enemies might tume the riuer and so haue accesse vnto the Citie he inuironed the inner Citie with three seuerall wals and the outmost Citie likewise The wals whereof were made of brick but the wals of the inner Citie were of bricke and bytumen this done he builded most sumptuous gates which might haue become temples and moreouer neere vnto his fathers pallace he builded another farre greater and more costly then it was the pompe wherof it were hard and perhaps tedious to expresse Yet this we will rehearse worth the nothing that this so ambitious and aboue all credit gorgeous pallace was builded in fifteene daies in it he erected rocks of stone like mountaines beset with all sorts of trees he also made a famous garden all supported with pillars for that his wife being brought vppe in the countrey of the Medes desired to haue a prospect into the fieldes and mountaines This he relateth of the forementioned king and many things more in his booke of the affaires of the Chaldeis wherein he reprooueth the Greeke writers who falsely affirme that Semiramis the Assyrian Queene built Babylon and that they falsely report those wonderfull works about Babylon to haue been by her made and finished We must needs thinke that the Chaldean historie is true seeing it agreeth with that of the Phoenicians which Berosus writ of the king of Babylon who subuerted both Phoenicia and al Syria with them also accordeth Philostratus in his historie in the siege of Tyria and Magasthenes also in his fourth booke of the affaires of India where he laboureth to proue that the said king excelled Hercules in strength and valour affirming that he subdued the greatest part of Affrique and Spaine and that the temple of Ierusalem was burnt by the Babylonians and againe reedified by Cyrus we will prooue it out of Berosus who in his third booke saith as followeth Nabuchodonosor hauing begun the third wall fell sicke and died when he had raigned fortie three yeeres and his sonne Euelmaradochus succeeded him who for his iniquitie and lustfull liuing was treacherously slaine by his sisters husband named Niriglissoroor after he had raigned two yeeres He being dead the traitor Niriglissoroor vsurped the kingdome and raigned foure yeeres whose sonne then a childe was made king called by name Laborosardochus and he raigned nine moneths who for that he seemed to be of verie corrupt manners was slaine by his owne friends after whose death they who slew him consulting togither did make one Nabonidus a Babylonian king At this time the wals of bricke and bytumen about the riuer of Babylon were built In the eight yeere of this kings raigne Cyrus comming with an army out of Persia conquered all Asia and came with his forces against Babylon but the king of Babylon hauing notice of his comming leuied an army meeting him in the way and ioined battell with him but being ouercome in the fight he accompanied with a verie few of his men was forced to flie into Borsippa Cyrus now besieged Babylon and purposed to destroy the outward wals thereof by reason that it was too strong and too hard to win and so he returned to Borsippa to besiege Nabonidus the king of Babylon who was fled thither But Nabonidus not abiding the euent of war yeelded himselfe vnto Cyrus who dealt mercifully with him and gaue him a territorie in Carmania but expelled him out of Babylon so Nabonidus led the rest of his life in that prouince This historie agreeth with ours for in our writings we finde that Nabuchodonosor in the eighteenth yeere of his raigne did destroy our temple and that it so remained threescore and ten yeeres Also that in the second yeere of king Cyrus the soundations thereof were laide againe and that it was finished and reedified in the second yeere of king Darius his raigne This done I will also relate the histories of the Phoenicians that we may abound with proofe of that we say for they make a computation of the yeeres after this manner In the raigne of king Ithobalus Nabuchodonosor besieged Tyre thirteene yeeres after whom Baal raigned ten yeeres next him iudges were appointed to wit them that follow Eâ—…nibalus the sonne of Balachus iudged two moneths Chelbis the sonne of Abdaeus ten moneths Abbarus the high priest three moneths Myttonus and Gerastus sonnes of Abdilimos iudged six yeeres after whom Balatorus raigned one yeere and after his death the Tyrians called Merbalus from Babylon and made him king and he raigned foure yeeres and he then dying they sent also to Babylon for his brother Iromus who raigned twentie yeeres in whose raigne Cyrus obtained the Persian Empire so that this whole time is fiftie foure yeeres three moneths for Nabuchodonozor began to besiege Tyre in the seuenth yeere of his raigne and in the fourteenth yeere of king Iromus his raigne Cyrus was made Emperour of Persia. Wherefore both the Chaldeis and Tyrian Historiographers agree with vs concerning our temple So that the antiquitie of our nation aboue mentioned is now made manifest and without all controuersie And that which is alreadie alleaged to this end may be sufficient for them who are not vpon purpose contradictions It is therefore requisite to satisfie them who giue no credit to the writings of other nations and contend that the Grecian histories onely are to be beleeued to bring many testimonies from the Greeks themselues who haue as opportunitie serued made mention of our nation and knowne it Pythonis a Samian borne both of great antiquitie and excelling all other Philosophers in holinesse towards the Gods is not onely conuinced to haue knowne the customes of our nation but he did also as it plainely appeareth imitate them in many things His writings are in no place extant but diuers haue