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maritime parts were full of dead bodies, for the Romans came upon thofe that were carried to the fhore, and deftroyed them; and the number of the bodies that were thus thrown out of the fea was four thousand and two hundred. The Romans alfo took the city without oppofition, and utterly demolifhed it.

4. And thus was Joppa taken twice by the Romans in a little time; but Vefpafian, in order to prevent thefe pirates from coming thither any more, erected a camp there, where the citadel of Joppa had been, and left a body of horfe in it, with a few tootmen, that these laft might ftay there and guard the camp, and the horfemen might spoil the country that lay round it, and might deftroy the neighbouring villages, and smaller cities. So these troops over-ran the country, as they were ordered to do, and every day cut to pieces, and laid defolate the whole region.

5. But now, when the fate of Jotapata was related at Jerufalem, a great many at the firft disbelieved it, on account of the vaftnefs of the calamity, and because they had no eyewitnefs to atteft the truth of what was related about it; for not one perfon was faved to be a meffenger of that news, but a tame was spread abroad at random that the city was taken, as fuch fame ufually fpread bad news about. However, the truth was known by degrees, from the places near Jotapata, and appeared to all to be too true. Yet were there fiaitious ftories added to what was really done; for it was reported that Jofephus was flain at the taking of the city, which piece of news filled Jerufalem full of forrow. In every houfe alfo, and among all to whom any of the flain were allied, there was a lamentation for them; but the mourning for the commander was a public one, and fome mourned for thofe that had lived with them, others for their kindred, others for their friends, and others for their brethren, but all mourned for Jofephus; infomuch that the lamentations did not ceafe in the city before the thirtieth day, and a great many hired* mourners, with their pipes, who fhould begin the melancholy ditties for them. 6. But as the truth came out in time, it appeared how the affairs of Jotapata really flood; yet was it found that the death of Jofephus was a fiction; and when they understood that he was alive, and was among the Romans, and that the commanders treated him at another rate than they treated captives, they were as vehemently angry at him now, as they had fhewed their good will before, when he appeared to have been dead. He was alfo abufed by fome as having been a coward, and by others as a deferter; and the city was full of indignation at him, and of reproaches caft upon him; their rage was also

*These public mourners, hired upon the fuppofed death of jolephus, and the real death of many more, illustra e fome paffages in the Bible, which fuppofe the me custom, as Mat. xi, 17, where the reader may confult the notes of Grotius.

aggravated by their afflictions, and more inflamed by their ilk fuccefs; and what usually becomes an occafion of caution to wife men, I mean affliction, became a fpur to them to venture on farther calamities, and the end of one mifery became ftill the beginning of another; they therefore refolved to fall on the Romans the more vehemently, as refolving to be revenged on him in revenging themselves on the Romans. And this was the state of Jerufalem as to the troubles which now came upon it.

7. But Vefpafian, in order to see the kingdom of Agrippa, while the king perfuaded himself so to do, (partly in order to his treating the general and his army in the beft and moft fplendid manner his private affairs would enable him to do, and partly that he might, by their means correct fuch things as were amifs in his government), he removed from that Cefarea which was by the fea fide, and went to that which is called * Cefarea Philippi; and there he refreshed his army for twenty days, and was himself feafted by king Agrippa, where he also returned public thanks to God for the good fuccefs he had had in his undertakings. But as foon as he was informed that Tiberias was fond of innovations, and that Tarichea had revolted, both which cities were parts of the kingdom of Agrip pa, and was satisfied within himself that the Jews were every where perverted [from their obedience to their governors], he thought it feasonable to make an expedition against thefe cities, and that for the fake of Agrippa, and in order to bring his cities to reafon. So he fent away his fon Titus to [the other] Cefarea, that he might bring the army that lay there to Scy thopolis, which is the largest city of Decapolis, and in the neighborhood of Tiberias whither he came, and there he waited for his fon. He then came with three legions, and pitched his camp thirty furlongs off Tiberias, at a certain ftation eafily feen by the innovators, it is named Sennabris. He allo fent Valerian, a decurion, with fifty horfemen, to speak peaceably to thofe that were in the city, and to exhort them to give him affurances of their fidelity; for he had heard that the people were defirous of peace, but were obliged by fome of the feditious part to join with them, and fo were forced to fight for them. When Valerian had marched up to the place, and was near the wall, he alighted off his horfe, and made thofe that were with him do the fame, that they might not be thought to come to fkirmish with them; but before they could come to a discourse one with another, the most potent men among the feditious made a fally upon them armed, their leader was one whose name was Jefus, the fon of Saphat, the principal head of a band of robbers. Now Valerian, neither thinking it fafe to fight contrary to the commands of the general, though

Of this Cefarea Philippi (twice mentioned in our New Teftament, Matt. xvi. 13. Mark viii, 27.) there are coins fill extant, as Spanheim here informs us.

He were fecure of a victory, and knowing that it was a very hazardous undertaking for a few to fight with many, for those that were unprovided to fight thofe that were ready, and being on other accounts furprised at this unexpected onfet of the Jews, he run away on foot, as did five of the rest in like manner, and left their horfes behind them; which horfes Jefus led away into the city, and rejoiced as if they had taken them in battle, and not by treachery.

