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the ruler of the province of Syria, came into Jerusalem and found about 3,000,000 of people assembled for the feast, at least so Josephus says, but I have already noticed his habit of exaggeration. The oppressions and cruelties of Florus had by that time become so excessive, that the leaders, who had previously feared to send a message, now took courage to complain of him to his chief.

"Florus stood by laughing at them, but Gallus promised to see that he treated them more mildly. Florus, however, soon induced him to return to Cæsarea, and then went on with his oppressions. The flame of rebellion at last broke out, and first at Cæsarea, in a quarrel between the Jews and the Greeks. The Jews being worsted in this, John the Publican, their leader, with twelve of his friends, went to ask for redress for the insults they had suffered, and instead of being heard they were instantly cast into prison.

"This news soon reached Jerusalem; and the whole city was speedily in a state of furious excitement, so much so that the people went about openly expressing their contempt for Florus, upon whom they heaped abuse and imprecations. Of course he heard of this, and came straight to Jerusalem to avenge his own cause.

"But there, contrary to his expectations, he was received with all submission, nay, even with acclamations; for I suppose they began to be afraid. But this was not at all what he wanted, nor would he even appear to be deceived. He sent the representatives back with reproaches that night, and next day demanded that all the offenders should be given up to him.

"The elders remonstrated: they spoke of these insults as the acts of young and indiscreet persons, and excused themselves from giving up any, saying that in a tumult it was impossible to discern the innocent from the guilty; on which the soldiers were let loose on the city,

and mercilessly did they go to work. They plundered and murdered in every street; and many of the quiet people they caught and brought to Florus, who first scourged and then crucified them without enquiry. It is said that on that day more than three thousand people fell, including women and children, and some even who were Roman citizens, though born Jews; and the massacre went on unchecked in spite of the entreaties of Bernice, the sister of King Agrippa, who was in Jerusalem at that time on account of a vow, and who went barefoot into the governor's presence to plead for these poor people.

Next day there was a terrible mourning in the market place; for the inhabitants being in an agony ran together: but at length they yielded to the entreaties of their priests, who besought them not to provoke further slaughter, so they went to their homes quietly, much to the chagrin of Florus, who by no means wished the rising at an end.

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Sending for the high priests, he desired them, as a test of their obedience, to cause the people to go out and meet his two cohorts that were coming from Cæsarea. They willingly undertook the task; for the time they forgot their disputes, and, united by the common danger, used their utmost endeavour to quiet the people. They succeeded at last, and led out the whole populace to salute the troops.

"But they had their orders, too, and received these salutations in dead silence, on which some of the fiery spirits broke out into such indignant expressions, that the soldiers turned on them, and another terrible scene of bloodshed ensued. There was a rush back into the city; and many were slaughtered or trampled to death. The object of Florus was to get possession of the treasury and the tower of Antonia, while the people, now mad with fury, determined to prevent this furthur violence, and from the tops of the houses they so pelted the soldiers with stones, that Florus at length drew off his troops and retired to Cæsarea.

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CHAPTER XXXI.

RETRIBUTION.

"I will do unto them after their way."-EZEK. vii. 27.

"A

ND now, considering all that had taken place, we cannot wonder that very many of these proud people, thus driven to desperation, began to talk of resistance, or that Cestius Gallus should think it time to interfere. Truly, if the whole nation had been one of outlaws, they could not have been worse treated. There was neither justice nor protection for them; and insults of all descriptions were added to their injuries. The measure which they meted out to their Messiah was being meted out to them. They had said, 'His blood be on us, and on our children;' and now indeed it was

So.

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'It was just at this crisis that Agrippa was returning from Egypt, and the leaders met him on his way with their sad tale of desolation and wrong, beseeching him to send a deputation to Nero.

"But Agrippa knew well enough that anything in the least like resistance would only make matters worse; so, instead of shewing the deep compassion which he really felt, he answered them by a stern rebuke. On approaching the city, he saw all the people coming out in mournful procession to meet him, preceded by the wives of those who had been slain; but he passed on to his palace, and seating himself on a high position in front of it, with his sister by

his side, he began earnestly to harangue them in a long and well-argued speech.

"First he comforted them by the prospect of a milder governor, such an one as was sure to be sent as soon as the emperor should of hear the state of affairs; and then he proceeded to shew how utterly useless it was for a little state like theirs to think of resisting the whole Roman power, before which so many powerful nations had fallen; how the day for thinking of liberty was long past, the opportunity having being lost when Pompey was first admitted into the land; and then he ended by vividly depicting the horrors of war, and the desolation which they would bring on the city and their beloved temple, if they persisted in engaging in it.

"And so finishing his speech in tears, while Bernice wept aloud, he seemed to have brought them to reason; for they set to work to repair the buildings and collect the tribute. But all was lost soon after, by an incautious attempt on his part to persuade the people to render the usual allegiance to Florus. No sooner had the hated name passed his lips, than the whole people rose, and assailed him not only with insulting words, but even with stones. Nay, they went so far as to bid him leave the city; and seeing that he could be of no real service, he accordingly took them at their word, and returning to his own kingdom, left Jerusalem and its people to work out their stubborn will. Still, however, there were two parties in the nation ; and most of the leaders were averse to war, feeling that they had all to lose, with little prospect of gain. These did their utmost to preserve peace, and even at last were drawn into war against their wills.

"It was a young man, Eleazar, the son of Ananias the high priest, and captain of the temple guard, who was the leader of the war party; and his first object seems to have been to commit the nation to that course in such a way that they could not draw back.

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