recorded many notable things of him and especially Hermippus a man most diligent in searching of histories This Hermippus recounteth in his first booke of Pythagoras that the said Philosopher hauing one of his familiar friends named Calliphon dead who was a Crotonian borne reported this mans soule to be perpetually with him and that the said soule commaunded him not to passe the place where his asse fell and that hee should abstaine from vncleane water and that he should with all diligence eschue blasphemie and then it followeth this he did and said imitating the opinions of the Iewes and Grecians and applying them to himselfe For it is certainly reported that this man gathered much of his philosophie out of the Iewes lawes Our nation in times past was well knowne to diuers cities so that many of them do now obserue our customes and others esteeme them worth the imitation as Theophrastus doth witnesse in his booke entituled de legibus for he saith that the Tyrian lawes forbid to sweare by any straunge sacrament and amongst these straunge and forraine sacraments he reckoneth the oath called Corban which oathe is vsed onely amongst the
presently assembling togither the people of Aegypt and consulting with the princes of his countrey he sent all holy beasts and all that the priests esteemed before him giuing the priests especiall charge to hide their Idols and he commended his sonne Sethones who also by his father Rampses was called Ramesses being but fiue yeeres olde vnto the custodie of a friend of his and then accompanied with three hundred fighting men he met his enemies but would not fight with them fearing least he should fight against the pleasure of the gods and so he retired himselfe vnto Memphis and taking Apis and the rest of the Aegyptian gods hee with all his troupes of Aegyptians tooke shippe and fled into Aethiopia For the king of Aethiopia vpon curtesie obeied him and for this cause he entertained him his followers prouided all necessaries for them for that fatall thirteen yeers banishment and this was done in Aethiopia In the meane time the inhabitants of Ierusalem came downe into the country with the vncleane Aegyptians and did so tyrannize ouer the inhabitants that all their beholders iudged their victorie to be full of crueltie for not contented to fire the cities and townes and to commit all manner of sacriledge and to destroy the Idols of the gods they did also most cruelly teare in pieces the sacred beasts and forced the priests and prophets to lay violent hands vpon them and kill them after which deed they draue them out of the countrey naked It is therefore reported that a Heliopolitan priest Osarsiphus by name made lawes for them and statutes to gouerne them This priest was called Osarsiphus taking his name from the God of Heliopolis called Osiris who being now thus conuersant with this people changed his name and called himselfe Moses Thus the Aegyptians report of the Iewes and many things els which for breuitie sake I omit Manethon furthermore writeth that afterward Amenophis the king came with a great power out of Aethiopia and his son Rampses with him accōpanied with a great army and that ioining battell with the shepheards and polluted persons he gaue them an ouerthrow and pursued them vnto the borders of Syria And this is Manethons report but for as much as he writeth olde wiues tales dotages and lies I will by manifest reason conuince him first distinguishing that whereof I am to speake hereafter He of his owne accord granteth and confesseth that our auncestors at first were not Aegyptians but strangers that came thither from another place and conquered the countrey and againe departed from thence I will now out of his owne writings endeuour to shew that the weake people of Aegypt were not mixed with vs and that Moses who indeed was our conducter out of Aegypt and liued many ages before was no Lepar He therfore first of all setteth downe a ridiculous cause of this forementioned faction which was that king Amenophis was desirous to see the gods Which gods trow yee he could already see the Oxe the Goate the Crocodile and the Munkey but the God of heauen how could he see And why had Amenophis this desire forsooth because a certaine king one of his predecessors had seene them he therefore knowing by him what things they were and how he came to the sight of them needed no new deuice to accomplish his desire but perhaps the foresaid prophet was a man of great wisedome by whom the king had confidence to attaine his desire but if so he had been how chanceth it that he was so vnwise he could not perceiue that it was an impossible thing to satisfie the kings desire for that which he promised was not brought to passe Or what reason mooued him to thinke that the gates were inuisible because of Lepars and weake people The gods are offended with mens impieties not with the defects of their bodies And how was it possible that at one instant so many thousand Lepars and infirme persons should be gathered togither or wherein did not the king obay the Prophet he commaunded that the Lepars and infirme persons should be exiled the countrey and the king did not banish them the countrey but sent them to hew stones as though he had needed workemen and not purposed to cleanse the countrey from Lepars Lastly he saith that the Prophet foreseeing that Aegypt was to suffer and fearing the wrath of the gods he killed himselfe and left his minde in a booke written vnto the king How chanced it then that the prophet did not at first foresee his own death and so opposed himselfe vnto the kings desire to see the gods or wherefore did he feare such calamities as were not to fall in his life or what great miserie