Cantheras, whose daughter king Herod had married, as I have related above. Simon, therefore had the [high] priesthood with his brethren, and with his father, in like manner as the sons of Simon, the son of Onias, who were three, had it formerly under the government of the Macedonians, as we have related in a former book.

3. When the king had settled the high-priesthood after this manner, he returned the kindness which the inhabitants of Jerusalem had shewed him; for he released them from the tax upon houses, every one of which paid it before, thinking it a good thing to requite the tender affection of those that loved him. He also made Silas the general of his forces, as a man who had partaken with him in many of his troubles. But after a very little while the young men of Doris, preferring a rash attempt before piety, and being naturally bold and insolent, carried a statue of Cæsar into a synagogue of the Jews, and erected it there. This procedure of theirs greatly provoked Agrippa; for it plainly tended to the dissolution of the laws of his country. So he came without delay to Publius Petronius, who was then president of Syria, and accused the people of Doris. Nor did he less resent what was done than did Agrippa; for he judged it a piece of impiety to transgress the laws that regulate the actions of men. So he wrote the following letter to the people of Doris in an angry strain: "Publius Petronius, the president under Tibe"rius Claudius Cæsar Augustus Germanicus, to the magis"trates of Doris, ordains as follows: Since some of you have "had the boldness, or madness rather, after the edict of "Claudius Cæsar Augustus Germanicus was published, for "permitting the Jews to observe the laws of their country, "not to obey the same, but have acted in entire opposition "thereto, as forbidding the Jews to assemble together in "their synagogue, by removing Cæsar's statue, and setting it "up therein, and thereby have offended not only the Jews, "but the emperor himself, whose statue is more commodi"ously placed in his own temple, than in a foreign one, "where is the place of assembling together; while it is but

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a part of natural justice, that every one should have the power over the places belonging peculiarly to themselves, "according to the determination of Cæsar; to say nothing of

my own determination, which it would be ridiculous to "mention after the emperor's edict, which gives the Jews "leave to make use of their own customs, as also gives or"der, that they enjoy equally the rights of citizens with the "Greeks themselves. I therefore ordain, that Proculus Vi"tellius the centurion bring those men to me, who, contrary to Augustus's edict have been so insolent as to do this

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"thing, at which those very men, who appear to be of prinpal reputation among them, have an indignation also, and "alledge for themselves, that it was not done with their consent, but by the violence of the multitude, that they may give an account of what hath been done. I also exhort the principal magistrates among them, unless they have a "mind to have this action esteemed to be done with their consent, to inform the centurion of those that were guilty of it, "and take care that no handle be hence taken for raising a "sedition or quarrel among them; which those seem to me to "hunt after, who encourage such doings; while both I my"self, and king Agrippa, for whom I have the highest honour, have nothing more under our care, than that the na"tion of the Jews may have no occasion given them of get"ting together under the pretence of avenging themselves "and become tumultuous. And that it may be more pub"licly known what Augustus hath resolved about this whole "matter, I have subjoined those edicts which he hath lately "caused to be published at Alexandria, and which, although "they may be well known to all, yet did king Agrippa, for "whom I have the highest honour, read them at that time be"fore my tribunal, and pleaded that the Jews ought not to be "deprived of those rights which Augustus hath granted "them. I therefore charge you, that you do not, for the "time to come, seek for any occasion of sedition or distur"bance, but that every one be allowed to follow their own "religious customs."

4. Thus did Petronius take care of this matter, that such a breach of the law might be corrected, and that no such thing might be attempted afterwards against the Jews. And now king Agrippa took the [high] priesthood away from Simon Cantheras, and put Jonathan, the son of Ananus, into it again, and owned that he was more worthy of that dignity than the other. But this was not a thing acceptable to him, to recover that his former dignity. So he refused it, and said, "O king, "I rejoice in the honour thou hast for me, and take it kind"ly, that thou wouldest give me such a dignity of thy own "inclinations, although God hath judged that I am not at "all worthy of the high-priesthood. I am satisfied with "having once put on the sacred garments; for I then put "them on after a more holy manner, than I should now re"ceive them again. But if thou desirest, that a person

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more worthy than myself should have this honourable em"ployment, give me leave to name thee such an one. I "have a brother that is pure from all sin against God, and "of all offences against thyself; I recommend him to thee, as one that is fit for this dignity." So the king was pleased

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with these words of his, and passed by Jonathan, and according to his brother's desire, bestowed the high-priesthood upon Matthias. Nor was it long before Marcus succeeded Petronius as president of Syria.

CHAP. VII.

Concerning Silas, and on what account it was that King Agrippa was angry at him. How Agrippa began to encompass Jerusalem with a wall; and what benefits he bestowed on the inhabitants of Berytus.

