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THE

LIFE OF FLAVIUS JOSEPHUS.

1. THE family from which I am derived is not | an ignoble one, but hath descended all along from the priests; and as nobility among several people is of a different origin, so, with us, to be of the sacerdotal dignity, is an indication of the splendor of a family. Now, I am not only sprung from a sacerdotal family in general, but from the first of the twenty-four courses; and as among us there is not only a considerable difference between one family of each course and another, I am of the chief family of that first course also; nay, farther, by my mother I am of the royal blood; for the children of Asamoneus, from whom that family was derived, had both the office of the high priesthood, and the dignity of a king, for a long time together. I will accordingly set down my progenitors in order. My grandfather's father was named Simon, with the addition of Psellus: he lived at the same time with that son of Simon the high priest, who, first of all the high priests, was named Hyrcanus. This Simon Psellus had nine sons, one of whom was Matthias, called Ephlias; he married the daughter of Jonathan the high priest, which Jonathan was the first of the sons of Asamoneus, who was high priest, and was the brother of Simon the high priest also. This Matthias had a son called Matthias Curtus, and that in the first year of the government of Hyrcanus; his son's name was Joseph, born in the ninth year of the reign of Alexandra; his son Matthias was born in the tenth year of the reign of Archelaus; as was I born to Matthias on the first year of the reign of Caius Cæsar. I have three sons: Hyrcanus, the eldest, was born on the fourth year of the reign of Vespasian; as was Justus born on the seventh, and Agrippa on the ninth. Thus have I set down the genealogy of my family, as I have found it described in the public records, and so bid adieu to those who calumniate me, [as of a lower original.]

2. Now my father Matthias was not only eminent on account of his nobility, but had a higher commendation on account of his righteousness, and was in great reputation in Jerusalem, the greatest city we have. I was myself brought up with my brother, whose name was Matthias, for he was my own brother, by both father and mo

ther; and I made mighty proficiency in the m
provements of my learning, and appeared te
have both a great memory and understanding
Morecer, when I was a child, and about four-
teen years of age, I was commended by all for
the love I had to learning; on which account the
high priests and principal men of the city came
then frequently to me together, in order to know
my opinion about the accurate understanding of
points of the law. And when I was about six-
teen years old, I had a mind to make trial of the
several sects that were among us. These sects
are three; the first is that of the Pharisees, the
second that of the Sadducees, and the third that *
of the Essens, as we have frequently told you,
for I thought that by this means I might choose
the best, if I were once acquainted with them
all; so I contented myself with hard fare, and
underwent great difficulties, and went through
them all. Nor did I content myself with these
trials only; but when I was informed that one
whose name was Banus, lived in the desert, who
used no other clothing than grew upon trees, and
had no other food than what grew of its own ac
cord, and bathed himself in cold water frequent-
ly, both by night and by day, in order to preserve
his chastity, I imitated him in those things, and
continued with him for three years. So when I
had accomplished my desires, I returned back to
the city, being now nineteen years old, and began
to conduct myself according to the rules of the
sect of the Pharisees, which is of kin to the sect
of the Stoics, as the Greeks call them.