hanged ouer his head which might worthily cause him to kill himselfe to preuent it But let vs heare that which followeth more sottish then all the rest The king quoth he hearing this and stroken with feare did not for all this expell those Lepars he ought to haue exiled but at their request gaue them as he saith a Citie wherein before time the shepheards did inhabite called Auaris whereinto they being come they made a priest of Heliopolis their prince who deuised lawes for them commaunding them neither to adore the gods nor to abstaine from offering violence to such beasts as amongst the Aegyptians are sacred but that they should kill and spoile all things that they should marrie with none but such as were their confederates that he bound the people with an oath to keepe those lawes and that they fortified Auaris to fight against the king Adding moreouer that he sent to Ierusalem for helpe promising to yeeld Auaris vnto them being a place sometime possessed by their ancestors and that they from that place leading their forces might easily subdue all Aegypt he then saith that the Aegyptian king Amenophis came against them with three hundreth thousand and yet for that he would not striue againct the decree of the gods he fled into Aethiopia and carried with him Apis and other holy beasts and that the inhabitants of Ierusalem comming downe inuaded the land fired the townes and Cities slew their nobles vsed all sort of crueltie possible and that the priests name who made lawes and statutes for them to liue vnder was one of Heliopolis Osarsiphus by name deriuing the same from Osiris the god of Heliopolis and that this man changing his name was afterward called Moses Moreouer that Amenophis hauing liued in banishment thirtie yeeres came with a strong power out of Aethiopia and fighting with the shepheards and polluted he slew many of them and put the rest to flight pursuing them vnto the borders of Syria Manethon remembreth not that heere againe he telleth a verie vnskilfull tale for although the Lepars and impotent persons were offended with the king for appointing them to hew stones yet is it to be thought that they receiuing their owne desire at the kings hands to wit a Citie to dwell in
long time together warred against the Idumaeans Zabidus departing out of a Citie of Idumaea where Apollo was worshipped came vnto the Iewes promising them to deliuer vnto them Apollo the Dorians god and bring him vnto their Temple if so bee that all of them would there assemble themselues together and that afterwards Zabidus did make a most excellent kind of wooden instrument and placed in it three ranckes of Candles and put it vpon him and so walked like a starre gliding on the ground for that shape he resembled to them that were a farre off from him And that the Iewes hereat seeing this straunge vision admired and were astonished and standing a farre off they were all silent and how by this shift Zabidus easily got into their Temple and tooke away the golden Asses head for so hee writeth plainely and so to haue returned speedily to Dora Wherefore we may say that Apion leadeth an Asse to wit himselfe with fooleries and lies for hee nameth places that are not and setteth downe Cities to himselfe vnknowne for Idumaea is a Prouince neere vnto vs and bordering vpon Gara and there is no Citie in it called Dora but in Phaenicia neere vnto the hill Carmelus there is a Citie of that name yet nothing consonant to Apions slaunders for it is foure dayes iourney from Iudaea Why therefore doth he so rashly accuse vs for not worshipping the same gods that other nations doe seeing as he saith our predecessors did so easily beleeue that Apollo would come vnto them and that he walked vpon the earth with starres vpon his backe Perhaps indeed they had neuer before seene a candle or lampe themselues hauing so many or is it likely that he walking thus quite through our countrie where so many thousand men are no one of them al met him Did he in time of warre finde the townes and villages by which he past without any watchmen Well I omit the rest The gates of our temple were three score cubites high twentie cubites broad all couered with gold yea almost all of cleane gold and these gates euerie day were shut by two hundreth men and it was too impious a thing to leaue them open is it then credible that this candlebearer could easily open them who alone was iudged to haue the asses head So that now it remaineth doubtfull whether Zabidus did bring backe againe the asses head or els Apion tooke it of him and brought it againe to our temple that there Antiochus might finde it and so Apion might haue another occasion of lying He also belieth vs concerning the oath which he saith we Iewes doe take swearing by the God of heauen and earth and sea neuer to fauour any stranger and especially the Greekes This liar might better haue said not to fauour any stranger and especially the Aegyptians and so his former lies and these should haue had better correspondence with the beginning if our auncestors had been expelled by their predecessors out of Aegypt not for their wickednesse but for their owne calamitie But we are so far from the Greeks that we scarcely euer thinke of them so that no man can say that there is any enmitie betweene vs and the Greekes But contrariwise many of them haue embraced our religion and some of them therein perseuered others againe haue forsaken it yet none of them will say that he heard this oath spoken amongst vs but it should seeme that onely Apion heard of it in that he himselfe indeed forged it Truely his great wisedome and prouidence is woorthy to be admired as shall hereafter appeare for he to prooue these his lies to be true saith