vice was, that they should make their attack at that hour. But Vespasian had a suspicion about this deserter, as knowing how faithful the Jews were to one another, and how much they despised any punishments that could be inflicted on them; this last, because one of the people of Jo-through every age, excepting the infants and the tapata had undergone all sorts of torments, and though they made him pass through a fiery trial of his enemies in his examination, yet would he inform them nothing of the affairs within the city, and, as he was crucified, smiled at them. However, the probability there was in the relaion itself, did partly confirm the truth of what the deserter told them, and they thought he might probably speak the truth. However, Vesasian thought they should be no great sufferers f the report was a sham; so he commanded them 36. And on this day it was that the Romans slew all the multitude that appeared openly; but on the following days they searched the hiding places, and fell upon those that were under ground, and in the caverns, and went thus women, and of these there were gathered together as captives twelve hundred; and as for those that were slain at the taking of the city, and in the former fights, they were numbered to be forty thousand. So Vespasian gave order that the city should be entirely demolished, and all the fortifications burnt down. And thus was Jotapata taken, in the thirteenth year of the reign of Nero, on the first day of the month Panemus [Tamuz.] to keep the man in custody, and prepared the army for taking the city. CHAP VIIL How Josephus was discovered by Woman, and was willing to deliver himself up to the Romans; and what Discourse he had with his own Men, when they endeavored to hinder him; and what he said to Vespasian, when he was brought to him; and in what Manner Vespasian used him afterward, 34. According to which resolution they marched without noise, at the hour that had been told them, to the wall; and it was Titus himself that first got upon it, with one of his tribunes, Domitius Sabinus, and had a few of the fifteenth legion along with him. So they cut the throats of the watch, and entered the city very quietly. 1. AND now the Romans searched for JoseAfter these came Cerealis the tribune, and Pla- | phus, both out of the hatred they bore him, and cidus, and led on those that were under them.because their general was very desirous to have Now when the citadel was taken, and the enemy him taken; for he reckoned that if he were once were in the very midst of the city, and when it taken, the greatest part of the war would be was already day, yet was not the taking of the over. They then searched among the dead, and city known by those that held it; for a great looked into the most concealed recesses of the many of them were fast asleep, and a great mist, city; but as the city was first taken, he was aswhich then by chance fell upon the city, hinder-sisted by a certain supernatural providence; for ed those that got up from distinctly seeing the he withdrew himself from the enemy when he case they were in, till the whole Roman army was was in the midst of them, and leaped into a cergotten in, and they were raised up only to find taia deep pit, whereto there adjoined a large dea the miseries they were under; and as they were at one side of it, which den could not be seen by slaying, they perceived the city was taken. And those that were above ground; and here he met for the Romans, they so well remembered what with forty persons of eminence that had concealthey had suffered during the siege, that they spar- ed themselves, and with provisions enough to ed none, nor pitied any, but drove the people satisfy them for not a few days. So in the day down the precipice from the citadel, and slew time he hid himself from the enemy, who had them as they drove them down; at which time seized upon all places, and in the night time he the difficulties of the place hindered those that got up out of the den, and looked about for some were still able to fight from defending them- way of escaping, and took exact notice of the selves; for as they were distressed in the narrow watch; but as all places were guarded every streets, and could not keep their feet sure along where on his account, that there was no way of the precipices, they were overpowered with the getting off unseen, he went down again into the crowd of those that came fighting them from the den. Thus he concealed himself two days; but on citadel. This provoked a great many, even of the third day, when they had taken a woman who those chosen men that were about Josephus, to had been with them, he was discovered. Wherekill themselves with their own hands; for when upon Vespasian sent immediately and zealously they saw that they could kill none of the Ro- two tribunes, Paulinus and Galicanus, and ordermans, they resolved to prevent being killed by ed them to give Josephus their right hands as a the Romans, and got together in great num-security for his life, and to exhort him to come up. bers in the utmost parts of the city, and killed themselves. 