3. But when I was in the twenty-sixth year of my age, it happened that I took a voyage to Rome, and this on the occasion which I shall now describe. At the time when Felix was procurator of Judea, there were certain priests of my acquaintance, and very excellent persons they were whom on a small and trilling occa. sion he had put into bonds, and sent to Rome to plead their cause before Cæsar. These I was desirous to procure deliverance for, and that especially because I was informed that they were not unmindful of piety towards God even under their afflictions, but supported themselves with figs and nuts. Accordingly I came to Rome *We may hence correct the error of the Latin copy teen, or for three years, he made trial of the three of the second book against Apion, sect. 7, 8. (for the Jewish sects, the Pharisees, the Sadducees, and the EsGreek is there lost) which says there were then only sens, and ye says presently, in all our copies, that he four tribes or courses of the priests, instead of twenty-stayed besia-s with one particular ascetic, called Banus, four.-Nor is this testimony to be disregarded, as if Jo- Tap UT, with him, and this still before he was ninesephus there contradicted what he had affirmed here, teen, there is little room left for his trial of three other because even the account there given, better agrees to sects I suppose, therefore, that for ap uw, with him, twenty-four than to four courses, while he says that the old reading might be ap avro with them, which each of these courses contained above 5000 men, which is a very small emendation, and takes away the difficuimultiplied by only four, will make not more than 20,000 ty before us. Nor is Dr. Hudson's conjecture, hinted at priests; whereas the number 120,000, as multiplied by by Mr. Hall in his preface to the doctor's edition of Jo24, seems much the most probable, they being about sephus, at all improbable, that this Banus, by this his one tenth of the whole people, even after the captivity. description, might well be a follower of John the Bap See Ezra ii. 36-39. Neh. vii. 39-42. 1 Esd. v. 24, 25. tist, and 'hat from him Josephus might easily imbibe with Ezra ii. 64. Neh. vii. 66. 1. Esd. v. 41. Nor will such not ns, as afterward prepared him to have a fa this common reading or notion of but four courses of vorable opinion about Jesus Christ himself, who was priests, agree with Josephus's own farther assertion attested to by John the Baptist. elsewhere. Antiq. b. vii. ch. xiv. sect. 7. that David's partition of the priests into twenty-four courses had continued to that day.

An eminent example of the care of the Jews about their genealogies, especially as to the priests. See Cont. Ap. b. i. ch. 7.

We may note here, that religious men among the Jews, or at least those that were priests were sometimes ascetics also, and, like Daniel and his companions in Babylon, Dan. i. 8-16. ate no flesh, but figs and nuts, &c. only. This was like the payiz, or austere diets, of the Christian ascetics in Passion week.

When Josephus here says, that from sixteen to nine-stit. v. 18.

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though it were through a great number of hacards by sea; for, as our ship was drowned in the Adriatic sea, we that were in it, being about six hundred in number, * swam for our lives al he night; when, upon the first appearance of the day, and upon our sight of a ship of Cyrene, I and some others, eighty in all, by God's providence prevented the rest, and were taken up into ne other ship. And when I had thus escaped, and was come to Dicearchia, which the Italians calt Puteoli, I became acquainted with Aliturius, an actor of plays, and much beloved by Nero, but a Jew by birth; through his interest became known to Poppea, Caesar's wife, and took care as noon as possible to entreat her to procure, that the priests might be set at liberty. And when, besides this favor, I had obtained many presents from Poppea, I returned home again.

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the Syrians. But what was done by the inhabi tants of Scythopolis was the most impious and highly criminal of all; † for, when the Jews, their enemies, came upon them from without, they forced the Jews that were among them to bear arms against their own countrymen, which it is unlawful for us to do: and when by their assistance they had joined battle with those that attacked them, and had beaten them, after that victory they forgot the assurances they had given these their fellow-citizens and confederates, and slew them all, being in number many ten thou sands [13,000.] The like miseries were unde: gone by those Jews that were the inhabitants f Damascus. But we have given a more accurate account of these things in the books of the Jew. ish war. I only mention them now, because I would demonstrate to my readers, that the Jews 4. And now I perceived innovations were al-war with the Romans was not voluntary, but ready begun, and that there were a great many that, for the main, they were forced by necessity very much elevated, in hopes of a revolt from the to enter into it. Romans. I therefore endeavored to put a stop to these tumultuous persons, and persuaded them to change their minds; and laid before their eyes against whom it was that they were going to fight, and told them that they were inferior to the Romans not only in martial skill, but also in good ortune; and desired them not rashly, and after the most foolish manner, to bring on the dangers of the most terrible mischiefs upon their country, upon their families, and upon themselves. And this I said with vehement exhortation, because I foresaw that the end of such a war would be most unfortunate to us. But I could not persuade them, for the madness of desperate men was quite too hard for me.