that it is a certaine testimonie that the lawes we obserue are most vniust and that we worship not God as we ought to do in that we were subiect to diuers nations and our Citie endured many calamities Where as touching themselues they are of a Citie that flourisheth in absolute authoritie accustomed to gouerne from the foundation thereof and not to serue the Romans In effect who can resist their valour Truely no man but Apion would euer haue flowted vs herewith seeing that few Cities so flourish and raigne ouer other that they againe at no one time haue been brought into subiection For many nations are subiect to others onely the Aegyptians are freed from the captiuitie of such as rule Europe and Asia for that as they say the gods flying into their countrey were saued by entring into the bodies of beasts Yet haue they not indeed had any one daies libertie since the beginning of the world neither vnder the gouernment of their owne princes nor vnder strangers I will not stand to recken how often the Persians haue wasted their Citie destroied their temples and slaine their supposed gods For it is not decent that I should imitate herein Apions foolishnesse neither am I calling to memorie what befell the Athenians and Lacedaemonians the last of which are recorded to haue beene most valiant and the first to haue beene most deuout and religious neither will I recken vp those most godly kings amongst whom Craesus was one who notwithstanding fell into great calamities Moreouer I will not recount how the Castle of Athens was set on fire and the temples of Ephesus and Delphos likewise and many others There is now one Apion a new accuser of the Iewes who vpbraideth them with their calamities forgetting quite all miserie that hath befallen his countrimen the Aegyptians but he was blinded with the fable of Sesostris whom he saith to haue been king of Aegypt We could report and boast of our kings Dauid and Salomon who subdued many nations vnto them but it is not fit here to speake of them But Apion was ignorant of that which all the world knoweth to wit that the Aegyptians haue serued first to the Persians and afterwards to the Macedonians and that as bondslaues where we remaining in free libertie raigned ouer all Cities round about vs 120. yeeres euen vnto the time of Pompey the great and when all the other kings were subdued by the Romans onely our kings for their fidelitie and friendship towards them were deare vnto them Oh but this sticketh vpon Apions stomacke that we haue not had any famous men of our nation who haue inuented artes and sciences and been excellent in wisedome such as Socrates Zeno Cleanthes and others whom he setteth downe were and which is most to be admired Apion putteth himselfe in the number of these famous men and saith that Alexandria is blessed and happy that hath deserued to haue such a Citizen as he is and great reason that he himselfe should testifie that of himselfe which all men else perceiue in him to wit that hee is an impudent deceitefull fellow both of corrupt life and manners So that any Alexandrians had iust cause to be sorie that they euer had any better opinion of him But that our nation had men equall at least vnto those
temple Antiochus Epistle to Zeuxis in which he maketh honourable mention of the Iewes The yeare of the world 3764. before Christs birth 200. Antiochus friendship and confederacy with Ptolomey The Samaritanes molest the Iewes The yeare of the world 3770. before Christs Natiuitie 194. Hedio Ruffinus chap. 4. Onias the hâ—…gh priest prouoketh the king of Egypt for non paiment of his tribute The yeare of the world 3770. before Christs birth 194. The taxatioÌ„ of the hie priest for offending the king The kings embassadour honourably entertained who reporteth Iosephs liberality vpon his returne into his countrey The yeare of the world 3770. before Christs birth 194. The tributes of Coelesyria coÌ„mitted to Ioseph The Ascalonites and Scythopolitans punished for their conteÌ„pt Iosephs welth and children The yeare of the world 3770. before Christs Natiuitie 194. Hyrcanus ofspring and towardnes Ioseph sendeth his sonne Hircanus to Ptolomey The yeare of the world 3780. before Christs birth 184. Treason intended against Hircanus The yeare of the world 3780. before the Natiuitie of Christ. 184. Hircanus apology of his actions Hircanus iests Hircanus sounding what other meÌ„ would giue gauemore then the rest for which he receiueth another kingly reward Hircanus brothers assailing him on the way are slaine and discomfited The yeare of the world 3780. before Christs birth 184. Iosephs death Onias and after him Simon his sonne high priest Hedio Ruffinus chap. 4. The letter of the king of Lacedemon to the high priest of the Iewes 1. Machab. 12. Sedition amongst the people after Iosephs death Hircanus afflicteth the Arabians with continual war Hircanus buildeth a strong tower The yeare of the world 3790. before Christs Natiuitie 174. Antiochus Epiphanes king of Syria The sonnes of Prolomey Epiphanes Philometor and Physcon Hircanus killeth himselfe Hedio Ruffinus chap. 6. 1. Macchab. 1. Iesus created high Priest by Antiochus Epiphanes Iesus depriued of the priesthoode The yeare the of world 3790. before Christs birth 174. Onias surnamed Menelaus substituted in his place The wars betwixt Iason and Menelaus Apostates froÌ„ the Iewish religion Antiochus enforced to depart out of Egypt The history of Antiochus Epiphanes Antiochus entring IerusaleÌ„ spoileth the temple The yeare of the world 3796. before Christs birth 168. The yeare of the world 3798. before Christs birth 166. The yeare of the world 379â—… before Christs birth 166. Antiochus abrogating Gods law thorow extreme tyranny enforceth the Iewes to Idolatry and fortifieth the temple Hedio Ruffinus chap. 7. The deuil seekehth to abolish the Bible The variable wits of the Samaritanes which made them so odious in the sight of the Iewes The yeare of the world 3799. before Christs birth 165. The yeare of the world 3799. before the Natiuitie of Christ. 