for that he feared least if the matter should be publikely knowne he should suffer some punishment as being the onely author and instructer of the king in vndecent matters that otherwise he might serue God although he were not circumcised since he had resolued to liue according to the institutions and lawes of the Iewes and that God would pardon him for in this true religion consisteth more then in the circumcision of the body though hee were not actually circumcised since the necessitie and feare of his subiects ouerruled him By which words the king for that time was won to affect the same no further But some little whiles after for he was not wholy altered in that affection which he had another Iew called Eleazar comming from Galilee and accounted a man of great experience in the doctrine of our religion perswaded him to be circumcised For comming one day vnto him to salute him he found him reading of the bookes of Moses and said vnto him O King contrarie to your knowledge you offend the law and God likewise for it sufficeth you not that you vnderstand the same but the chiefest matter you are tied vnto is to doe that which the law commaundeth how long therefore vvill you remaine vncircumcised And if as yet you haue not perused the law as touching this point read it now to the intent you may know what impietie it is to omit it After the King had heard this he would no longer deferre his circumcision for which cause withdrawing himselfe into another chamber he called a surgeon vnto him vvho acted that which he required and afterwards calling his mother and master Ananias vnto him he certified them vvhat had past vvherupon they grew straungely amased fearing least the king should grow in daunger of the losse of his kingdome if this action of his should come to light for that his subiects would not endure that such a man that followed a contrarie religion should be their king they feared also least they themselues should be in daunger for as much as the cause of all this matter would be imputed to them But God by his prouidence preuented least any of those things vvich they feared should come to effect for he deliuered Izates himselfe and his children likewise out of many daungers yeelding them his assistance in their doubtful desperate estates declaring in effect that those that onely put their trust in him and depend vpon his proiudence are neuer depriued of the fruit of their pietie But of these things vvill vve speake hereafter When Helena the kings mother perceiued that the estate of the kingdome vvas in peace and that by all mens opinion both homebred and straungers her sonne vvas reputed happie by the good vvill of God she vvas seazed vvith a desire to go and visit the citie of Ierusalem and adore God in that temple vvhich was so much renowmed thorow the vvhole vvorld offer sacrifice of thanksgiuing therin for vvhich cause she besought her son that he vvould suffer her to performe her vowes who willingly cōdescended to her desire and furnished her royally vvith althings that were necessary for such a voiage giuing her a great masse of mony with her and bringing her onward on her way many daies iourney so that at length she arriued in Ierusalē to the great aduantage of the inhabitāts of that citie For at that time the citie was oppressed with a gricuous famine so as many died for want of food for which cause Queene Helena sent her seruants some into Alexandria to buy a great quantitie of come the rest into Cypris to buy dried figs who returned with all expeditiō they might wherupon Helena distributed the victuals among the poore leauing a singular memory of her beneficence among the whole nation Her sonne Izates also vnderstanding of this famine sent a great summe of money to the gouernour of Ierusalem But hereafter will I declare what other benefits the king and Queene haue bestowed vpon our nation Now Artabanus king of Parthia perceiuing that the princes of his kingdome had conspired against him resolued with himselfe to go vnto Izates for the securitie of his life and person hoping by his meanes if it were possible to recouer his kingdome He therfore retired thither and brought with him about one thousand men of his kinsfolke and houshold seruants And by the way he met with Izates whom he knew verie well by his royall traine notwithstanding he were vnknowne vnto him by countenance Drawing therfore neere vnto him he first of all humbled himselfe on his knees according to the custome of the countrey and afterwards spake vnto him after this manner Dread king forsake me not who am thy seruant neither reiect thou my praiers For being deiected by the meanes of my misfortunes and of a king become a priuate man I haue neede of thy succour Consider therefore the inconstancie of fortune and thinke with thy selfe that by prouiding for me thou shalt prouide for thy selfe For if thou makest no reckoning of the wrong that is done vnto me diuers men will grow audacious to enterprise vpon other kings These words pronounced he with weeping teares and with lookes lowly fixed vpon the ground When Izates had heard Artabanus name and saw his humble and submissiue estate he leapt incontinently from his horse and said vnto him King be of good courage and let not thy present and perplexed condition dismay thee as if thy misfortunes were irrecouerable For this sorrow of thine shall sodainly bee changed and thou shalt finde a better friend and allie then thou hopedst for at this time For either will I repossesse thee of thy kingdome of Parthia or I will lose mine owne gouernment This said he caused Artabanus to get vp on horsebacke and walked by him on foote yeelding him this honour as to a greater king then himselfe Which when Artabanus sawe he was discontented and sware by his fortune and honour to come that he would set foote on ground if he would not get vp on horsebacke and ride before him wherunto he obeied and mounting vpon his horse againe he conducted him to his pallace yeelding him all the honour that was possible both in his sittings and banquets as in his assemblies not respecting his present estate or condition but his former dignitie considering with himselfe that such casuall misfortunes and changes are incident to all men Furthermore he wrote vnto the Parthians perswading them to receiue their king Artabanus assuring them on his faith and oath that he would obtaine a free pardon for all that which was past and to that intent he offered himselfe to be an arbitrator betweene them The Parthians gaue him this answere that they would not refuse to entertaine him but that they could not for that one who was called Cinnamus was aduanced in his place and dignitie and that they feared least a sedition should happen amongst them Cinnamus who was a noble and