5. I was then afraid, lest by inculcating these things so often, I should incur their hatred and their suspicions, as if I were of our enemies' party, and should run into the danger of being seized by them, and slain; since they were already possessed of Antonia, which was the citadel; so I retired into the inner court of the temple. Yet did I go out of the temple again, after Manahem and the principal of the band of robbers were put to death, when I abode among the high priests and the chief of the Pharisees. But no small fear seized upon us when we saw the people in arms, while we ourselves knew not what we should do, and were not able to restrain their seditions. However, as the danger was directly upon us, we pretended that we were of the same opinion with them, but only advised them to be quiet for the present, and to let the enemy go away, still hoping that Gessius [Florus] would not be long ere he came, and that with great forces and so put an end to these seditious proceedings.

7. So when Gessius had been beaten, as we have said already, the principal men of Jerusalem, seeing that the robbers and innovators had arms in great plenty, and fearing lest they, while they were unprovided with arms, should be in subjection to their enemies, which also came to be the case afterward; and, being informed that all Galilee had not yet revolted from the Romans, but that some part of it was still quiet, they sent me and two others of the priests, who were me 1 of excellent characters, Joazar and Judas, in or der to persuade the ill men there to lay down their arms, and to teach them this lesson, that it were better to have those arms reserved for the most courageous men that the nation had, [than to be kept there;] for that it had been resolved, that those our best men should always have their arms ready against futurity, but stil so, that they should wait to see what the Romans would do.

8. When I had therefore received these instructions, I came into Galilee, and found the people of Sepphoris in no small agony about their country, by reason that the Galileans had resol ved to plunder it, on account of the friendship they had with the Romans, and because they had given their right hand, and made a league with Cestius Gallus, the president of Syria.But I delivered them all out of the fear they were in, and persuaded the multitude to deal kindly with them, and permitted them to send to those that were their own hostages with Gessius to Dora, which is a city of Phenicia, as often as they pleased; though I still found the inhabitants of Tiberias ready to take arms, and that on the occasion following:

9. There were three factions in this city. The first was composed of men of worth and gravity; 6. But, upon his coming and fighting, he was of these Julius Capellus was the head. Now he beaten, and a great many of those that were as well as all his companions, Herod the son of with him fell. And this disgrace [which Gessius Miarus, and Herod the son of Gamalus, and Compwith Cestius] received, became the calamity of sus the son of Compsus, (for as to Compsus' broour whole nation; for those that were fond of the ther Crispus, who had once been governor of the war were so far elevated with this success, that city under the great king, [Agrippa,] he was bethey had hopes of finally conquering the Ro-yond Jordan in his own possessions;) all these mans. Of which war another occasion was ministered, which was this: Those that dwelt in the neighboring cities of Syria seized upon such Jews as dwelt among them, with their wives and children, and slew them, when they had not the least occasion of complaint against them: for they did neither attempt any innovation or revolt from the Romans, nor had they given any marks of hatred or treacherous design towards

*It hath been thought the number of Paut and his companions on ship board, Arts. xxvii. 38. which are 276 in our copies, are too many; whereas we find here, that Josephus and his companions, a very few years after the other, were about 600.

See of the War b. ii, ch. xviii. sect. 3.

The Jews might collect this unlawtuiness of fighting against their brethren from that law of Moses, Lev. Tix. 16 Thou shalt not stand against the blood of thy

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persons before named gave their advice, that the city should then continue in their allegiance to the Romans, and to the king. But Pistus, who was guided by his son Justus, did not acquiesce in that resolution; otherwise he was himself naturally of a good and virtuous character. But the second faction was composed of the most ignoble persons, and was determined for war. But as for Justus, the son of listus, who was the head

neighbor;" and that, ver. 17. "Thou shalt not avenge, nor bear any grudge against the children of thy people but thou shalt love thy neighbor as thyself;" as well as from any other places in the Pentateuch and Prophets. See Antiq. b. viii. ch. viti, seet, 3.