2. So they came and invited the man to come up. and gave him assurances that his life should 35. However, such of the watch as at first per- be preserved; but they did not prevail with him; ceived they were taken, and ran away as fast as for he gathered suspicions from the probability they could, went up into one of the towers on the there was that one who had done so many things north side of the city, and for a while defended against the Romans, must suffer for it, though themselves there; but as they were encompass- not from the mild temper of those that invited ed with a multitude of enemies, they tried to him. However, he was afraid that he was invi use their right hands when it was too late, and ted to come up in order to be punished, until Ves at length they cheerfully offered their necks to pasian sent besides these a third tribune, Nicabe cut off by those that stood over them. And nor, to him; he was one that was well known to the Romans might have boasted that the conclu-Josephus, and had been his familiar acquaintance Son of that siege was without blood [on their side,] if there had not been a centurion, Antonius, who was slain at the taking of the city. His death was occasioned by the following treachery: for there was one of those that were fled into the caverns, which were a great number, who desired that this Antonius would reach him his right hand for his security, and would assure Lim that he would preserve him, and give him nis assistance in getting up out of the cavern; accordingly, he incautiously reached him out his right hand, when the other man prevented him, and stabbed him under his loins with a spear, and killed him immediately. old time. When he was come, he enlarged upon the natural mildness of the Romans towards those they have once conquered, and told him, that he had behaved himself so valiantly, that the commanders rather admired than hated him; that the general was very desirous to have him brought to him, not in order to punish him, for that he could do though he should not come voluntarily, but that he was determined to preserve a man of his courage. He moreover added this, that Vespasian, had he been resolved to impose upon him, would not have sent to him a friend of his own, nor put the fairest color upon the vilest action, by pretending friendship and mean 1 BOOK III. ing perfidiousness, nor would he nave himself acquiesced, or come to him, had it been to deceive him. 3. Now as Josephus began to hesitate with himself about Nicanor's proposal, the soldiery were so angry, that they ran hastily to set fire to the den; but the tribune would not permit them so to do, as being very desirous to take the man alive. And now as Nicanor lay hard at Josephus to comply, and he understood how the multitude of the enemies threatened him, he called to mind the dreams which he had dreamed in the night time, whereby God had signified to him beforehand both the future calamities of the Jews, and the events that concerned the Roman emperors. Now Josephus was able to give shrewd conjectures about the interpretation of such dreams as have been ambiguously delivered by God. Moreover, he was not unacquainted with the prophecies contained in the sacred books, as, being a priest himself, and of the posterity of priests; and just then was he in an ecstasy, and setting before him the tremendous images of the dreams he had lately had, he put up a secret prayer to God, and said, "Since it pleaseth thee, who hast created the Jewish nation, to depress the same, and since all their good fortune is gone over to the Romans, and since thou hast made choice of this soul of mine to foretell what is to come to pass hereafter, I willingly give them my hands, and am content to live. And I protest openly, that I do not go over to the Romans as a deserter of the Jews, but as a minister from thee." CHAP. VIII. ourselves! For it is certainly a foolish thing to for doing to us. I confess freely, that it is a brave do that to ourselves which we quarrel with them thing to die for liberty; but still so that it be in war, and done by those who take that liberty from us; but in the present case our enemies do neither meet us in battle, nor do they kill us. Now, he is equally a coward who will not die when he is obliged to die, and he who will die when he is not obliged so to do. What are we afraid of, when we will not go up to the Romans? Is it death? If so, what we are afraid of when we but suspect our enemies will inflict it on us, shall we inflict it on ourselves for certain? But it may be said, we must be slaves. And are we then in a clear state of liberty at present? It may also be said, that it is a manly act for one to kill him self. No, certainly, but a most unmanly one; as I should esteem that pilot to be an arrant coward, who, out of fear of a storm, should sink a crime most remote from the common nature of his ship of his own accord. Now, self-murder is all animals, and an instance of impiety against God our Creator: nor indeed is there any animal means, for the desire of life is a law engraven in that dies by its own contrivance, or by its own them all; on which account we deem those that openly take it