to a woman well I will not refuse it Whereupon leuying ten thousand men they pitched their tents neere to the mountaine of Itabyr Sisara at that time according as the king had commanded him presently marched out to meete them and encamped himselfe not farre from the enemy But Barac and the rest of the Israelites being terrified with the multitude of the enemies was encouraged by Debora who commanded them that verie day to enter and vndertake the battell assuring them that the victorie should be theirs and that God would both assist and helpe them whereupon they charged the enemy and there sodainly fell a storme of raine mixed with haile which the winde droue against the faces of the Chanaanites and tooke away their sight making those that carried dartes and such as serued with the sling vnprofitable in their seruice the Targetiers likewise hauing their hands benumbed with colde could scarcely wield their swords But the tempest beating on the backes of the Israelites not onely wrought them lesse offence but made them also more forward being whetted thereunto by the manifest signe of Gods fauour and presence Whereupon disarraying and breaking thorow their enemies battell they made a great slaughter of them so as part of them fell by the weapons of the Israelites the rest were ouerrunne by their owne horsemen and chariots Sisara also as soone as he saw his souldiers turne their backes leaping from his chariot fled away hastily till at last he arriued in the tent of a woman of Cenetis called Iael who being desired by him to conceale and hide him entertained him and whereas he required drink she gaue him sowre milke which when he had ouergreedily drunke he fell a sleepe and whilest he so lay buried in his slumbers Iael tooke a mallet and droue an yron nayle thorow his temples and fastned him to the pauement and anon after when Baracs souldiers came vnto her she shewed him vnto them in such manner as he was nailed And thus a woman according as Debora had foretold was the author of this victorie But Barac leading his army to Asor slew Iabin that came out against him and hauing slaine the king and leuelled the citie with the ground he gouerned the Israelites for the space of fortie yeares CHAP. VII How the Amalechites ouer comming the Israelites destroyed their countrey for the space of seuen yeares BVt when Barac and Debora were dead about the verie same time and hard after the Madianites accompanied with the Amalechites and Arabians armed themselues against the men of Israell and encountring them in open field ouercame them in a great battell and destroying their fruits and haruest led away a great pray and when as they continued these their incursions for the space of seuen yeares they compelled the Israelites to forsake the Champion and flie vnto the mountaines who digging them dens and houses vnder the earth kept al that secretly hiddē which they had reserued conueied from the surie of the enemy For the Madianites inuading them in the sommer time permitted the Israelites to plie their husbandrie in the winter to the intent they might spoile and depopulate their countrey the more Thus liued they in perpetuall famine and want neither was there any other hope or succours left them but onely by prayers and supplications vnto God CHAP. VIII How Gedeon deliuered the Israelites ABout that time Gedeon the sonne of Iasus one of the chiefest of the tribe of Manasses ground certaine sheaues of corne which he had secretly conueied into his presse for he durst not bring them openly for feare the enemy should haue espied him To him appeared there a vision in the forme of a yoong man which said vnto him that he was happy and beloued of God and that a certaine signe of his good happe should bee that he should vse his presse in steed of his grange willing him to be of good courage and to endeuour himselfe to recouer his countries libertie Gedeon answered that it was impossible by reason that the tribe whereof he was descended had verie few men in it and that hee was too yoong and feeble to thinke on affaires of so great consequence but God promised him to supply his necessities in whatsoeuer he held himselfe deficient and assured him vnder his conduct that he would giue the Israelites the victorie These things Gedeon communicated with certaine yoong men who willingly beleeuing the Oracle answered that for the present they had ten thousand souldiers in a readinesse most readie to attempt any thing in regard of their libertie But God appeared to Gedeon in a dreame and told him that men naturally were louers of themselues and haters of those who were excellent in vertues so that if there grow any question of victorie they forget God and appropriate the same vnto themselues saying that they are many and all valiant men at armes To the end therefore that they may conceiue his handie worke in their deliuerance he counselled him that about the mid-time of the day at such time as the heate was most vehement he should conduct his army to the riuer and that being there he should diligently obserue those that bowed themselues to drinke which he might esteeme for men of valour but all those that dranke hastily and with noise should be marked as men fearefull and affraid of the enemy Gedeon did according as God had commaunded him and there were found three hundreth men that lifted water to their mouthes with their handes with feare and trouble God willed him that he should assaile the enemy with those three hundred promising that he would giue him the victorie About this time were they incamped vpon the banke of Iordan readie to passe the foord the next morrow But Gedeon was sore troubled by reason that God had before times told him that he should assaile the enemy by night but God willing to deliuer him of this feare commanded him to take one of his souldiers with him and enter the campe of the Madianites assuring him that he should be both aduised and encouraged by themselues whereunto he obeyed and for his better assurance he tooke with him one of his seruants Now as he drew nie a certaine tent he perceiued that they that were within the same were awake and that one of them with a loud voice told his companion the dreame which that night he had had which Gedeon ouer-heard and thus it was Him seemed that he saw a barley cake so loathsome as no man would feed vpon the same which rowled thorow the camp which first ouerthrew the kings tent afterward the tents of all his soldiers alleadging that this vision signified the losse of the whole army Annexing to this his allegation the reasons that induced him thereunto namely that of all sortes of corne barley is most contemptible and amongst all the nations of Asia there were not this day any people to be found more
are we ouermuch afflicted neither as some thinke hath this miserie befallen vs thorow Gods displeasure but these are the casualties of fortune And if by the will of God these things are come to passe it is maruell if by the same will our calamitie cease not and that our punishment should not satisfie his displeasure But that this present war is approued by him for iust he himselfe hath euidently declared For whereas diuers thorow the whole region haue been oppressed by the earthquake none of you that bare armes haue incurred any mischiefe but all of you haue beene preserued which is a manifest token of the will of God and if your children and wiues had generally followed the warres as you doe none of you should haue beene wanting When as therfore you shall haue bethought your selues of these things and moreouer in regard that God hath at all times an especiall care ouer you faile not to pursue this iniurious nation with a iust warre that neither respecteth the lawes of friendshippe nor keepeth the league of couenant valiunt in murthering sacred Embassadours and abiect and villanous where things are to be attempted by valour These perswasions of his did not a little encourage the Iewes to the battell and made them more forward then before As for Herode after he had offered sacrifice according to the custome he drewe his army foorth and led them with great confidence against the Arabians and passing Iordan he encamped neere vnto the enemy with an intent to surprise a fort scituate betweene them both making his account that it would further him much either if vpon the present he should be drawne forth to fight or if it concerned him to march onward for that this place would serue him to encampe