165. The zeale and piety of Matthias and his sonnes An Apostata slaine by Matthias Matthias with his sons Hieth into the desart The Iewes are slaine on the Sabbath day which slaughter maketh Matthias more werie Matthias rooteth out all Idolatry Hedio Ruffinus chap. 8. Matthias exhorteth his sons to pietie fortitude and concord The yeare of the world 3799 before Christs birth 165. 〈◊〉 Macchab. 3. Matthias death Iudas Machabaeus appointed gouernor Hedio Ruffinus chap. 9. Iudas Machabaeus ouercoÌ„meth Apollonius in battell Seron gouernour of Coelesyria is put to flight in Iudaea The yeare of the world 3799. before Christs birth 165. Antiochus preparation to inuade Iudaea Antiochus committing his kingdome prouinces and sonne to Lysias charge departeth into Persia The yeare of the world 3800. before Christs birth 164. Hedio Ruffinus chap. 10. Ptolomey Gorgias aand Nicanors war in Iudaea Iudas oration to his soldiers 1. Machab. 4. The yeare of the world 38â—…0 before Christs Natiuitie 164. Iudas ouercommeth Lysias army Iudas gathereâ—… a huge 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 once 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 and loâ—… fiue thousand of his soldiers The temple of Ierusalem The yeare of the world 3801. before Christs birth 163. The temple left desolate for three whole yeeres space Dan. 12. The yeare of the world 3801. before Christs birth 163. The festiuall solemnized for the reestablishment of the temple Hedio Ruffinus chap. 21. Mach. 5. Iudas maketh continuall warre with the neighbouring nations Hedio Ruffinus chap. 11. Simo ouercoÌ„ming his enemies in Galilee deliuereth the Iewes that were captiue Iudas and Ionathas succour the Iews besieged in Galaad Bosra taken and burnt The yeare of the world 3801. before Christs birth 163. Iudas succoureth the besieged Iewes Timothies soldiers slaine Malla taken and buâ—…nt Chaspoma and Bosor takeÌ„ Timothy gathereth new forces and is ouercome by Iudas The Iewes are brought out of the country of Galaad into Iuâ—…aea Ephron besieged burnt An admirable victory of Iudas Machabaeus who in all these conflictes lost not one man Ioseph and Zachary ouercome by Gorgias lose two thousand â—…olgiers Chebron and Marissa besieged The yeare of the world 38â—…1 before Christs birth 163. Hedio Ruffinus chap. 13. 1. Mac. 〈◊〉 Antiochus desirous to spoile Dianaes teÌ„ple besiegeth Elymias and is shamefully repulsed to Babylon The yeare of the world 3802. before Christs birth 162. Antiochus Epiphanes burdned with cares falleth sicke Polybius Megalopolitan of the cause of Antiochus sicknes Antiochus appointeth Philip gouernour of his kingdome and committeth his sonne Antiochus to his charge Hedio Ruffinus chap. 14. Lysias createth Antiochus the yonger king and surnameth him Eupator The Macedons in the castle of Ierusalem doe much harme â—…o the Iewes Iudas Machabaeus besiegeth the castle The fugitiue Iewes fly out of the castle and require Antiochus assistance The yeare of the world 3803. before Christs Natiuitie 161. Antiochus marcheth into Iudae a with his army Bethsura besieged Iudas with his forces encountreth the king at Bethzacharia Eleazar Iudas brother killeth an Elephant Iudas returneth to Ierusalem and Antiochus followeth him The Bethsurites yeeld vp their citie The temple of Ierusalem besieged Antiochus hearing newes of Philips intent to inuade Persia giueth ouer his siege to meet him The yeare of the world 3803. before the Natiuitie of Christ. 161. Antiochus maketh peace with Iudas The wal of the teÌ„ple defaced Onias otherwaies called Menelaus led away prisoner Alcimus or lacimus made high priest The yeare of the world 3804. before Christs birth 160. Philip slaine by Antiochus Onias the high priests sonne builded a teÌ„ple in Egypt resembling that at Ierusalem Hedio Ruffinus chap. 15. 1. Machab. 7. Demetrius seazeth Tripolis and other cities of Syria and killeth Antiochus and Lysias Alcimus the high priest with Apostates accuseth Iudas before Demetrius Bacchides killeth diuers that trust his oth The yeare of the world 3804 before Christs birth 160. Bacchides vseth great tyranny in Bethzeth Alcimus vseth popularity and familiarity to win the peoples hearts and killeth all such as were of Iudas factioÌ„ Iudas resisteth Alcimus power Alcimus accuseth Iudas to Demetrius Hedio Ruffinus chap. 16. Demetrius sendeth Nicanor against Iudas Nicanor dissembling with Iudas
The yeare of the world 4014 after Christs birth 52. The souldier executed that burned the Bible A Galilean slaine in Samaria Eleazar and Alexander two princes of the Iewes exercise much crueltie Conspiracy in robbery Quadratus gouernour of Syria heareth the Samaritanes Iewes Quadratus giueth sentence betwixt the Iewes and Samaritanes The yeere of the world 4014. after Christs birth 52. Claudius sentence against some Samaritanes Cumanus and Celer Claudius dieth and Nero succeeded him The yeare of the world 4015. after the Natiuitie of Christ. 53. Nero killeth his brother his mother and wife The yeare of the world 4018. after Christs natiuitie 56. Ant. lib. 20. cap. 1â—… Felix surpriseth Eleazar the captaine of the theeues and many others and sendeth them bound to Rome Another sort of theeues who at 〈◊〉 daies went about the city to murther men Ionathas the high priest with many others slaine Ant. lib. 20. cap. 12. An Egyptian Prophet gathereth welny â—…0000 men Felix ouerthroweth the Egyptian The theeues and magitians work much mischiefe to many men The yeare of the world 4020. after the 〈◊〉 of Christ. 