away from us to be our enemies, and those that do it by treachery are punished for so doing. And do not you think that God is very angry when a man doth injury to what he hath bestowed on him? For from him it is that it to his disposal to take that being away from us. we have received our being, and we ought to leave The bodies of all men are indeed mortal, and are created out of corruptible matter; but the soul is ever immortal, and is a portion of the divinity that inhabits our bodies. Besides, if any one destroys or abuses a depositum he hath received froin a mere man, he is esteemed a wicked and perfidious person; but then if any one cast out of his body this divine depositum, can we imagine that he who is thereby affronted does not know of it? Moreover, our law justly ordains that slaves which run away from their masters shall be punished, though the masters they run away from may we endeavor to run away from God, wo is have been wicked masters to them. And hall the best of all masters, and not think ourselves highly guilty of impiety? Do not you know that those who depart out of this life, according to the law of nature, and pay that debt which was received from God, when he that lent it us is pleased to require it back again, enjoy eternal sure, that their souls are pure and obedient, and fame; that their houses and their posterity are obtain a most holy place in heaven, from whence in the revolution of ages, they are again sent into pure bodies; while the souls of those whose hands have acted madly against themselves, are received by the darkest place in Hades, and that offend against either of them in their postewhile God, who is their father, punishes those 5. Upon this, Josephus was afraid of their at-rity; for which reason God hates such doings tacking him, and yet thought he should be a betrayer of the commands of God, if he died before they were delivered. So he began to talk like philosopher to them in the distress he was then in, when he said thus to them: "O my friends, why are we so earnest to kill ourselves? and why do we set our soul and body, which are such dear companions, at such variance? Can any one pretend that I am not the man I was formerly? Nay, the Romans are sensible how the matter stands well enough. It is a brave thing to die in war; but so that it be according to the law of war, by the hand of conquerors. If, therefore, I avoid death from the sword of the Romans, I am truly worthy to be killed by my own sword, and my own hand: but if they admit of mercy, and would spare their enemy, how much more ought we to have mercy upon ourselves, and to spare and the crime is punished by our most wise legis- a mind to die, it is good to die by the hand of those that have conquered us. For my part, I will not run over to our enemies' quarters, in order to be a traitor to myself; for certainly I should then be much more foolish than those that deserted to the enemy, since they did it in order to save themselves, and I should do it for destruction, for my own destruction. However, I heartily wish the Romans may prove treacherous in this matter; for if, after the offer of their right hand for security, I be slain by them, I shall die cheerfully, and carry away with me the sense of their perfidiousness, as a consolation greater than victory itself." 6. Now these and many the like motives did Josephus use to these men to prevent their murdering themselves; but desperation had shut their ears, as having long ago devoted themselves to die, and they were irritated at Josephus. They then ran upon him with their swords in their hands, one from one quarter, and another from another, and called him a coward, and every one of them appeared openly as if he were ready to smite him; but he calling to one of them by name, and looking like a general to another, and taking a third by the hand, and making a fourth ashamed of himself, by praying him to forbear, and being in this condition distracted with various passions, (as he well might in the great distress he was then in,) he kept off every one of their swords from killing him, and was forced to do like such wild beasts as are encompassed about on every side, who always turn themselves against those that last touched them. Nay, some of their right hands were debilitated by the reverence they bare to their general in these his fatal calamities, and their swords dropped out of their hands, and not a few of them there were, who, when they aimed to smite him with their swords, they were not thoroughly either willing or able to do it. kind; while some rejoiced that Josephus was taken, and some threatened him, and some crowd ed to see him very near; but those that were more remote cried out to have this their enemy put to death, while those that were near called to mind the actions he had done, and a deep con. cern appeared at the change of his fortune. Nor were there any of the Roman commanders, how much soever they had been enraged at him before, but relented when they came to the sight of him. Above all the rest, Titus's own valor, and Josephus's own patience under his afflictions made him pity him, as did also the