And orator, and a bitter enemy to Archelaus, spake || him the kingdom, which he had been to his first, to this purpose: that it was ridiculous father: since he had then dancing and singing, in Archelaus to plead now to have the kingdom as though an enemy of his were fallen; and given him, since he had in reality taken already not as though a man were carried to his funeral the power over it to himself, before Caesar had that was so nearly related, and had been so granted it to him; and appealed to those bold great a benefactor to him. But he said, that actions of his in destroying so many at the the greatest crime of all was, that he came Jewish festival. And if the men had acted now before Cæsar to obtain the kingdom by unjustly, it was but fit the punishing them his grant, while he had before acted in all should have been reserved to those that were things as he could have acted if Cæsar himself, out of the country, but had the power to punish who ruled all, had fixed him firmly in the them; and not been executed by a man, who, government. And what he most aggravated if he pretended to be a king, did an injury to in his pleading was, the slaughter of those Cæsar, by usurping that authority before it about the temple, and the impiety of it, as was determined for him: but if he owned done at the festival; and how they were slain himself to be a private person, his case was like sacrifices themselves; some of whom were much worse; since he, who was putting in for foreigners, and others of their own country; the kingdom, could by no means expect to till the temple was full of dead bodies. have that power granted him, of which he had all this was done, not by an alien, but by one already deprived Cæsar, by taking it to him- who pretended to the lawful title of a king; self. He also touched sharply upon his chang-that he might complete the wicked tyranny ing the commanders in the army; and his which his nature prompted him to, and which sitting in the royal throne beforehand; and is hated by all men. On which account his his determination of law-suits; all done as if father never so much as dreamed of making he were no other than a king: he appealed him his successor in the kingdom, when he was also to his concessions to those that petitioned of a sound mind, because he knew his dispohim on a public account; and indeed doing sition; and, in his former and more authentic such things, than which he could devise no will, he appointed his antagonist Antipas to greater, if he had been already settled in the succeed: but Archelaus was called by his kingdom. He also ascribed to him the releas-father to that dignity, when he was in a dying ing of the prisoners that were in the hippo- condition, both of body and mind; while Androme; and many other things, that either tipas was called when he was ripest in his judghad been certainly done by him, or were be- ment, and of such strength of body as made lieved to be done, and easily might be sup-him capable of managing his own affairs. And posed to have been done; because they were of such a nature as to be usually done by young men, and by such as, out of a desire of ruling, seize upon the government too soon: he also charged him with his neglect of the funeral mourning for his father, and with having merry meetings the very night in which he died; and that it was thence the multitude were excited to raise a tumult. And if Arche-private person. laus could thus requite his dead father, who had bestowed such benefits upon him, and bequeathed such great things to him, by pretending to shed tears for him in the day-time, like an actor on the stage, but every night making mirth for having obtained the government; he would appear to be the same Archelaus with regard to Cæsar, if he granted if his father had the like notion of him formerly, that he had since shewn, yet had Archelaus given a sufficient specimen what a king he was likely to be, when he had in effect deprived Cæsar of the power of disposing of the kingdom, and had not abstained from making a terrible slaughter of his fellowcitizens in the temple, while he was but a When Antipater had made this speech, and had confirmed what he said, by producing many witnesses from among Archelaus's own relations, he made an end of his pleading. Nicolaus then rose up to plead for Archelaus; and said, that what had been done at the temple was rather to be attributed to the mind of those that had been killed, than to the autho them. tion, which is known and uncontested through all the habitable world, imitate the wickedness of these men in condemning a king as having lost his reason; while he hath bequeathed his succession to a good son, and to one who flies to Cæsar's upright determination for refuge. Nor can Herod at any time have been mistaken in his judgment about a successor, while he shewed so much prudence as to submit all to Cæsar's determination." When Nicolaus had laid these things before Caesar, he ended his plea. Whereupon Cæsar was so obliging to Archelaus, that he raised him up when he had cast himself at his feet;* and said, that he well deserved the kingdom. And he soon let them know, that he was so far moved in his favor, that he would not act otherwise than his father's will directed, and than was for the advantage of Archelaus. How rity of Archelaus. For that those who are the | authors of such things are not only wicked in the injuries they do of themselves, but in forcing sober persons to avenge themselves upon Now it is evident that what these did in way of opposition was done under pretence indeed against Archelaus, but in reality against Cæsar himself. For they, after an injurious manner, had attacked and slain those who were sent by Archelaus, and who came only to put a stop to their doings: they had no regard either to God, or to their festival. "Yet Antipater," said he, " is not ashamed to patronize them; whether it be out of his indulgence of an enmity to Archelaus, or out of his hatred of virtue and justice. For as to those who begin such