in with more securitie The same resolution also had the Arabians for which cause they fell to skirmish in that place wherein the first on both sides that gaue the charge and afterwards some other followers were slaine so that those of the Arabians side being ouercome betooke them to retreat This successe of theirs bred no little hope in the Iewes who seeing the enemies army addressed to attempt any thing rather then to fight waxed the more hardie to assaile the Arabian in his trenches and beate him from his campe They being forced by these assaults drew forward to their defence in great disorder bringing neither courage nor hope of victorie with them yet notwithstanding they defended themselues both in regard of their great number as also in respect of that necessitie whereunto they were inforced by the Iewes The skirmish on both sides was hot and diuers on either party were put to the sword but in the end the Arabians being put to the worst turned their backes The slaughter was so great that they not onely perished by their enemies swords but they themselues also murthered one another in the prease and disorderly flight in which they were troaden vnder foote and lay slaughtered in a manner by their owne weapons So that in that discomfiture there died some fiue thousand the rest hastily fled on the other side of the rampire But being ouerpressed with want of victuals and in especiall with lacke of water they had not any ground or assurance to escape After them posted the Iewes and being vnable to recouer the fortresse with them they begirt the campe with a siege and shut vp all the passages that no succour could come vnto them and tooke from them all opportunitie to escape although they should affect flight When as therefore they saw themselues reduced into such extremitie they sent Embassadours vnto Herode first of all to demaund a truce and afterwards for that they were oppressed with thirst to craue some remedy for their present necessities But he neither respected the Embassadours neither the profered raunsome for the captiues nor any other whatsoeuer reasonable demaund desiring earnestly to reuenge himselfe of those iniurious treacheries they had practised against his Embassadours Being therfore inforced by thirst which amongst other plagues most grieuously afflicted them many of them forsooke their trenches and offered themselues to bonds and to be led away captiues so that within fiue daies space foure thousand of them yeelded themselues prisoners On the sixt day all the rest determined to sally out and assaile the enemy rather making choise of assured death then thus lingeringly and ignominiously to pine away When as therefore they had all concluded hereupon they incontinently brake out of their trenches but like vnapt souldiers for a skirmish decaied not onely in body but in minde reputing their death for an aduantage to escape thereby their extreme misfortunes For which cause vpon the first onset about some seuen thousand of them were slaine and thus the fiercenesse of this nation being alaied by this ouerthrow they submitted themselues to Herode whom to their owne sorrow they had approoued to be a valiant souldier CHAP. IX Herode constrained to repaire vnto Augustus Caesar putteth Hircanus to death HErode puffed vp with his succesfull good fortune returned backe into his owne country hauing obtained great estimation and reputation by his valour and vertue But at such time as he supposed his state to be most assured he grew in danger both to lose his dignitie and life by reason of that victorie that Caesar obtained against Anthony in the Actian war For at that time he not onely supposed himselfe to be vtterly ouerthrowne but both his friends and enemies that were round about him lost their hopes for that it was vnlikely that he should escape vnpunished who had beene so inwardly vnited in friendship with Anthonie Whereby it came to passe that his friends in no sort concealed their despaire and his enemies vnder their colourable and dissembled griefs couered their ioy promising themselues thereafter a better and more pleasing administration of the common weale Hereupon Herod perceiuing that except Hircanus there was not any one of the bloud royall aliue determined to cut him off resoluing with himselfe that if he hapned to escape the danger that a man who at that time was more worthier the kingdome then himselfe should not entermeddle amongst his affaires and if anie misfortune should be fall him in regard of Caesar he desired to dispossesse Hircanus of the kingdome in regard of the enuy which he bare him for that he was the onlie man who deserued to be aduanced to that dignitie Whilest thus he was tormented and trauelled in his thoughts he had an occasion offered him by Hircanus owne followers to execute his intention For Hircanus being of a mild and gentle nature during all his life time forbare to entermeddle with state affaires committing all things to fortune and contenting himselfe with whatsoeuer condition it pleased her to alot him But Alexandra being an ambitious woman and vnable to conceale with modestie the hope she conceiued of change sollicited her father that he should not any longer endure
to doe it We affect the kingdome of our father he being yet aliue Wherein Is not that purpose of ours vaine and friuolous we hauing alreadie beene graced with kingly honours And suppose we were not yet might we hope for them But could we expect them by killing of thee whom both earth and seas would disdaine after so execrable an offence Or could we haue expected that the loyaltie of thy subiects and the lawes of our nation would haue permitted vs hauing gotten the kingdome by murthering our father to haue enioyed the same and entred into the holy temple which thou didst repaire Or suppose we despised them all yet could any one that murthered thee escape Caesar being liuing Thy children by thee begotten are not so impious nor foolish though more infortunate then thy estate requireth And seeing thou hast nothing to accuse vs of or nothing to prooue any accusation laid vnto our charge how canst thou be perswaded that we are guiltie of such inhumane actes Is it because our mother was put to death But her death ought rather to haue made vs more warie then insolent and rash We could speake more in our owne defence then this but what need is it to excuse that which was neuer done Wherefore we beseech Caesar who is Lord of all and now our Iudge onely this that if thou canst O my father put away out of thy minde all suspition of vs to suffer vs to liue hereafter how vnhappie and vnfortunate soeuer for what is more miserable than to be rashly accused without cause But if thou canst not we liuing liue without feare of vs let vs die condemned by our owne censure For our liues are not so deere vnto vs that we desire to keepe them to his molestation that bestowed them vpon vs. Caesar with these words though before not greatly crediting such accusations and slaunders laid against them was now more mooued to beleeue that they were guiltlesse and the rather for that fixing his eies vpon Herode he perceiued him also to be much mooued and all that were present were sorrowful for the young men so that all courtiers present thought hardly of the king for the absurd friuolous accusation framed against thē and the flower of their age wherin they were now indaungered moued all mens minds what they could to assist them And much more were they incited after that Alexander had ingeniously refuted his fathers accusations the accused remaining stil in the same habit and place and for griefe fixing their