That this Herod Agrippa, the father, was of old called a Great King as here, appears by coins still remaining; to which Havercamp refers us

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* pence even under Agrippa the father, but had * retained it, until Felix was procurator of Judea. But he told them, that now they had been so "unfortunate as to be made a present by Nero "to Agrippa junior; and that upon Sepphoris' 'submission of itself to the Romans, that was "become the capital city of Galilee, and that the royal treasury and the archives were now removed from them." When he had spoken these things, and a great many more against Agrippa, in order to provoke the people to a refolt, he added, That this was the time for them to take arms, and join with the Galileans as "their confederates, (whom they might com "mand, and who would now willingly assist "them, out of the hatred they bare to the peo"ple of Sepphoris, because they preserved their "fidelity to the Romans,) and to gather a great "number of forces in order to punish them."And, as he said this, he exhorted the multitude [to go to war:] for his abilities lay in making harangues to the people, and in being too hard in his speeches for such as opposed him, though they advised what was more to their advantage, and thus by his craftiness and his fallacies, for he was not unskilful in the learning of the Greeks, and in dependence on that skill it was, that he undertook to write a history of these affairs, as aining by this way of haranguing to disguise .he truth. But as to this man, and how ill were is character and conduct in life, and how he and his brother were, in a great measure, the auhors of our destruction, I shall give the reader an account in the progress of my narration. So vhea Justus had, by his persuasions, prevailed vith the citizens of Tiberias to take arms, nay, and had forced a great many so to do against their will, he went out, and set the villages that belonged to Gadara and Hippos on fire; which villages were situated on the borders of Tiberias, and of the region of Scythopolis.

at the third faction, although he pretended to be staid there four days, and fled away on the fifth doubtful about going to war, yet was he really having disguised himself with fictitious hair, that desirous of innovation, as supposing that he should he might not be discovered; and when he was gain power to himself by the change of affairs, come to one of the villages to him belonging, He therefore came into the midst of them, and but one that was situated at the borders of the endeavored to inform the multitude, That "the citadel of Gamala, he sent to some of those that "city of Tiberias had ever been a city of Gali- were under him, and commanded them to come "lee, and that in the days of Herod the tetrarch, to him. But God himself hindered that his inwho had built it, it had obtained the principal tentiou, and this for his own advantage also; for place, and that he had ordered that the city had it not so happened, he had certainly perishSepphoris should be subordinate to the city ed. For a fever having seized upon him imme "Tiberias; that they had not lost this pre-emi-diately, he wrote to Agrippa and Bernice, and gave them to one of his freed men to carry them to Varus, who at this time was procurator of the kingdom, which the king and, his sister had intrusted him withal, while they were gone to Berytus with an intention of meeting Gessius.When Varus had received these letters of Philip, and had learned that he was preserved, he was very uneasy at it, as supposing that he should appear useless to the king and his sister, now Philip was come. He therefore produced the carrier of the letters before the multitude, and accused him of forging the same; and said, that he spake falsely, when he related that Philip was at Jerusalem, fighting among the Jews against the Romans. So he slew him. And when the freed man of Philip did not return again, Philip was doubtful what should be the occasion of his stay, and sent a second messenger with letters, that he might, upon his return, inform him what had befallen the other that had been sent before, and why he tarried so long. Varus accused this messenger also, when he came, of telling a falsehood, and slew him. For he was puffed up by the Syrians that were at Cesarea, and had great expectations; for they said that Agrippa would be slain by the Romans for the crimes which the Jews had committed, and that he should himself take the government, as derived from their king: for Varus was, by the confession of all, of the royal family, as being a descendant of Sohemus, who had enjoyed a tetrarchy about Libanus; for which reason it was that he was puffed up, and kept the letters to himself. He contrived, also, that the king should not meet with those writings, by guarding all the passes, lest any one should escape, and inform the king what had been done. He moreover slew many of the Jews, in order to gratify the Syrians of Cesarea. He had a mind also to join with the Trachonites in Batanea, and to take up arms and make an assault upon the Babylonian Jews that were at Ec10. And this was the state Tiberias was now batana; for that was the name they went by.in. But as for Gischala, its affairs were thus: He therefore called to him twelve of the Jews When John, the son of Levi, saw some of his of Cesarea of the best character, and ordered citizens much elevated upon their revolt from them to go to Ecbatana, and inform their counthe Romans, he labored to restrain them, and trymen who dwelt there, that Varus hath heard, entreated them that they would keep their alle- that "you intend to march against the king; but, giance to them. But he could not gain his pur-"not believing that report, he hath sent us to pose, although he did his endeavors to the utmost: for the neighboring people of Gadara, Gabara, and Sogana, with the Tyrians, got together a great army, and fell upon Gischala, and took Gischala by force, and set it on fire; and when they had entirely demolished it, they returned home. Upon which John was so enraged, that he armed all his men, and joined battle with the people forementioned, and rebuilt Gischala after a manner better than before and fortified it with walls for its future security.