tumults, and first set about such unrighteous actions, they are the men who force those that punish them to take up arms, even against their wills. So that Anti-ever, while he gave this encouragement to pater in effect ascribes the rest of what was Archelaus to depend on him securely, he made done, to all those who were of counsel to the no full determination about him. accusers. For nothing which is here accused the assembly was broken up, he considered by of injustice has been done, but what was de- himself whether he should confirm the kingrived from them as its authors: nor are those dom to Archelaus, or whether he should divide things evil in themselves, but so represented it among Herod's posterity; because they all only in order to injure Archelaus. Such are stood in need of much assistance to support these men's inclinations to do an injury to a them. man that is of their kindred, their father's benefactor, and familiarly acquainted with them, and that hath ever lived in friendship with them. For as to this will, it was made by the king when he was of a sound mind; and so more authority than his CHAP. X. OF A SEDITION RAISED BY THE JEWS AGAINST SABINUS; EFORE things ought to be of that for this reason, because Ba settlemens, Maths ce, drobenough to testament: and Cæsar is therein left to be the judge and dis- ther, fell into a distemper, and died. And of all therein contained. And for Caesar, letters came from Varus, the president of poser he certainly will not imitate the unjust pro- Syria, which informed Cæsar of a revolt of ceedings of those men, who during Herod's the Jews. For after Archelaus was sailed, the whole life had, on all occasions, been joint whole nation was in a tumult. So Varus, since partakers of power with him; and yet zea- he was there himself, brought the authors of lously endeavor to injure his determination, the disturbance to punishment: and when he while they have not themselves had the same had restrained them for the most part from this regard to their kinsman which Archelaus had. sedition, which was a great one, he took his Cæsar will not, therefore, disannul the testa- journey to Antioch: leaving one legion of his ment of a man whom he had entirely support-army at Jerusalem to keep the Jews quiet, ed ; of his friend and confederate; and that which is committed to him in trust to ratify. Nor will Cæsar's virtuous and upright disposi 2222 This he did in compliance with the usual custom to who were now very fond of innovation. Yet did not this avail to put an end to that sedition. For after Varus was gone away, Sabinus, express great veneration and homage. B, Cæsar's Cæsar's procurator, staid behind, and greatly distressed the Jews: relying on the forces that were left there, that they would by their multitude protect him. For he armed them as his guards: thereby so oppressing the Jews, and giving them so great disturbance, that at length they rebelled. For he used force in seizing the citadels, and zealously pressed on the search after the king's money, in order to seize upon it by force on account of his love of gain, and his extraordinary covetousness. But on the approach of Pentecost, which is a festival of ours so called from the days of our forefathers, many thousands of men got together. Nor did they come only to celebrate the festival, but out of their indignation at the madness of Sabinus, and at the injuries he offered them. A great number there were of Galileans and Idumeans, and many men from Jericho, and others, who had passed over the river Jordan, and inhabited those parts. This whole multitude joined themselves to all the rest; and were more zealous than the others in making an assault on Sabinus, in order to be avenged on him. So they parted themselves into three bands, and encamped in the places following. Some of them seized on the hippodrome: and of the other two bands, one pitched themselves from the northern part of the temple to the southern, on the east quarter; but the third band held the western part of the city, where the king's palace was. Their work tended entirely to besiege the Romans, and to enclose them on all sides. Now Sabinus was afraid of these men's number, and of their resolution; who had little regard to their lives, but were very desirous not to be overwhile they thought it a point of puissance to subdue their enemies: so he immediately sent a letter to Varus; and, as he used to do, was very pressing with him, and entreated him to come quickly to his assistance, because the forces he had left were in imminent danger, and would probably, in no long time, be seized upon and cut to pieces: while he himself got up to the highest tower of the fortress Phasaelus, which had been built in honor of Phasaelus, king Herod's brother, These great devastations made about the temple, here, and of the War, II. 3. seem not to have been fully repaired to the days of Nero; till whose time there were and called so, when the Parthians had brought him to his death. So Sabinus gave thence a signal to the Romans to fall upon the Jews: although he did not himself venture so much as to come down to his friends and thought he might expect that the others should first expose themselves to die, on account of his avarice. However, the Romans ventured to sally out of the place, and a terrible battle ensued: wherein, though the Romans beat their adversaries, yet were not the Jews daunted in their resolutions: even when they had the sight of that terrible slaughter that was made of them but they went round about, and got upon those cloisters which encompassed the outer court of the temple. There an obstinate fight was still continued: and they cast stones at the Romans, partly with their hands, and partly with slings; as being much used to those exercises. All the archers also in array did the Romans a great deal of mischief: because they used their hands dexterously from a place superior to the others; and because the others were at an utter loss what to do: for when they tried to shoot their arrows against