eies vpon the ground At last some hope appeared so that the king himselfe seemed to need some excuse for hauing so rashly accused his sonnes without any certaine proofe of his accusations At last Caesar hauing a while deliberated with himselfe pronounced that the young men were innocent and guiltlesse of the crimes laid vnto their charge yet herein they were culpable in that they had so behaued themselues that they gaue their father occasion herein to suspect them And as for Herode he requested him to lay aside all suspition and to be reconciled vnto his children For it was vniustly done of him to beleeue such forged accusations against those whom he had begotten and that one might recompence another in time to come for their former offences and renew the good will betweene them in times past if to abolish all suspicions either did hereafter shew himselfe more friendly to other then before Caesar hauing thus admonished the young men they preparing themselues to intreat their fathers wonted fauour he not expecting so long came and embraced each of them one after another they weeping exceedingly and all those that were present both seruants and others did the like Then giuing humble thanks vnto Casar they departed togither and Antipater with them counterfaiting himselfe to congratulate their good hap for that they were now reconciled vnto his father Within a few daies after Herode gaue Caesar three hundreth talents who was now bestowing his gifts and presents at Rome and exercising his liberalitie vpon the people And Casar againe bestowed vpon him halfe of the reuenewes out of the mines of the mettall in Cyprus and the other halfe vnto the ouerseer thereof and gracing him otherwaies also he gaue him leaue to chuse which of his sonnes he pleased for to succeed him in his kingdome or if he had rather to distribute it amongst them all which Herode presently would haue done but Caesar would not permit him affirming that during his life he should keepe it all whole and vndeuided and his sonnes should be subject vnto him After this Herode returned againe into Iudaea in whose absence the Trachonites that were no small part of his kingdome were reuolted yet by the industrie of the captaines he left to ouersee all in his absence they were conquered againe and forced to doe as they were commaunded As Herode and his sonnes were sailing towards home arriuing at Eleusa a citie of Cilicia which is now called Sebaste he found Archelaus there who was king of Cappadocia Archelaus did courteously entertaine Herode and was verie ioyfull that his sonnes and he were made friends and that Alexander his sonne in law had so well cleered himself and his brother of the crimes laid vnto their charge And so each one bestowing vpon the other princely gifts they departed taking their leaues one of the other After this Herode being new returned into Iudaea and calling the people togither into the temple told them all that had past in his absence from them and the courtesie of Caesar and tolde them also of other affaires that he thought meet for them to know and turning the latter end of his speech vnto his sonnes and exhorting the courtiers and common people to concord he told them that his sonnes should raigne after him and first of all Antipater and after him his sonnes that he had by Mariamme Alexander and Aristobulus in the meane time euerie one of them should honour him as King and Lord notwithstanding his olde age which for long experience was the fitter to gouerne seeing there was nothing in him wanting to keepe both his subiects and children in their obedience and that the soldiers also if they onely respected him should liue in all happines and felicitie without molestation Hauing thus spoken he dismissed the people some thinking he had spoken according to equitie others thinking cleane contrarie For hauing now as it were caused an emulation amongst his children there was as it were alreadie a shew of some mutation CHAP. IX How Herode hauing finished Caesarea for ioy thereof did celebrate euerie fifth yeere certaine sports ABout this time Caesarea was finished the tenth yeere after it was begunne to be built the eight and twentith yeere of Herodes raigne in the hundreth foure score and twelue Olympiade In the dedication hereof there was great pompe and sumotuous preparations for all musitians were brought hither to striue one with another who was
notwithstandinding the holinesse of the day departed But he accompanied with his mother Popla Ptolemaeus and Nicholaus his friends went vnto the sea coast leauing Philip for Gouernour of the kingdome and ouer his houshold with them departed Salome and her children and the kings brethren and kinred vnder pretence to assist Archelaus to the crowne but indeed it was to informe Caesar of that which was done in the Temple against the law When they came to Caesarea they met with Sabinus Gouernour of Syria who was comming toward Iudaea to take into his custodie Herods treasure whom Varus forbad to go anie further being sent for by Archelaus and Ptolemie requesting him thereunto And so Sabinus for the loue of Varus neither entred the Castles nor shut vp Herods treasure from Archelaus but promised that he would let all alone till Caesar vnderstood thereof But so soone as one of them that hindered him was gone to Antiochia and the other to wit Archelaus to Rome he still remaining at Casarea now hasted vnto Ierusalem and tooke the kings pallace where calling for the chiefe of the guard and the Purueyors he exacted of them an account and sought to take into his custodie the Castles and strong holds But the Captaines of the garrison mindfull of the charge which Archelaus gaue them kept vnto themselues the custodie of all affirming that they kept them more for Caesar then Archelaus At this time Antipas made a claime to the crowne alleaging that Herods first testament was of more force then the last and that he in the first was declared king and both Salome and many more of his kinred who sayled with Archelaus promised him their aid He tooke with him his mother and Ptolemaeus brother vnto Nicholaus perswading himselfe that they for their trustinesse and loyaltie vnto Herod would stand him in great steed for this Ptolemaeus was Herods dearest friend He had also great confidence in Irenaeus his orator because he had an excellent grace in pleading in so much as he refused the counsell of them who sought to perswade him to yeeld vnto Archelaus both for his age and for the last testament of his father Now he was well beloued of all his kin◅ed at Rome because they hated Archelaus and especially those that desired to liue at libertie and either to be gouerned by the Romans or else to haue Antipas for their king And to further him the more he vsed Sabinus letters vnto Caesar wherein Archelaus was accused and Antipas commended Therefore Salome and the rest of their accomplices brought the accusations vnto Caesar. And after them Archelaus deliuered all that which he had done in writing withall his fathers ring by Ptolemeus the reasons of that which he had done he sent inclosed vnto Caesar. Caesar pondering with himself what both parties alleaged and the greatnesse of the kingdome and large reuennes and number of Herods children reading also the letters of Varus and Sabinus he called the chiefe of the Romans to councell Wherein Caius the sonne of Agrippa and his daughter Iulia by his assignment sate in the first place this Caius was Caesars adopted sonne and so he licensed the parties to plead their rights Then Antipater Salomes sonne being the most eloquent of all Archelaus aduersaries