11. But Gamala persevered in its allegiance to the Romans, for the reason following: Philip the on of Jacimus, who was their governor under ting Agrippa, had been unexpectedly preserved when the royal palace at Jerusalem had been Jesieged; but as he fled away, had fallen into another danger, and that was, of being killed by Manahem, and the robbers that were with him; but certain Babylonians, who were of his kindred, and were then in Jerusalem, hindered the robbers from executing their design. So Philip

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persuade you to lay down your arms, and that "this compliance will be a sign that he did well "not to give credit to those that raised the report concerning you." He also enjoined them to send seventy of their principal men to make a defence for them as to the accusation laid against them. So when the twelve messengers came to their countrymen at Ecbatana, and found that they had no designs of innovation at all, they persuaded them to send the seventy men also; who not at all suspecting what would come, sen them accordingly. So these seventy went down to Cesarea, together with the twelve ambassadors, where Varus met them with the king's for ces, and slew them all, together with the [twelve] ambassadors, and made an expedition against the Jews of Ecbatana. But there was one of the seventy who escaped, and made haste to inform the Jews of their coming; upon which they took

*The famous Jewish numbers of Twelve and Seven ty are here remarkable.

their arms with their wives and children, and retired to the citadel at Gamala, leaving their own villages full of all sorts of good things, and having many ten thousands of cattle therein.When Philip was informed of these things, he also came to the citadel of Gamala; and when he was come, the multitude cried aloud, and desired him to resume the government, and to make an expedition against Varus, and the Syrians of Ce sarea; for it was reported that they had slain the king. But Philip restrained their zeal, and put them in mind of the benefits the king had bestowed upon them; and told them how powerful the Romans were, and said it was not for their advantage to make war with them; and at length he prevailed with them. But now, when the ing was acquainted with Varus's design, which was to cut off the Jews of Cesarea, being many ten thousands with their wives and children, and all in one day, he called to him Equiculus Modius, and sent him to be Varus's successor, as we have elsewhere related. But still Philip kept possession of the citadel of Gamala, and of the country adjoining to it, which thereby continued in their allegiance to the Romans.

12. Now, as soon as I was come into Galilee, and had learned this state of things by the information of such as told me of them, I wrote to the Sanhedrim, at Jerusalem about them, and required their direction what I should do. Their direction was, that I should continue there, and that. if my fellow-legates were willing, I should join with them in the care of Galilee. But those my fellow-legates, having gotten great riches from those tithes which as priests were their dues, ad were given to them, determined to return to their own country. Yet when I desired them to stay so long, that we might first settle the public affairs, they complied with me. So I removed, together with them, from the city of Sepphoris, and came to a certain village called Bethmaus, four furlongs distant from Tiberias; and thence I sent messengers to the senate of Tiberias, and desired that the principal men of the city would come to me; and when they were come, Justus himself being also with them, I told them, that I was sent to them by the people of Jerusalem as a legate, together with these other priests, in order to persuade them to demolish that house which Herod the tetrarch had built there, and which had the figures of living creatures in it, although our laws had forbidden us to make any such figures; and I desired, that they would give us leave to do so immediately. But for a good while Capellus and the principal men belonging to the city would not give us leave, but were at length entirely overcome by us, and were induced to be of our opinion. So Jesus the son of Sapphias, one of those whom we have already mentioned as the leader of a seditious tumult of mariners and poor people, prevented us, and took with him certain Gafileans, and set the entire palace on fire, and thought he should get a great deal of money thereby; because he saw some of the roofs gilt with gold. They also plundered a great deal of the furniture, which was done without our approbation; for, after we had discoursed Capellus and the principal men of the city, we departed from Bethmaus, and went into the Upper Galilee. But Jesus and his party slew all the Greeks that were inhabitants of Tiberias, and as many others as were their enemies before the war began.