8. Now the feniors of the people, and fuch as were of principal authority among them, fearing what would be the iffue of this matter, fled to the camp of the Romans: They then took their king along with them, and fell down before Vespafian, to fupplicate his favour, and befought him not to overlook them, nor to impute the madness of a few to the whole city, to fpare a people that have been ever civil and obliging to the Romans; but to bring the authors of this revolt to due punishment, who had hitherto fo watched them, that though they were zealous to give them the fecurity of their right hands for a long time, yet could they not accomplish the fame. With thefe fupplications the general complied, although he were very angry at the whole city about the carrying off his horfes, and this because he faw that Agrippa was under a great concern for them. So when Vefpafian and Agrippa had accepted of their right hands by way of fecurity, Jefus and his party thought it not fafe for them to continue at Tiberias, fo they ran away to Taricheæ. The next day Vefpafian fent Trajan before with fome horsemen to the citadel, to make trial of the multitude, whether they were all difpofed for peace; and as foon as he knew that the people were of the fame mind with the petitioner he took his army, and went to the city; upon which the citizens opened to him their gates, and met him with acclamations of joy, and called him their faviour and benefactor. But as the army was a great while in getting in at the gates they were fo narrow, Vefpafian commanded the fouth wall to be broken down, and fo made a broad paffage for their entrance. However, he charged them to abftain from rapine and injuftice, in order to gratify the king; and on his account fpared the reft of the wall, while the king undertook for them that they fhould continue [faithful to the Romans] for the time to come, And thus did he reftore this city to a quiet ftate, after it had been grievously afflicted by the feditious.

СНАР. Х.

How Tarichea was taken. A Defcription of the River Jordan, and of the Country of Gennefareth.

AND now Vefpafian pitched his camp between this city and Taricheæ, but fortified his camp more ftrongly, as fufpecting that he should be forced to stay there, and have a long war; for all the innovators had gotten together at Taricheæ, as relying upon the ftrength of the city and on the lake that lay by it. This lake is called by the people of the country the lake of Gennefareth. The city itfelf is fituated like Tiberias at the bottom of a mountain, and on those fides which are not washed by the fea, had been ftrongly fortified by Jofephus, though not fo ftrongly as Tiberias: for the wall of Tiberias had been built at the beginning of the Jews revolt, when he had great plenty of money, and great power, but Taricheæ partook only the remains of that liberality. Yet had they a great number of fhips gotten ready upon the lake, that, in cafe they were beaten at land. they might retire to them, and they were fo fitted up, that they might undertake a feafight allo. But as the Romans were building a wall about their camp, Jefus and his party were neither affrighted at their number, nor at the good order they were in, but made a fally upon them, and at the very firft onset the builders of the wall were difperfed, and thefe pulled what little they had before built to pieces; but as foon as they faw the armed men getting together, and before they had fuffered any thing themfelves they retired to their own men. But then the Romans pursued them, and drove them into their fhips, where they launched out as far as might give them the opportunity of reaching the Romans with what they threw at them, and then caft anchor, and brought their ships clofe, as in a line of battle, and thence fought the enemy from the fea, who were themfelves at land. But Vefpafian hearing that a great multitude of them were gotten together in the plain that was before the city, he thereupon fent his fon, with fix hundred chofen horfemen to disperse them.

2. But when Titus perceived that the enemy was very numerous, he fent to his father, and informed him, that he fhould want more forces. But as he law a great many of the horsemen eager to fight, and that before any fuccours could come to them, and that yet fome of them were privately under a fort of confternation at the multitude of the Jews, he flood in a place whence he might be heard, and faid to them, "My brave Romans! for it is right for me to put you in mind of what nation you are, in the beginning of my fpeech, that fo you may not be ignorant who you are, and who they are against whom VOL. III. Ff

we are going to fight. For as to us, Romans, no part of the habitable earth hath been able to efcape our hands hitherto; but as for the Jews, that I may fpeak of them too, though they have been already beaten, yet do they not give up the caufe; and a fad thing it would be for us to grow weary under good fuccefs, when they bear up under their misfortunes. As to the alacrity which you fhew publicly, I fee it, and rejoice at it; yet am I afraid left the multitude of the enemy fhould bring a concealed fright upon fome of you: Let fuch an one confider again, who we are that are to fight; and who thofe are against whom we are to fight. Now thefe Jews, though they be very bold, and great defpifers of death, are but a diforderly body, and unfkilful in war, and may rather be called a rout than an army; while I need fay nothing of our fkill and our good order; for this is the reafon why we Romans alone are exercifed for war in time of peace, that we may not think of number for number, when we come to fight with our enemies: For what advantage fhould we reap for our continual fort of warfare, if we must still be equal in number to fuch as have not been used to war? Confider farther, that you are to have a conflict with men in effect unarmed, while you are well armed; with footmen, while you are horsemen; with thofe that have no good general, while you have one : And as these advantages make you in effect manifold more than you are, fo do their advantages mightily diminifh their number. Now it is not the multitude of men, though they be foldiers, that manages wars with fuccefs, but it is their bravery that does it, though they be but a few; for a few are eafily fet in battle array, and can easily affift one another, while over numerous armies are more hurt by themselves than by their enemies. It is boldnefs and rafhnefs, the effects of madness, that conduct the Jews. Thofe paffions indeed make a great figure when they fucceed, but are quite extinguifhed upon the leaft ill fuccefs: But we are led on by courage. and obedience, and fortitude, which fhews itself indeed in our good fortune, but ftill does not for ever defert us in our ill fortune. Nay, indeed, your fighting is to be on greater motives than thofe of the Jews; for although they run the hazard of war for liberty, and for their country, yet what can be a greater motive to us than glory? and that it may never be faid, that after we have got dominion of the habitable earth, the Jews are able to confront us. We muft alfo reflect upon this, that there is no fear of our fuffering any incurable difafter in the prefent cafe; for those that are ready to aflift us are many, and at hand alfo: Yet is it in our power to seize upon this victory ourselves, and I think we ought to prevent the coming of thofe my father is fending to us for our affiftance, that our fuccefs may be peculiar to our felves, and of greater reputation to us. And I cannot but think this an opportunity wherein my father, and I, and you shall be all

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