offered himselfe to be his accuser for that Archelaus seemed now in words to contend for the kingdome which he had alreadie possest himselfe of and that hee did now trouble Caesars eares with vaine cauillations whom he would not wish to iudge of his lawfull succession For after Herods death he suborned some to put a diademe vpon his head and then sitting in a throne of gold in kingly maner he partly changed partly aduaunced the orders of the souldiers and granted vnto the people their requests which could not be effected but by a king He had also set at libertie maniemen who for great crimes were imprisoned by his father and hauing done all this he came now vnto Caesar to craue the shadow of the kingdome the substance and bodie whereof he already occupied so that herein he left nothing vnto Caesar but a bare title Moreouer he alleaged that Archelaus did but counterfeit sorrow for his fathers death faining himselfe to mourne on the day time and in the night he would be drunke and rioted Finally he said that the sedition of the people came by hatred thereof But the force and drift of his speech was altogether bent to declare the multitude slaine about the Temple for he said that they only came against that festiuall day to offer sacrifice and that they themselues were sacrificed as they were offering their sacrifices which they brought and that there were such heapes of dead bodies in the Temple as neuer by anie forraine warres were slaine the like Therefore Herod foreseeing his crueltie neuer iudged him worthy of the kingdome till such time as his memorie fayled him and that now being more sicke in mind then body hee knew not whom he named his successour in his last will especially for that he had nothing wherein he could blame him whom in his former will he appointed his successour when he was in health both of mind and bodie Yet quoth he put case Herod in his extremitie knew what he did yet said he Archelaus hath depriued himselfe of all kingly dignitie hauing committed manie things against the lawes For said he what will he be after he hath receiued authoritie from Caesar who before hee receiued any hath murdered somanie Antipater hauing spoken much to this effect and at euerie accusation taking witnesse of his kinred that stood by ended his speech Then Nicholaus stood vp and first of all he shewed that the slaughter of them in the Temple was necessarie For they for whose death Archelaus was now accused were not only enemies of the kingdome but also of Caesar and for other crimes obiected he shewed how that they were done euen by the counsel and perswasion of the aduersaries He also requested that the second testament might be of force for that therein Herod requested Caesar to be a confirmer of his successour For he who had such remēbrance as to leaue the performance of his will to the discretion of him who was Lord of all did neither mistake himself in appointing his heire nor yet was depriued of his senses seeing he knew by whom he should be established When Nicholaus had ended his speech and declared all that he thought might make for Archelaus Archelaus comming into the middest of the Councell prostrated himselfe at Caesars feet whom Caesar curteously taking from the ground shewed that he was worthie to succeed his father Yet did he not pronounce a definitiue sentence but the same day the Councell being dismissed he deliberated with himselfe according to the euidence he knew whether anie of those nominated in the two wils should succeed their father in the kingdome or that the kingdome should be
periurie for they esteeme him condemned for a lyer who is not beleeued without he call God to witnesse They studie diligently ancient Writers chiefly gathering out of their writings what is most conuenient for the soule and the body Out of them they learne remedies for diseases and medicinable hearbes and what is the proper effect of euerie stone Those who are desirous to be of their order do not straightway conuerse with them but for a yeare before they liue out of their Colledge and haue the same diet giuing them also a little hatchet and such a girdle as is before spoken of and a white garment But at the yeares end if they perceiue him to be continent then they take him into their refectorie and he is made partaker of purer waters to the end he may continue chast yet is hee not admitted in common amongst them for two yeares after this his triall they obserue his life and manners and at last when he is thought worthy then is he admitted to their common company And before he be receiued to the common table first he protesteth with great and solemne oaths that he will worship God and obserue iustice fidelitie towards all men and neither willingly hurt any man nor iniure any one for another mans command but that he wil alwaies hate the wicked and assist the good and euer keepe his faith to all but especially to his superiours For no man can obtaine the power of principality without the will and good pleasure of God and that if he be put in authoritie ouer others he neuer will abuse it to the preiudice of those that are vnder him and neither exceed the rest in apparrell nor in any other ambitious pompe that he will alwaies loue the truth and euer endeuour to confute liers and that he will keepe his hands from stealing and his soule pure from all vniust gaine and that he will not conceale any mysteries or secrets from his companions nor reueale them to any straungers although he should be thereto compelled by death Adding moreouer that they will neuer deliuer any doctrine saue that which they haue receiued and that they will auoide theft and diligently keepe the bookes of their doctrine and the names of Angels And with these oaths they trie and as it were arme those who enter into their order Those of their congregation who shall be condemned they thrust out of their companie and whosoeuer is so punished for the most part dieth a miserable death for hauing once taken this oath it is not lawfull for him to take meat of any straunger so that feeding on grasse like beasts at last he perisheth through famine For which cause oftentimes they moued with compassion receiue many into their order againe euen readie by famine to yeeld vp the ghost iudging them to haue endured penance inough for their offences who with famine were almost brought vnto deaths doore They are verie seuere and iust in their iudgement and to decide any matter there is neuer fewer of them then a hundreth and that which by them is agreed vpon is an irreuocable sentence Next after God they reuerence the lawmaker insomuch as if any one reuile him they forthwith condemne him to death They greatly reuerence olde men and a multitude so that if ten of them sit togither no man of them must speake without he be licenced thereto by nine of the companie They also must not spit in the midst of the assembly nor on the right hand And they are more seuere then anie other Iewes in obseruing the Sabboths And they do not onely abstaine from dressing meat vpon that day but also they may not remoue anie vessell out of his place nor go to the priuie Vpon other daies they dig a pit a foot deepe into the ground with the hatchet which as we before said euerie one at his entrance into their order hath giuen him and then couering themselues diligently with their garment least they should doe iniurie to the light of heauen in that pit they ease themselues and thē couer their ordure with the earth they took out of the pit this they do in most secret places And although this purging of their bodies be naturall yet do they by washing purifie themselues