66 "of fortune. But if we should submit to thee, we should be greatly reproached for our cowardice, as thereby shewing "ourselves ready to transgress our law; and we should incur "the great anger of God also, who, even thyself being judge, "is superior to Caius.” 3. When Petronius saw by their words that their determination was hard to be removed, and that without a war, he should not be able to be subservient to Caius in the dedication of his statue, and that there must be a great deal of blood shed, he took his friends, and the servants that were about him, and hasted to Tiberias, as wanting to know in what posture the affairs of the Jews were; and many ten thousands of the Jews met Petronius again, when he was come to Tiberias. These thought they must run a mighty hazard if they should have a war with the Romans, but judged that the transgression of the law was of much greater consequence, and made supplication to him, that he would by no means reduce them to such distresses, nor defile their city with the dedication of the statue. Then Petronius said to them, "Will you then make war with Cæsar, without considering "his great preparations for war, and your own weakness?" They replied, "We will not by any means make war with "him, but still we will die before we see our laws transgress"ed." So they threw themselves down upon their faces, and stretched out their throats, and said they were ready to be slain; and this they did for forty days together, and in the mean time left off the tilling of their ground, and that while the season** of the year required them to sow it. Thus they continued firm in their resolution, and proposed to themselves to die willingly, rather than to see the dedication of the statue. 4. When matters were in this state, Aristobulus, king Salem Agrippa's brother, and Helcias the Great, and the other principal men of that family with them, went in unto Petronius, and besought him, That "since he saw the resolution of the "multitude, he would not make any alteration, and thereby "drive them to despair; but would write to Caius, that the "Jews had an insuperable averseness to the reception of the statue, and how they continued with him, and left off the tillage of their ground; that they were not willing to go to war with him, because they were not able to do it, but were ready to die with pleasure, rather than suffer their laws 66 *What Josephus here, and sect. 6. relates as done by the Jews before seedtime, is, in Philo, not far off the time when the corn was ripe, who, as Le Clerc notes, differ here one from the other. This is another indication that Josephus, when he wrote this account, had not seen Philo's Legat, ad Caium, otherwise he would hardly have herein differed from him "to be transgressed: and how, upon the lands continuing unsown, robberies would grow up, on the inability they "would be under of paying their tributes; and that perhaps "Caius might be thereby moved to pity, and not order any "barbarous action to be done to them, nor think of destroy"ing the nation: that if he continues inflexible in his former "opinion to bring a war upon them, he may then set about "it himself." And thus did Aristobulus, and the rest with him, supplicate Petronius. So Petronius,* partly on account of the pressing instances which Aristobulus and the rest with him made, and because of the great consequence of what they desired, and the earnestness wherewith they made their supplication; partly on account of the firmness of the opposition made by the Jews, which he saw, while he thought it an horrible thing for him to be such a slave to the madness of Caius, as to slay so many ten thousand men, only because of their religious disposition towards God, and after that to pass his life in expectation of punishment; Petronius, 1 say, thought it much better to send to Caius and to let him know how intolerable it was to him to bear the anger he might have against him for not serving him sooner, in obedience to his epistle, for that perhaps he might persuade him; and that if his mad resolution continued, he might then begin the war against them; nay, that in case he should turn his hatred against himself, it was fit for virtuous persons even to die for the sake of such vast multitudes of men. Accordingly he determined to hearken to the petitioners in this matter. 5. He then called the Jews together to Tiberias, who came, many ten thousands in number; he also placed that army he now had with him opposite to them; but did not discover his own meaning, but the commands of the emperor, and told them, That his wrath would without delay be executed on "such as had the courage to disobey what he had command"ed, and this immediately; and that it was fit for him, who "had obtained so great a dignity by his grant, not to contra"dict him in any thing: yet," said he, "I do not think it just to have such a regard to my own safety and honour, "as to refuse to sacrifice them for your preservation, who are "so many in number, and endeavour to preserve the regard "that is due to your law, which, as it hath come down to 66 you from your forefathers, so do you esteem it worthy of This Publius Petronius was after this still president of Syria, under Claudius, and, at the desire of Agrippa, published a severe decree against the inhabitants of Dora, who, in a sort of imitation of Caius, had set up a statue of Claudius in a Jewish synagogue there. This decree is extant, B. XIX, ch. vi. sect. 3. Vol. III. and greatly confirms the present accounts of Josephus, as to the other decrees of Claudius, relating to the like Jewish affairs, B. XIX. ch, v. sect. 2, 3. Vol. III. to which I refer the inquisitive reader. 66 66 your utmost contention to preserve it: nor, with the supreme assistance and power of God, will I be so hardy as "to suffer your temple to fall into contempt by the means of "the imperial authority. I will therefore send to Caius, and "let him know what your resolutions are, and will assist your "suit as far as I am able, that you may not be exposed to "suffer on account of the honest designs you have proposed "to yourselves; and may God be our assistant, for his authority is beyond all the contrivance and power of men; "and may he procure you the preservation of your ancient "laws, and may not he be deprived, though without your consent, of his accustomed honours. But if Caius be irri"tated, and turn the violence of his rage upon me, I will ra"ther undergo all that danger and that affliction that may come either on my body or my soul, than see so many of you to perish, while you are acting in so excellent a man66 ner. Do you therefore, every one of you, go your way "about your own occupations, and fall to the cultivation of your ground: I will myself send to Rome, and will not re"fuse to serve you in all things, both by myself and by my 66 66 66 "friends." 