§ 1. Now Silas, the general of the king's horse, because

he had been faithful to him under all his misfortunes, and had never refused to be a partaker with him in any of his dangers, but had oftentimes undergone the most hazardous dangers for him, was full of assurance, and thought he might expect a sort of equality with the king, on account of the firmness of the friendship he had shewed to him. Accordingly, he would no where let the king sit as his superior, and took the like liberty in speaking to him upon all occasions; till he became troublesome to the king, when they were merry together, extolling himself beyond measure, and often putting the king in mind of the severity of fortune he had undergone, that he might, by way of ostentation, demonstrate what zeal he had shewed in his service; and was continually harping upon this string, what pains he had taken for him, and much enlarged still upon that subject. The repetition of this so frequently seemed to reproach the king, insomuch that he took this ungovernable liberty of talking very ill at his hands. For the commemoration of times, when men have been under ignominy, is by no means agreeable to them; and he is a very silly man, who is perpetually relating to a person what kindnesses he hath done him. At last, therefore, Silas had so thoroughly provoked the king's indignation, that he acted rather out of passion than good consideration, and did not only turn Silas out of his place, as general of his horse, but sent him in bonds into his own country. But the edge of his anger wore off by length of time, and made room for more just reasonings as to his judgment about this man, and he considered how many labours he had undergone for his sake. So when Agrippa was solemnizing his birth-day, and he gave festival entertainments to all his subjects, he sent for Silas on the sudden to be his guest. But, as he was a very frank man, he thought he had now a just handle given him to be angry; which he could not conceal from those that came for him, but said to them, "What honour is this the king invites me to, which

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"I conclude will soon be over? For the king hath not let "me keep those original marks of the good-will I bore him, "which I once had from him; but he hath plundered me, and "that unjustly also. Does he think, that I can leave off that "liberty of speech, which, upon the consciousness of my deserts, I shall use more loudly than before, and shall relate "how many misfortunes I have delivered him from? how "many labours I have undergone for him, whereby I procur"ed him deliverance and respect? as a reward for which I "have borne the hardships of bonds, and a dark prison. I "shall never forget this usage. Nay, perhaps, my very soul "when it is departed out of the body, will not forget the "glorious actions I did on his account." This was the clamour he made, and he ordered the messengers to tell it to the king. So he perceived that Silas was incurable in his folly, and still suffered him to lie in prison.

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2. As for the walls of Jerusalem, that were adjoining to the new city [Bezetha], he repaired them at the expence of the public, and built them wider in breadth, and higher in altitude; and he had made them too strong for all human power to demolish, unless Marcus, the then president of Syria, had by letter informed Claudius Cæsar of what he was doing. And, when Claudius had some suspicion of attempts for innovation, he sent to Agrippa to leave off the building of those walls presently. So he obeyed, as not thinking it proper to contradict Claudius.

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3. Now this king was by nature very beneficent, and liberal in his gifts, and very ambitious to oblige people with such large donations; and he made himself very illustrious by the many chargeable presents he made them. He took delight in giving, and rejoiced in living with good reputation. was not at all like that Herod who reigned before him; for that Herod was ill-natured, and severe in his punishments, and had no mercy on them that he hated; and every one perceived, that he was more friendly to the Greeks than to the Jews; for he adorned foreign cities with large presents in money; with building them baths and theatres besides; nay, in some of those places, he erected temples, and porticoes in others; but he did not vouchsafe to raise one of the least edifices in any Jewish city, or make them any donation that was worth mentioning. But Agrippa's temper was mild, and equally liberal to all men. He was humane to foreigners, and made them sensible of his liberality. He was in like manner rather of a gentle and compassionate temper. Accordingly he loved to live continually at Jerusalem, and was exactly careful in the observance of the laws of his country. He therefore kept himself entirely pure; nor did any day pass over his head without its appointed sacrifice.

4. However, there was a certain man of the Jewish nation at Jerusalem, who appeared to be very accurate in the knowledge of the law. His name was Simon. This man got together an assembly, while the king was absent at Cesarea, and had the insolence to accuse him as not living holily, and that he might justly be excluded out of the temple, since it belonged only to native Jews. But the general of Agrippa's army informed him, that Simon had made such a speech to the people. So the king sent for him; and, as he was then sitting in the theatre, he bid him sit down by him, and said to him with a low and gentle voice, "What is there done in this "place that is contrary to the law?" But he had nothing to say for himself, but begged his pardon. So the king was more easily reconciled to him than one could have imagined, as esteeming mildness a better quality in a king than anger, and knowing that moderation is more becoming in great men than passion. So he made Simon a small present, and dismissed him.

5. Now, as Agrippa was a great builder in many places, he paid a peculiar regard to the people of Berytus; for he erected a theatre for them, superior to many other of that sort, both in sumptuousness and elegance, as also an amphitheatre, built at vast expences; and, besides these, he built them baths and porticoes, and spared for no costs in any of his edifices, to render them both handsome and large. He also spent a great deal upon their dedication, and exhibited shows upon them, and brought thither musicians of all sorts, and such as made the most delightful music of the greatest variety. He also shewed his magnificence upon the theatre, in his great number of gladiators; and there it was that he exhibited the several antagonists, in order to please the spectators; no fewer indeed than seven hundred men to fight with seven hundred other men ;* and allotted all the malefactors he had for this exercise, that both the malefactors might receive their punishment, and that this operation of war might be a recreation in peace. And thus were these criminals all destroyed at once.

CHAP. VIII.

What other acts were done by Agrippa until his death; and after what manner he died.

$ 1. WHEN Agrippa had finished what I have above related at Berytus, he removed to Tiberias, a city of Galilee.

A strange number of condemned criminals to be under the sentence of death at once; no fewer, it seems, than 1400.