after it as after great vncleannes Furthermore they amongst themselues are deuided into foure orders according to the times which they haue taken to follow this exercise of life and they who are iuniors are so farre different from the seniors that if they do but touch one of them they presently purifie themselues as though they had beene prophaned by a straunger They are long liued so that most of them liue a hundreth yeeres which I iudge is by reason of their well ordered diet and their temperancie They contemne aduersitie and by counsell and discretion ouercome torments They preferre an honourable death before life And the warres which the Iewes made against the Romans shewed what courage and hardines they haue in all things For being then compelled by breaking of the members of their bodies and firie torments all kind of tortures which were laid vpon them to reuile the lawmaker and to eate any meate forbidden yet could they not be forced to any of these neither wold they entreat the torturers nor shew any sorrow amidst their torments Nay in the verie midst of their griefes and paines they scoffed at their tormenters and laughing ioyfully yeelded vp their soules as though they hoped to receiue them againe For it is an opinion amongst them that the bodie is corruptible and that the matter thereof is not perpetual but yet the soule remaines for euer immortall who passing out of a most pure and subtile ayre wrap themselues in bodies as in prisons being as it were drawen thereunto by a naturall inclination And when they are deliuered cut of these carnall bonds then presently as freed from a long bondage they ioyfully mount aloft And of the good soules they say as did the Grecians that they liue beyond the Ocean seas in a place of pleasure where they are neuer molested with raine nor snow nor heat but haue alwaies a sweet and pleasant ayre comming out of the Ocean But the wicked soules as they say go into a place very tempestuous where there is alwaies as it were winter weather alwaies ful of lamentations of those who for euer are to be punished But I iudge that the Greekes are of this opinion when they say there is an Isle for the vertuous whom they call Heroes and halfe-gods and that the soules of the wicked go to a place in hell where as it is fained some to be tormented as Sysiphus Tantalus Ixion Tytius Which they did first inuent for this purpose because those who are of good disposition are made better in this life by hope of some reward in the life to come and the wicked are as they thought hereby restrained for feare of eternall
the people in great multitude Nay he was not ashamed by the publike voyce of a crier to proclaime it through the whole coutrie lawfull for any one that would to rob and steale so that they would bring him a part of their bootie In briefe his cruelty was such that the country was almost left desolate people forsaking their own natiue home flying into strange lands And during the time that Cestius Gallus was gouernour of Syria no man durst go to him to make anie complaint against Florus But when at the feast of vnleauened bread Gallus came to Ierusalem there met him a multitude of the Iewes aboue three hundred thousand all beseeching him to helpe and succour their afflicted countrey and banish Florus who was the verie plague of their nation Yet Florus was so impudent that being with Gallus and hearing these cries against him he was no whit moued thereat but laughed at it Cestius for that time appeased the people promising that hereafter he would make Florus more gentle vnto them and so returned to Antiochia Florus conducted him to Caesarea to stop his mouth with lies deuising with himselfe how to make the Iewes rebel and that he thought was the safest meanes for to cloake his villanies for if they continued in peace and obedience he feared that some of them would accuse him before Caesar marie if he could make them reuolt then he hoped that their great fault would shadow his impieties Wherefore to bring about his purpose he euerie day oppressed them with new calamities forcing them hereby to rebell against the Romans At this time the Gentiles of Caesarea got the victorie ouer the Iewes and brought letters to testifie that decree before Nero. This was the beginning of the wars of the Iewes in the twelfth yeare of Nero his empire and the seuenteenth of Agrippas raigne in the moneth of May. CHAP. XIIII Of Florus crueltie against the Iewes of Caesarea and Ierusalem FLorus had no iust cause for any of these calamities which he inflicted vpon the Iewes The Iewes dwelling at Caesarea had a synagogue neere a peece of ground that belonged to a Gentile dwelling in Caesarea The Iewes often sought to compound with him for that peece of ground offering him far more then it was worth but the Landlord of the soile did not only contemne their request but also to their great griefe in that place builded tauerns so that he left them a verie streight and narrow passage to go to their synagogue Some young men among the Iewes being verie zealous resisted the workmen and would not suffer them to build Florus hearing this commanded the Iewes to let the workmen goe forward in their worke The Iewes not knowing what to do especially one Iohn a Publican offered Florus eight talents to hinder the building he promised for that mony to fulfill their request and now hauing it ◅e presently departed from Caesarea and went to Sebaste without perfourming anie thing giuing as it were occasion of sedition as though he had receiued money of the Nobilitie of the Iewes to permit them to fight a certaine time The next day which was the Iewes Sabboth when they were all assembled to go to the synagogue one of Caesarea a seditious person tooke a great ear then vessel and set it euen at the entrie into their synagogue and vpon it did offer birds This fact so moued the Iewes that they would not be pacified because it was done in contempt of their religion and thereby the place was profaned One part of the Iewes that was most modest and wisest counselled the people to complaine to them that were in authority but those who for heat of their youth were prone to seditiō begā contumeliously to reuile the aduersaries For the most seditious of the people of Caesarea were also prepared to fight with them and had caused that to bee done before the synagogue only to picke a quarrell and so they fought together Iucundus General of the horsmen that was left to keepe all in quiet presently came with souldiers and commanded that vessell to be taken away and so indeuoured to appease the tumult but not being able to doe it through the violence of them of Caesarea the Iewes tooke the bookes of their lawes and retired themselues to a place called Narbata belonging to them which was distant from Caesarea threescore furlongs Twelue of the chiefe of them together with Iohn the Publican went vnto Florus being at Sebaste to complaine of the iniurie done vnto them requesting him to assist them and modestly put him in mind of the eight talents they gaue him But he presently commaunded them to bee bound and imprisoned because they had presumed to take and carie their law from Caesarea Hereat those of Ierusalem were greatly moued yet they shewed it not Florus as vpon set purpose giuing occasion of rebellion sent for seuenteene talents out of the sacred treasurie pretending that it was to be imployed in Caesars affaires At this the people was much troubled calling and crying vpon the name of Caesar praying that he would deliuer them from Florus his tyrannie Some of them being seditious began to curse Florus bitterly and took