* Florus, who succeeded him, †demonstrate him to have been a most excellent person upon the comparison. For the former did the greatest part of his rogueries in private, and with a sort of dissimulation. But Gessius did his unjust actions to the harm of the nation after a most pompous manner. And as though he had been sent as an executioner to punish condemned malefactors, he omitted no sort of rapine, or of vexation. Where the case was really pitiable, he was most barbarous ; and in things of the greatest turpitude he was most impudent. Nor could any one outdo him in disguising the truth; nor could any one contrive more subtle ways of deceit than he did. He, indeed, thought it but a petty offence to get money out of single persons: so he spoiled whole cities, and ruined entire bodies of men at once: and did almost publicly proclaim it in all the country over, that they had liberty given them to turn robbers, upon this condition, that he might go shares with them in the spoils they got. Accordingly his greediness of gain was the occasion that entire toparchies were brought to desolation; and a great many of the people left their own country, and fled into foreign provinces.

And while Cestius Gallus was president of the province of Syria, nobody durst so much as send an ambassage to him against Florus. But when he was come to Jerusalem, upon the approach of the feast of unleavened bread, the people came

* Not long after this beginning of Florus, the most wicked of all the Roman procurators of Judea, and the immediate occasion of the Jewish war, at the 12th year of Nero, and the 17th of Agrippa, or A. D. 66, the history in the twenty books of Josephus's Antiquities, ends. Although Josephus did not finish those books till the 13th of Domitian, or A. D. 93, twenty-seven years afterward. As he did not finish their Appendix, containing an account of his own life, till Agrippa was dead, which happened on the 3d year of Trajan, or A. D. 100, as I have observed before.

† A. D. 64.

about him to the number of *three millions: these besought him to commiserate the calamities of their nation; and cried out upon Florus as the bane of their country. But as he was present and stood by Cestius, he laughed at their words. However, Cestius, when he had quieted the multitude, and had assured them that he would take care Florus should hereafter treat them in a more gentle manner, returned to Antioch. Florus also conducted him as far as Cæsarea; and deluded him : though he had at that very time the purpose of showing his anger at the nation, and procuring a war upon them: by which means alone it was that he supposed he might conceal his enormities. For he expected that if the peace continued, he should have the Jews for his accusers before Cæsar: but that if he should procure them to make a revolt, he should divert their laying lesser crimes to his charge, by a misery that was so much greater. He, therefore, every day augmented their calamities, in order to induce them to a rebellion.

Now at this time† it happened that the Grecians at Cæsarea had been too hard for the Jews, and had obtained of Nero the government of the city; and had brought the judicial determination. At the same time began the war; in the twelfth year of the reign of Nero, and the seventeenth of the reign of Agrippa; in the month Artemisias or Jyar. Now the occasion of this war was by no means proportionable to those heavy calamities which it brought upon us. For the Jews that dwelt at Cæsarea had a synagogue, near a place whose owner was a certain Cæsarean Greek. The Jews had endeavoured frequently to purchase the possession of the place; and had offered many times its value for its price. But as the owner overlooked their offers, so did he raise other buildings upon the place, in way of affront to them; and made workshops of them and left them but a narrow passage, and such as was very troublesome for them to go along to their synagogue. Hereupon the warmer

:

*Here we may note that 3,000,000 of Jews were present at a Passover, A. D. 65, which confirms what Josephus elsewhere informs us of; that at the Passover a little later they counted 256,500 paschal lambs: which at twelve to each lamb, which is no immoderate calculation, come to 3.078.000. See VI. 9.

+ A. D. 66.

part of the Jewish youth went hastily to the workmen, and forbade them to build there. But as Florus would not permit them to use force, the great men of the Jews, with John the publican, being in the utmost distress what to do, persuaded Florus, with the offer of eight talents, to hinder the work. He then being intent upon nothing but getting money, promised he would do for them all they desired of him; and then went away from Cæsarea to Sebaste, and left the sedition to take its full course: as if he had sold a license to the Jews to fight it out.

Now on the next day, which was the seventh day of the week, when the Jews were crowding apace to their synagogue, a certain man of Cæsarea, of a seditious temper, got an earthen vessel, and set it with the bottom upward at the entrance of the synagogue; and sacrificed birds.* This thing provoked the Jews to an incurable degree: because their laws were affronted, and the place was polluted. Whereupon the sober and more moderate part of the Jews thought proper to have recourse to their governors again: while the seditious part, and such as were in the fervour of their youth, were vehemently inflamed to fight. The seditious also among the Gentiles of Cæsarea stood ready for the same purpose. For they had, by agreement, sent the man to sacrifice beforehand, as ready to support him. So that it soon came to blows. Hereupon Jucundus, the master of the horse, who was ordered to prevent the fight, came thither and took away the earthen vessel; and endeavoured to put a stop to the sedition. But when he was overcome by the violence of the people of Cæsarea, the Jews caught up their books of the law, and retired to Narbata: which was a place belonging to them, distant from Cæsarea sixty furlongs. But John, and twelve of the principal men with him went to Florus, to Sebaste; and made a lamentable complaint of their case; and besought him to help them: and, with all possible decency,

*Take here Dr. Hudson's very pertinent note. 66 "By this action," says he, "the killing of a bird over an earthen vessel, the Jews were exposed as a leprous people; for that was to be done by their law in their cleansing of a leper," (Levit. c. xiv.) It is also known that the Gentiles reproached the Jews as subject to the leprosy; and believed that they were driven out of Egypt on that account. This that eminent person Mr. Reland suggested to me.

put him in mind of the eight talents they had given him. But he had the men seized upon, and put in prison, and accused them for carrying the books of the law out of Cæsarea.

Moreover, as to the citizens of Jerusalem, although they took this matter very ill, yet did they restrain their passions. But Florus acted herein as if he had been hired; and blew up the war into a flame: and sent some to take seventeen talents out of the sacred treasure and pretended that Cæsar wanted them. At this time the people were in confusion, and ran together to the temple, with prodigious clamours; and called upon Cæsar by name; and besought him to free them from the tyranny of Florus. Some also of the seditious cried out upon Florus, and cast the greatest reproaches upon him; and carried a basket about, and begged some money for him; as for one that was destitute of possessions, and in a miserable condition. Yet was he not ashamed hereby of his love of money;* but was more enraged, and provoked to get still more. And instead of coming to Cæsarea, as he ought to have done, and quenching the flame of war which was beginning thence; and so taking away the occasion of any disturbances; on which account it was that he had received a reward; he marched hastily with an army of horsemen and footinen against Jerusalem: that he might gain his will by the army of the Romans: and might, by his terror, and by his threatenings, bring the city into subjection.

Now the people were desirous of making Florus ashamed of his attempt, and met his soldiers with acclamations; and put themselves in order to receive him very submissively. But he sent Capito, a centurion, beforehand, with fifty soldiers; to bid them go back, and not now make a show of receiving him in an obliging manner, whom he had so loudly reproached before. And said that it was incumbent on them, in case they had generous souls, and were free speakers, to jest upon him to his face; and appear to be lovers of liberty not only in words, but with their weapons also. With this message the multitude was

*This is a passion not easily mortified. Those persons in whom it is predo minant generally sacrifice every consideration of character and esteem to gratify it, considering gain as superior to every thing beside. B.