6. When Petronius had said this, and had dismissed the assembly of the Jews, he desired the principal of them to take care of their husbandry, and to speak kindly to the people, and encourage them to have good hope of their affairs. Thus did he readily bring the multitude to be cheerful again. And now did God shew his presence* to Petronius, and signify to him, that he would afford him his assistance in his whole design; for he had no sooner finished the speech that he made to the Jews, but God sent down great showers of rain, contrary to human expectation; for that day was a clear day, and gave no sign, by the appearance of the sky, of any rain; nay the whole year had been subject to a great drought, and made men despair of any water from above, even when at any time they saw the heavens over-cast with clouds; insomuch that when such a great quantity of rain came, and that in an unusual manner, and without any other expectation of it, the Jews hoped that Petronius would by no means fail in his petition for them. But as to Petronius, he was mightily surprised when he perceived that God evidently took care of *Josephus here uses the solema New Testament words, rapяola, and payed, the presence and appearance of God, for the extraordinary manifestation of his power and providence to Petronius, by sending rain in a time of distress, immediately upon the resolution he had taken to preserve the temple unpolluted, at the hazard of his own life, without any other miraculous appearance at all in that case; which well deserves to be taken notice of here, and greatly illustrates several texts, both in the Old and New Testament. Book XVIII. the Jews, and gave very plain signs of his appearance, * and this to such a degree, that those that were in earnest much inclined to the contrary, had no power left to contradict it. This was also among those other particulars which he wrote to Caius, which all tended to dissuade him, and by all means to entreat him not to make so many ten thousands of these men go distracted; whom if he should slay, (for without war they would by no means suffer the laws of their worship to be set aside, he would lose the revenue they paid him, and would be publicly cursed by them for all future ages. Moreover, that God, who was their governor, had shewed his power most evidently on their account, and that such a power of his as left no room for doubt about it. And this was the business that Petronius was now engaged in. 7. But king Agrippa, who now lived at Rome, was more and more in the favour of Caius; and when he had once made him a supper, and was careful to exceed all others both in expences, and in such preparations as might contribute most to his pleasure; nay, it was so far from the ability of others, that Caius himself could never equal, much less exceed it, (such care had he taken beforehand to exceed all men, and particularly to make all agreeable to Cæsar): hereupon Caius admired his understanding and magnificence, that he should force himself to do all to please him, even beyond such expences as he could bear, and was desirous not to be behind Agrippa in that generosity, which he exerted in order to please him. So Caius, when he had drank wine plentifully, and was merrier than ordinary, said thus during the feast, when Agrippa had drunk to him: "I knew before now † how great a respect thou hast had for me, and how great kindness thou hast shewed me, though with those hazards to thyself, which thou underwentest under Tiberius on that account; nor hast thou omitted any thing to shew thy "good-will towards us, even beyond thy ability; whence it "would be a base thing for me to be conquered by thy affec"tion. I am therefore desirous to make thee amends for every "thing, in which I have been any way formerly deficient, for "all that I have bestowed on thee, that may be called my gifts, is but little. Every thing that may contribute to thy "happiness shall be at thy service, and that cheerfully, and so far as my ability will reach." And this was what Caius said to Agrippa, thinking he would ask for some large country, or the revenues of certain cities. But although he had prepared beforehand what he would ask, yet had he not dis * See the preceding note. + This behaviour of Caius to Agrippa, is very like that of Herod Antipas, his uncle, to Herodias, Agrippa's sister, about John the Baptist, Mat, xiv. 6-11. 46 covered his intentions, but made this answer to Caius immediately: That" it was not out of any expectation of gain "that he formerly paid his respects to him, contrary to the "commands of Tiberius, nor did he now do any thing relat"ing to him out of regard to his own advantage, and in or"der to receive any thing from him: that the gifts he had "already bestowed upon him were great, and beyond the "hopes of even a craving man; for although they may "beneath thy power, [who art the donor], yet are they greater than my inclination and dignity, who am the re"ceiver." And as Caius was astonished at Agrippa's inclinations, and still the more pressed him to make his request for somewhat which he might gratify him with, Agrippa replied, "Since thou, O my lord, declarest such is thy readi"ness to grant, that I am worthy of thy gifts, I will ask no"thing relating to my own felicity; for what thou hast al"ready bestowed on me has made me excel therein; but I "desire somewhat which may make thee glorious for piety, "and render the divinity assistant to thy designs, and may be "for an honour to me among those that enquire about it, as "shewing that I never once fail of obtaining what I desire of "thee; for my petition is this, That thou wilt no longer "think of the dedication of that statue which thou hast or"dered to be set up in the Jewish temple by Petronius." 8. And thus did Agrippa venture to cast the die upon this occasion, so great was the affair in his opinion, and in reality, though he knew how dangerous a thing it was so to speak; for, had not Caius approved of it, it had tended to no less than the loss of his life. So Caius, who was mightily taken with Agrippa's obliging behaviour, and on other accounts thinking it a dishonourable thing to be guilty of falsehood before so many witnesses, in points wherein he had with such alacrity forced Agrippa to become a petitioner, and that it would look as if he had already repented of what he had said, and because he greatly admired Agrippa's virtue, in not desiring him at all to augment his own dominions either with larger revenues, or other authority, but took care of the public tranquillity, of the laws, and of the Divinity itself, he granted him what he had requested. He also wrote thus to Petronjus, "commending him for his assembling his army, and then "consulting him about those affairs. If therefore, said he, "thou hast already erected my statue, let it stand; but if "thou hast not yet dedicated it, do not trouble thyself far"ther about it, but dismiss thy army, go back, and take care of those affairs which I sent thee about at first, for I "have now no occasion for the erection of that statue. Thus "I have granted as a favour to Agrippa, a man whom I ho VOL. III. G |