50. Ant lib. 20. cap. 13. A fight betweene the Iewes and Syrians about Caesarea Sedition and slaughter among the Iewes The yeare of the world 4024. after Chrisâ—… 〈◊〉 62. Ant lib. 20. cap 11. Albinus president of Iudaea full of all wickednes The seditious bribe Albinus to winke at their robberies The yeare of the world 4028. after Christs birth 66. Ant. lib. 20. cap. 16. Gessius Florus succeeded Albinus and proued worser then Albinus The couetousnes of Florus spoileth whole cities The yeare of the world 4018. after Christs birth 66. Cestius Gallus appeaseth the people and requireth a mitigation of Florus seueritie The beginning of the warre of the Iewes the 12. yeare of Neros raigne Ant. lib. 20. cap. 15. The causes of the warre of the Iewes The yeare of the world 4030. after Christs birth 68. Florus periury and decoit toward the Iewes The conflict of the Iewes with the Caesareans Florus imprisoneth twelue of the chiefest Iewes in Caesarea Another cause of warre raised by Florus The yeare of the world 4030. after Christs Natiuitie 68. Another occasion of the war Florus scorneth the gratulation of the Iewes Florus in his tribunal requireth them to be yeelded vnto him who had spoken ill of him The outrage of Florus soldiers Florus soldiers kill 630. Iewes in one day Berenice requi reth Florus to pacifie his displeasure against the Iewes The furie of the souldiers against Beroâ—… nice The people exclaime against Floruâ—… The yeare of the world 4030 after Christs birth 68. Florus renueth the discontents of the people Florus subtiltie and treason The exhortation of the priests and princes to the people The euent sheweth Florus intent counsel The slaughter of the Iewes The seditious for 〈◊〉 least Florus should seâ—…se their spoiles flie to the temple Florus taketh the spoiles and entreth the temple Florus seeing the Iewes inexpugnable in the temple surceaseth his violence and leauing a band behind him goeth to Caesarea The yeare of the world 403â—… after Christs birth 68. Cestus Gallus president of Syria coâ—…ulteth with the princes what were bestro be done Politianus is sent to Ierusalem and meeteth with Agrippa The multitude of the people go out to meet Agrippa and Politianus Politianus assembleth the people and inciteth them to peace and after returneth to Cestius The Iewes require the king y t there might be some embassadors sent to Rome to conplaine of Florus to Nero. Agrippas oration to the Iewes Agrippa striueth to make the common sort flexible attentiue The yeâ—…re of the world 4030. after Christs birth 68. It be hooueth to honour the magistrate and not to prouoke him by iniury Agrippa excuseth Caesar and the Romanes Depulsion of the Iewes libertie which they so vehemently seeke forâ—… The exaÌ„ple of the Athenians others who obey the Romane empire The Lacedemonians The Macedonians The comparison of the Romans force with the Iewes weaknes The Romans haue brought the whole world vnder their gouernment haue â—…ought another world beyond the Ocean The 〈◊〉 of the world 4030. after Christs Natiuitie 68. Fiftie Cities of Asia obey the Romans The defence of France The Spaniards subiect to the Romans The Germains mulâ—…de vertue and huge stature The Britaines subiect to the Romans The Parthians The Carthaginians made subiect by Scipâ—…os hands The Romans gouerne the Moores The yeare of the world 4030 after Christs birth 68. Alexandria acknowledgeth the power of the Romans Gods fauour towaâ—…ds the Romans The last argument that proueth the Iewes destitute of Gods mans helpe and vnapt to make warre Whilest the ship is yet in the Port it is good to preuent the â—…uture tempest Agrippas prophecie of the Iewes future miserie Agrippâ—… protesteth that hee hath omit ted no counsel that he thoght expedient for the Iewes The yeare of the world 4030. after the birth of Christ. 68. Agrippa the king is by the people driuen out of the citie with stones The Iewes refuse Caesars sacrifices for the prosperitie of the Romanâ—… Against those who refuse forrain sacrifices None of the seditious gaue eare to those that were in authoritie Embassadours sent to Florus and Agrippa against the seditious The yeare of the world 4030. after Câ—…sts birth 68. Warre in Ierusalem between thâ—… seditious and those that â—…auored peace Xylophoria aâ—…east The kings souldiers are ouercome The Iews take Antonia and burne it Manahemus the chiefe of y t rebels giues the kings faction and friends licence to depart The Romans forsaking the Stratopedon flie into the Kings sortes The yeare of the world 4030. after Chrâ—…sts birth 68. The death of Ananias the high priest and Ezechias his brother Eleazars followers assault Manahem in the Temple Manahem with the princes slaine The Romans vnable any â—…on ger to resist yeeld themselues The Romanâ—… against all couenant law are all slaine saue Metiliâ—… Slaughter on the Sabaoth day The yeere of the world 4030. after Christs birth 68. The Iewes spoyle the villages and burn the Cities of Syria Al Syria full of miserable calamities Iewes against Iewes The Scythopolitans kill thirteene thousand Iewes Simon daily killeth many of his countrimen in Scythopolis The yeare of thâ—… world 4030. after the birth of Christ. 68. Simon killeth his parents his wife and children and at last himselfe An other slaughter of the Iewes The cities in armes against the Iewes Varus killeth 70. Iewes in in their iourney The Romans yeeld vp theiâ—… castle in Marichunte to the Iewes Sedition in 〈◊〉 betweene thâ—… Greeks and Ieweâ—… The yeere of the world 4030. after Christs birth 68. Tiberius Alexander exhorteth the seditious Iewes to keepe peace A cruell victorie wherein 〈◊〉 thousand Iewes are slaine Huge companies of the Romans Zâ—…bulon 〈◊〉 strong Citie of Galilee spoiled and burnt The Iewes kill two thousand Syrians The Romans take Ioppe and burne it and kill eight thousand and foure hundreth 〈◊〉 â—…nd