13. When I understood this state of things, I was greatly provoked, and went down to Tiberias, and took all the care I could of the royal furniture, to recover all that could be recovered from such as had plundered it. They consisted of candlesticks made of Corinthian brass; and of royal tables, and of a great quantity of uncoined silver; and I resolved to preserve whatever came to my hand for the king. So I sent

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for ten of the principal men of the senate, and for Capellus the son of Antyllus, and committed the furniture to them, with this charge, that they should part with it to nobody else but to myself. From thence I and my fellow-legates went to Gischala to John, as desirous to know his intentions, and soon saw that he was for innovations, and had a mind to the principality; for he desired me to give him authority to carry off that corn which belonged to Cæsar, and lay in the villages of Upper Galilee; and he pretended that he would expend what it came to in building the walls of his own city. But when I per ceived what he endeavored at, and what he had in his mind, I said I would not permit him so to do; for that I thought either to keep it for the Romans, or for myself, now I was intrusted with the public affairs there by the people of Jerusa lem. But when he was not able to prevail with me, he betook himself to my fellow-legates; for they had no sagacity in providing for futurity, and were very ready to take bribes. So he corrupted them with money, to decree that all that corn which was within his province should be delivered to him; while I, who was but one, was outvoted by two, and held my tongue. Then did John introduce another cunning contrivance of his; for he said, that those Jews who inhabited Cesarea Philippi, and were shut up by the order of the king's deputy there, had sent to him to desire him, that, since they had no oil that was pure for their use, he would provide a sufficient quantity of such oil for them, lest they should be forced to make use of oil that came from the Greeks, and thereby transgress their own laws Now this was said by John, not out of his regard to religion, but out of his most flagrant desire of gain; for he knew that two sextaries were sold with them of Cesarea for one drachma, but that at Gischala fourscore sextaries were sold for four drachma. So he gave order, that all the oil which was there should be carried away. as having my permission for so doing; which yet I did not grant him voluntarily, but only out of fear of the multitude, since, if I had forbidden him, I should have been stoned by them.When I had therefore permitted this to be done by John, he gained vast sums of money by this his knavery.

14. But when I had dismissed my fellow-legates, and sent them back to Jerusalem, I took care to have arms provided, and the cities fortified. And, when I had sent for the most hardy among the robbers, I saw that it was not in my power to take their arms from them; but I persuaded the multitude to allow them money as pay, and told them it was better for them to give them a little wittingly, rather than to [be forced to] overlook them when they plundered their goods from them. And when I had obliged them to take an oath not to come to that country, unless they were invited to cone, or else when they had not their pay given them, I dismissed them, and charged them neither to make an expedition against the Romans, nor against those their neighbors that lay round about them; for my first care was to keep Galilee in peace. So I was willing to have the principal of the Gali leans, in all seventy, as hostages for their fidel ity, but still under the notion of friendship. Accordingly, I made them my friends and companions as I journeyed, and set them to judge causes: and with their approbation it was that i gave my sentences, while I endeavored not to mistake what justice required, and to keep my hands clear of all bribery in those determinations.

15. I was now about the thirtieth year of my age; in which time of life it is a hard thing for any one to escape the calumnies of the envious, although he restrain himself from fulfilling any unlawful desires especially where a person is

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