a basket and caried it about and begged an almes for Florus which they did in derision as who should say he were as miserable as beggers that haue nothing Florus for all this left not his couetousnes but was more earnest to rob the inhabitants of their goods So that when he should haue gone to Caesarea to haue quieted the sedition remoued the cause of tumults as also he had receiued mony so to do taking an armie of horse and foot he came to Ierusalem that with the help of the Roman souldiers he might effect his pleasure and terrifie the whole citie The people to pacifie his wrath went out in curteous sort to meete the armie shewing themselues readie to giue them the best entertainment they could and to receiue Florus with all honour and reuerence Florus vnderstanding of them sent before him one Capito a Centurion with fiftie horsemen commanding them to depart and not to mocke him with a pretence of honour whom they had so hainously abused And that if they were as good as their words they should flout and reproch him to his face and not onely in words but in deedes shew that they desired libertie Herewithall the multitude being terrified and also for that the horsemen that came with Capito assaulted them with violence euerie one fled before they saluted Florus or did their accustomed duety vnto the army and going euerie one vnto his house they past the watchfull night in feare and sorrow Florus for that night lodged in the kings pallace The next day he caused a tribunall openly to be placed and the high priest and all the chiefe of the Iewes resorted thither and stood before the tribunall Then Florus sitting in the tribunall seate commaunded them to
consist in theeues and slaues but now manie people of the countrie came vnto him reuerencing him as their Prince and king So they made excursions into the Toparchie of Acrabatena and into the greater Id◅maea For he had fortified a towne called Nain walled about which he vsed for his defence like a castle And in the valley called Pharan he made many caues and found many alreadie made and in these caues he kept his treasure and the booties he got also all fruits of the earth that he robbed and stole there he laid vp in store as also munition for diuers companies And now no man doubted but that being thus furnished with men and munition he would go to Ierusalem The Zealous fearing this and desirous to preuent him whom they euery day did see encrease his number to grow more potent against them they armed many of their companie and went out to meet him Simon was not daunted at this but boldly incountred them gaue them so sharpe a battaile that he slew many of them in fight and forced the rest to retire themselues into the towne yet hauing men sufficient he would not besiege the towne but first of all he purposed to subdue Idumaea and so accompanied with twentie thousand armed men he hasted towards the borders thereof The princes of Idumaea vnderstanding this presently assembled fiue and twentie thousand armed men and leauing at home sufficient garrisons to defend their countrey against the incursion of the Sicarij which held the fortresse of Massada they accompanied with this train went out and expected Simons comming into the borders of their country where hauing met him they ioined battel and fought a whole day yet neither partie got the victorie Then Simon returned to Nain and the Idumaeans home Not long after Simon with a greater armie then before assaulted the borders of their countrie and pitching his tents in a village called Thecue he sent one of his companions named Eleazar to them that kept the castle Herodium not farre from that place to solicite them to yeeld it vnto him The garrison there presently receiued him into the castle not knowing the cause of his comming But so soone as he began to perswade them to treason they all pursued him with their drawne swords and he not hauing any place to flie vnto cast himsel◅e from off the castle wall into the valley vnderneath and so presently die◅ The Idumaeans something fearing Simons forces before they would offer him battell thought it best to espie what number of men he had to effect which busines one Iacob a ruler amongst them offered himselfe meaning indeed to betray his countrie to Simon So departing from Olu◅us where the Idumaeans forces were assembled he went vnto Simon first of all promised him to betray his country vnto him receiuing of him an oath that for reward of this deed he should alwaies be next in dignitie vnto Simon himselfe and so he presently promised to helpe to subdue all Idumaea For this cause he was welcome to Simon and feasted liberally and had great promises if he performed that which he offered and then returned vnto the Idumaeans and fained that Simons armie was farre greater then indeed it was And so at last terrifying the gouernours of his countrey and the people he by little and little perswaded them to receiue Simon and without any more fight yeeld vnto him the whole soueraigntie ouer thē ◅cob studying to bring this his purpose to passe priuily sent messengers to Simon willing him to come with his forces and promising him to subdue the Idumaeans for him which also he did For when the armie of Simon drew neere he first of all got vpon his horse and together with his associates that were partakers of his treason he fled vnto the enemie Then feare fell vpon the Idumaeans and euerie one without any more adoe departed home Thus Simon against his owne expectation entred Idumaea without bloudshed and first of all assaulting a little village called Chebron vpon a sodaine he tooke it and in it an exceeding great bootie a great quantie of Corne and many fruites which all hee carried away The inhabitants report that this Chebron is not onely more ancient then all Cities of that land but also then Memphis ◅n Aegypt for they affirme it to haue beene built two thousand and three hundreth yeres since They also say that this was the place where Abraham the father of the Iews dwelt after hee forsooke Mesopotamia and that his posteritie departed from hence to Aegypt And of this there are yet monuments in the Citie richly wrought in fine marble Sixe furlongs from the towne there is an exceeding great Turpentine tree which they affirme to haue endured euer since the creation of the world vntill this day Simon hauing obtained this place from hence he inuaded all Idumaea and not onely robbed and spoyled all townes and Cities thereof but also he wasted and destroyed many territories for besides his armie there followed him fortie thousand so that he could not find victuals sufficient for such a multitude Moreouer besides this calamitie that he brought vpon Idumaea hee exercised great crueltie and outrage vpon the Countrie and so caused a greater spoyle therein And like as after locusts the trees and woods where they haue beene are left without leaues so wheresoeuer Simon had beene al the countrie from whence he came he left desolate And either by fire or ouerthrowing it by ruinating places wher he came or else by treading vpon it with the feet of his armie or by deuouring such as they found they left nothing standing nor growing either in field or towne and onely by passing through fertile places he made the fields harder then barren ground left no signe in places which he had destroyed that euer they had beene tilled Hereat the Zelous were againe moued yet durst they not fight with him in open field but placing ambushes in the way he was to passe they tooke Simons wife and many of her seruants and so came againe into the Citie reioycing as though they had taken Simon himselfe For they perswaded thēselues that Simon would presently laying armes apart come in humble wise and intreate them to restore vnto him his wife But Simon was not moued with compassion for the losse of his wife but with furie and comming to the wals of Ierusalem like a cruell beast that had beene wounded and could not come to them that hurt him he killed and slew all he met And taking them that went out of the Citie to gather herbs and wood hee caused them to be whipped to death whether they were young or old and this crueltie seemed onely wanting in him that he did not eate the flesh of the dead bodies Also he tooke many and cut off their hands and so sent them into the Citie thereby to terrifie his enemies and to recall the people from the Zelous and bad