answere his hart more more failed him in that he manifestly perceiued what sinister successe would betide him if God should not assist him in the conflict He therfore commāded that they should search him out some Pythonissa or cunning enchantresse who inuocated and raised the spirits of the dead to the end that by her meanes he might know if his warres should haue that successe which he pretended for the diuiners which giue answere by the belly which the Greekes call Engastrimythes declare their aduentures to those that aske them And when as by the report of a certaine familiar friend of his he was aduertised that there was such a one at Endor vnwitting to his whole arme and laying aside his royall habites and attended onely by two whom he esteemed for his most faithfull seruants he repaired to Endor to this woman requiring her to diuine and raise vp the spirit of him whom he should name The woman denied and said that she ought not contradict the kings edict who had driuen out of his realme all such sort of soothsaiers telling him that he did not well that hauing receiued no wrong at her hands he should thus sound her and seeke to bring her in lapse of the kings lawes cause her to be punished But Saul swore vnto her that no man should knowe thereof and that he would not discouer her diuination to others briefely that shee should incurre no daunger thereby After then that by his othes and protestations he had perswaded her that she should haue no cause to feare he commanded her to raise the spirit of Samuel She not knowing what Samuel was called him from hell and he sodainly appeared But when she perceiued that it was an honourable man and of diuine semblance she was sore troubled and being wholy discomforted with this vision she turned and said vnto the king art not thou Saul for Samuel had certified her no lesse Saul confessed that it was he and asked her for what cause she seemed to be so much troubled she answered that she saw a man ascend that resembled God Saul commanded her to declare vnto him his shape habite and age and she gaue him to vnderstand that he was a reuerend olde man attired in the vestment of a high priest By these markes Saul knew that it was Samuel whereupon prostrating himselfe on the earth he adored and saluted him The spirit of Samuel asked him for what cause he had troubled and raised him To whom he complained and lamented that he was inforced thereunto by necessitie for that a grieuous host of his enemies were at hand and that void of counsaile he was forsaken by God hauing from him no prediction either by prophecie or dreame for which cause said he I made my recourse vnto thee who hast alwaies had care both of me and my fortunes But Samuel foreseeing that the kings death was hard at hand answered him that it was in vaine for him to question with him as touching those things that should happen since thou knowest that thou art forsaken by God Know therfore said he that Dauid shall possesse the kingdome and that it is he that shall establish the estate by armes but as concerning thy selfe thou shalt lose both thy kingdome and thy life because thou hast disobeyed God in thy warre against the Amalechites and hast not obserued his commandements according as I foretold thee at such time as I was aliue Know therefore that thy people and host shall be discomfited by the enemy and that both thou and thy sons shall be to morrow slaine in the battell and be with me When Saul vnderstood these things he became speechlesse thorow the sorrow wherewith he was seased and fell downe on the pauement either for that his forces failed him thorow sodaine griefe or for his want of meat because that neither that night nor the day before he had vouchsafed his body any refection or sustenance At length hardly recouering himselfe out of his swoun the woman importuned him to receiue some sustenance beseeching him to doe her that fauour in recompence of her vnexpected diuination which though interdicted she had aduentured to performe for his sake before she were ascertained that it was he that had forbidden them in consideration wherof she prayed him that sitting downe at the table he would refresh himselfe with some sustenance to the end he might be the more able to returne vnto his army And although he resisted and vtterly refused to eat in that he had no appetite and was vtterly desperate yet so effectually importuned she that finally she perswaded him to receiue some little nourishment And whereas shee had but one calfe which she bred vp in her house with some particular care for she was but a poore woman and had no other riches yet spared she not to kill it and dresse the flesh for Saul his seruants Thus refected Saul returned backe againe into his campe The curtesie of this woman deserueth to be praised for although she knew that the king had prohibited her art whereby both she and her family sufficiently maintained themselues and although before that time she had neuer seene Saul yet so it is that without remembring her that it was he by whom her art had bin condemned she entertained him not as a stranger or like the man she had neuer seene before but had compassion of him and comforted him exhorting him to eate although he refused it and presented him willingly and hartily with that little which she had in her pouertie All which she did not vnder hope of recompence or expected preferment knowing