the Jews upwards, these arrows could not reach them. Insomuch that the Jews were too hard for their enemies. This sort of fight lasted a great while: till at last the Romans, who were greatly distressed by what was done, set fire to the cloisters so privately, that those that were gotten upon them did not perceive it. This fire, being fed by a great deal of combustible matter, caught hold immediately on the roof of the cloisters. So the wood, which was full of pitch and wax, and whose gold was laid on it with wax, yielded to the flame presently and those vast works, which were of the highest value and esteem, were utterly destroyed; while those that were on the roof unexpectedly perished at the same time. For as the roof tumbled down, some of these men tumbled down with it; and others of them were killed by their enemies who ́encompassed them. There was a great number more, who, out of despair of saving their lives, and out of astonishment at the misery that surrounded them, did either cast themselves 18,000 workmen continually employed in rebuilding and repairing that temple: as Josephus informs us, XX. 9. See the note on that place, into the fire, or threw themselves upon their ||ed lenity of theirs for an argument why he own swords; and so got out of their misery. should not comply with them. And, because But as to those that retired behind the same he expected that Varus was coming, he still way by which they ascended, and thereby bore the siege. escaped, they were all killed by the Romans: as being unarmed men, and their courage failing them. Their wild fury being not able to help them, because they were destitute of armor: insomuch that of those that went up to the top of the roof, not one escaped. The Romans also rushed through the fire, where it gave them room so to do, and seized on that treasure where the sacred money was deposited: a great part of which was stolen by the soldiers; and Sabinus got openly four hundred talents. Now at this time there were ten thousand other disorders in Judea, which were like tumults: because a great number put themselves into a warlike posture, either out of hopes of gain to themselves, or out of enmity to the Jews. In particular two thousand of Herod's old soldiers, who had been already disbanded, got together in Judea itself, and fought against the king's troops; although Achiabus, Herod's first cousin, opposed them. But as he was driven out of the plains into the mountainous parts, by the military skill of those men, he kept himself in the fastnesses that were there, and saved what he could. There was also * Judas, the son of that Ezekias who had been head of the robbers, which Ezekias was a very strong man, and had with great difficulty been caught by Herod. This Judas, having gotten together a multitude of men of a profligate character about Sepphoris in Galilee, made an assault upon the palace there, and seized upon all the weapons that were laid up in it, and with them armed every one of those that were with him, But this calamity of the Jews' friends, who fell in the battle, grieved them; as did also this plundering the money dedicated to God, in the temple. Accordingly that body of them which continued best together, and was the most warlike, encompassed the palace, and threatened to set fire to it, and to kill all that were in it. Yet still they commanded them to go out presently; and promised, that if they would do so, they would not hurt them, nor Sabinus neither. At which time the greatest part of the king's troops deserted to them: while Rufus and Gratus, who had three thou-and carried away what money was left there : sand of the most warlike of Herod's army with them, who were men of active bodies, went over to the Romans. There was also a band of horsemen, under the command of Rufus, which also went over to the Romans. How ever, the Jews went on with the siege; and dug mines under the palace walls; and besought those that were gone over to the other side not to be their hinderance, now they had such a proper opportunity for the recovery of their country's ancient liberty. And Sabinus was desirous of going away with his soldiers: but was not able to trust himself with the enemy, on account of what mischief he had already done them: and he took this pretend and he became terrible to all men, by tearing and rending those that came near him; and all this in order to raise himself, and out of an ambitious desire of the royal dignity. And he hoped to obtain that as the reward, not of his virtuous skill in war, but of his extravagance in doing injuries. There was also Simon, who had been a slave of Herod the king's, but in other respects a comely person, of a tall and robust body: he was one that was much superior to others of his order, and had had great things committed to his care. This man was elevated at the disorderly state of things, and was so bold as to put a diadem on his head: while a certain up the heads of all those ten thousand disorders in Judea, which he tells us were then abroad, the Theudas of the Acts might be at the head of one of those seditions, though not particularly named by him. Thus he informs us here, and Of the War, II. 4. that certain of the seditious came and burnt the royal palace at Amathus, or Betharamphta, upon the river Jordan. Perhaps their leader, who is not named, might be this Theudas. number 1 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 pleasure. And this man retained his power a great while: he was also called king; and had nothing to hinder 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 managed 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 lately 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 number of the people stood by him, and de- that joined them were very numerous. They a company of Romans, at Emmaus ; who were at the others' misfortune, and saw so plainly that he had no way left to save himself, his army being worn away with sickness and continual labors, 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, H 2 |