that Titus was likewise fled for had they thought that he had staied by it they neuer would haue forsaken their quarters yet being now terrified they knew not wherfore some fled one way and some another without anie order till some seeing the Emperour in the midst of the battaile and fearing the mischance that might beâ—…ide him they with loud cries signified it vnto the whole legion Then the Romans turning againe for shame and accusing themselues guiltie of a great offence in forsaking their Emperour amidst such daunger came with all the violence they could vse against the Iewes and driuing them downe the mountaine forced them to retire yet the Iewes fought flying and seeing the Romans to haue the vpper hand of them because they were vpon higher ground they departed into the valley Titus assaulted them that were opposite against him and so commaunded the rest to goe and finish their trenches And he with those that before were with him to defend the workemen did now also keepe the Iewes from molesting them So if I may speake without â—…atterie or enuie Caesar himselfe did twise preserue the whole legion from destruction and gaue the souldiers opportunitie to entrench themselues CHAP. IIII. Of the fight within the Citie vpon the feast of vnleauened bread DVring the intermission of the forrain 〈◊〉 they fel to their former sedition againe which caused ciuillwars amongst them And against the feast of vnleuenedbread which is the fourteenth day of Aprill for vpon this day the Iewes say that they were deliuered out of the bondage of Aegypt Eleazar and his companions opened the gats to the intent 〈◊〉 all that would might come in to adore and do their deuotion But Iohn vsed this festiuall day as a means to effect his deceit and caused many of his companie that â—…vere vnknowne to enter in amongst the people with weapons vnder their garments giuing them charge whâ—… they were within to get possession of the temple and so soone as they were within they cast off thâ—… garments and shewed themselues to be in armour Presently a great tumult arose within the â—…ple for all the people that were not of the sedition thought themselues betraied and the Zealous thought this â—…reason onely practised to preiudice them and so leauing the gate which before they kept and leaping downe from the towers they neuer offering â—…o fight fled into the vaults about the temple And the people flocking about the altar and others who were driuen into the temple were killed with clubs and swords and so troden vpon And many were slaine vpon priuate hâ—…ed vnder pretence to be partakers with the enemies And whosoâ—…er before time had offended any of those traitors he was put to death as though he had beene one of the Zealous But they who had cruelly raged against the innocent let the wicked haue leasure to escape out of those caues whereby they had no harme and hauing gotten the â—…inner part of the temple and all belonging thereunto they did now more confidently then before fight aganst Simâ—… and thus the sedition that was before deuided into three parts was now brought onely into two Titus being desirous to bring his armie neerer the citie sent a certaine number of horsemen foot which he thought sufficient to hinder all excursions of the Iewes from Scopos and another companie he sent to plaine all the grounds betwixt him and Ierusalem who â—…ting downe all hedges and pales and fences and wood though they were fruit trees filled the vallies and made it all plaine ground and hewing downe all stones that standing vp made the ground vnequall they plained all that ground from Scopos euen vnto Herodes monument which adioyned to the â—…ake of Serpents called sometime Bethora CHAP. V. Of the deceit the Iewes vsed against the Roman souldiers ABout this time the Iewes deuised this stratageme against the Romans The most couragious amongst the seditions people went out vnto the places called the womens towers and counterfaited themselues to be driuen thither by them within the city that desired peace and for that they feared the Romans they were come thither to hide themselues one behind another others standing vpon the wals and counterfaiting themselues to be the citizens with loud cries desired peace and a league of friendship promising to set the citie gates open and inuiting the Romans to enter and crying thus they also cast stones against their countrimen before spoken of as though they did driue them from the gates and they made as though they would by force breake through the people come to the gates partly by force partly by entreating the people to permit them And making many offers to goe vnto the Romans they turned againe like men troubled in mind and studying what to doe The Roman souldiers did not percâ—…e their subtill meaning who seeing the seditious readie to fall into their hands that so they might punish them and seeing the people as they thought readie to open the gates vnto them would in post haste haue gone vnto the citie But Titus inspected some deceit coloured with this kind inuiting him to enter because he did not see any reason for it For the day before hauing by Ioseph offâ—…red them a peace he vnderstood that theâ—… minds were farre from any peaceable cogitations wherefore he now commaunded the souldiers to keepe their quarters and not to remooue yet some of them appointed to worke in the trenches taking their weapons ranne vnto the gates and the Iewes who seemed to be driuen out of the citie first fled at last when they came vnto the gates of the towers they inclosed the Romans round about and assaulted them vpon their backs and they that were vpon the wals did cast all kind of darts and stones vpon them so that they slew many and wounded verie many for it was not easie to escape from the wals others being behind them and offering them violence Moreouer they were ashamed that their Captaines had so offended and in feare for their offence committed both which caused them still to perseuer in it And after a long conflict receiuing many wounds and giuing as many at last they put them to flight that enclosed them and so the Iewes departed and followed them vnto Helens monument pursuing them with darts And then the Iewes returned reioycing in their good fortune and deriding the Romanes for being so deceiued lifted vp their shields and bucklers shouting and reioycing The Romane souldiers were receiued of their Captaines with threatnings and of Caesar with this speech The Iewes lead onely with desperation doe al things with aduise and counsell deuising deceites and fortune fauoureth their practises because they are ordered and trustie to one another And now the Romanes whom for their obedience and discipline fortune was wont to fauour doe contrariwise offend herein and for their rash and vnaduised fighting are ouercome which is worst of al in Caesars presence