commisera. tion of his age, when he recalled to mind that but a little while ago he was fighting bu lay now in the hands of his enemies, which made him consider the power of fortune, and hɔw quick is the turn of affairs in war; and how no state of men is sure: for which reason he then made a great many more to be of the same pitiful temper with himself, and induced them to com miserate Josephus. He was also of great weight in persuading his father to preserve him. How ever, Vespasian gave strict orders that he should be kept with great caution, as though he would in a very little time send him to Nero. 9. When Josephus heard him give these orders, he said, that he had somewhat in his mind that he would willingly say to himself alone. When therefore they were all ordered to withdraw, excepting Titus and two of their friends, he said, "Thou, O Vespasian, thinkest no more than that thou hast taken Josephus himself captive, but I come to thee as a messenger of greater tidings; for had not I been sent by God to thee, I knew what was the law* of the Jews in this case, and how it becomes generals to die. Dost thou send me to Nero? For why? Are Nero's successors till they come to thee still alive? Thou, O Vespasian, art Cæsar, and emperor, thou, and this thy son. Bind me now still faster, and keep me 7. However, in this extreme distress, he was not for thyself, for thou, O Cæsar, art not only lord destitute of his usual sagacity; but trusting him- over me, but over the land and the sea, and all self to the providence of God, he put his life into mankind; and certainly I deserve to be kept in hazard [in the manner following:] "And now, closer custody than I now am in, in order to be (said he,) since it is resolved among you that you punished, if I rashly affirm any thing of God." will die, come on, let us commit our mutual When he had said this, Vespasian at present deaths to determination by lot. He whom the did not believe him, but supposed that Josephus lot falls to first, let him be killed by him that hath said this as a cunning trick in order to his own the second lot, and thus fortune shall make its preservation; but in a little time he was conprogress through us all; nor shall any of us pe- vinced, and believed what he said to be true, rish by his own right hand, for it would be unfair God himself erecting his expectations, so as to if, when the rest are gone, somebody should re-think of obtaining the empire, and by other signs pent and save himself." This proposal appeared foreshowing his advancement. He also found to them to be very just; and when he had pre-Josephus to have spoken truth on other occa. vailed with them to determine this matter by lots, he drew one of the lots for himself also. He who had the first lot laid his neck bare to him that had the next, as supposing that the general would die among them immediately; for they thought death, if Josephus might but die with them, was sweeter than life; yet was he with another left to the last, whether we must say it happened so by chance, or whether by the providence of God. And as he was very desirous neither to be condemned by the lot, nor, if he had been left to the last, to imbrue his right hand in the blood of his countryman, he persuaded him to trust his fidelity to him, and to live as well as himself. 8. Thus Josephus escaped in the war with the Romans, and in this his own war with his friends, and was led by Nicanor to Vespasian. But now all the Romans ran together to see him; and as the multitude pressed one upon another about their general, there was a tumult of a various *I do not know where to find the law of Moses here mentioned by Josephus, and afterward by Eleazar, B. vii. ch. viii. sect. 7; and almost implied in B. i. ch. xiii. sect. 10, by Josephus's commendation of Phasaelus for doing so; I mean whereby Jewish generals and people were obliged to kill themselves, rather than go into sions; for one of those friends that were present at that secret conference, said to Josephus, "1 cannot but wonder how thou couldest not foretell to the people of Jotapata that they should be taken, nor couldest foretell this captivity which hath happened to thyself, unless what thou now sayest be a vain thing, in order to avoid the rage that is risen against thyself." To which Jose phus replied, "I did foretell to the people of Jc. tapata, that they would be taken on the forty-se venth day, and that I should be caught alive by the Romans." Now when Vespasian had inquir ed of the captives privately about these predictions, he found them to be true, and then he be gan to believe those that concerned himself. Yet did he not set Josephus at liberty from his bands, but bestowed on him suits of clothes and other precious gifts; he treated him also in a very obliging manner, and continued so to do, Titus still joining his interest in the honors that were done him. slavery under heathens. I doubt this would have been no better than self-murder; and I believe it was rather some vain doctrine, or interpretation of the rigid Phar isees, or Essenes, or Herodians, than a just consequence from any law of God delivered by Moses. |