well that Saul should shortly lose his life nor according to the ordinarie course of men that naturally honour those that haue bestowed some dignitie vpon them and become seruiceable to those from whom they pretend to draw some profit hereafter She therefore ought to be imitated and in her appeareth an excellent example of bountie approuing that there is nothing more worthie praise then to relieue those that are in necessitie neither any thing more becomming men or whereby we may obtaine Gods fauour and graces better then by it Thus much sufficeth at this present in respect of this woman But now methinketh I shall do vvell if I insert in this place and in these my vvritings another eaxmple both profitable to people and nations and in especiall an incitation to noble men and such as are borne vnto glory to follow vertue vvhich also shall expresse vvhat honour is and exemplifie how a man may eternize his memorie vvhich ought to engender in the hearts of kings of nations and of gouerners of commonweales a singular desire and affection to addict themselues to noble actions and to encourage them to entertaine dangers yea death it selfe and teach them to endure all difficulties vvhatsoeuer for their countries cause To vvhich intent the historie of Saul the king of the Hebrewes yeeldeth me matter
gathered them altogither and placed them in the temple But after the priests hauing giuen order for all things about the Arke were departed from thence sodainly there fell amidst the sanctuarie a thicke cloud not pitchie nor such as resembleth winter clouds loaden with raine but diffused temperate which darkned the sight of the priests so that they saw not one another But thereby euery mans mind was easily induced and his opinion confirmed that God was descended into the temple and willingly dwelled in the same In effect all men had no other opinion But king Salomon arising from his throane wherein he was seated addressed his praiers vnto God in such words as hee thought both to be agreeable to the diuine nature and conuenient for him to vse O Lord said he thou hast an eternall house neither are we ignorant that thou hast builded this whole masse of the vniuers for thy selfe which consisteth of heauen earth ayre sea which thou altogither fillest yet art thou not contained by them But therfore haue we adorned and erected this temple to thy name to the end that we might offer vp our sacrifices praiers in the same and send them vp to heauen as a sweet sacrifice to obtaine thy fauour assuring ourselues that thou art here present also and wilt neuer be absent from this place For whereas thou seest all things hearest all things yet forsakest thou not vs all neither doest thou abandon the place where thou doest worthily inhabite but rather thou art alwaies neere vnto all men but in especiall present with those that thinke on thee day and night These words spake he looking vpwards towards God afterwards addressing himselfe vnto the people he spake vnto them as touching his power and prouidence how hee had foretold his father Dauid of all that which should happen the greater part whereof was alreadie accomplished and the rest was shortly to succeede Furthermore he declared how God himselfe had giuen him his name before he was borne and that it was knowne how he should be called and how at such time as he should be king after the decease of his father he should build him a temple which things they saw brought to passe according as they were foretold for which they ought to giue God thankes and not to lose any hope of any of those things that had been promised them in regard of their happinesse hauing occasion of beliefe by the sight of those things which they then beheld When the King had spoken after this manner vnto the people he turned againe and beheld the temple and lifting vp his hands towards the people he began thus It is impossible said he for men to yeeld effectuall thankes vnto God for those benefits they haue receiued of him for God who is more aboundant then all men hath no need of them But O Lord it behooueth vs that since of thy grace thou hast made vs more excellent thē other liuing creatures we should blesse and giue thankes vnto thy maiestie and in especiall it concemeth vs to honour thee for the benefits thou hast bestowed on our family all the Hebrew nation But with what other means then ought we to appease thee when thou art displeased and when we are to entertaine thy mercie then by that voice which we draw from the ayre and which as we know mounteth backe again into the ayre I ought therfore first of all to giue thee thanks in respect of my father whom from obscuritie thou hast raised to high maiestie next for that thou hast fulfilled all those things which thou hast foreprophessed of me vntill this present day I beseech thee for the time to come to furnish me with those things that thou maiest giue vnto men that are deere vnto thee which is that thou increase our house euery way according as thou hast promised my father Dauid to performe during his life and at such time as he was neere vnto his death namely that the kingdome should continue in our family and that his race should multiply in innumerable successions Bestow thou this benefit vpon vs and bequeath vnto all mine that vertue wherein thou takest delight Moreouer I beseech thee that a portion of thy spirit may come and dwell in this temple to the intent that we may vnderstand that thou dwellest vpon earth for not onely this temple but the whole heauen and the depth of things that are vnder the same are too little for thy habitation I beseech thee therefore that it may please thee to continue it for thine owne to the end it may neuer be destroied by the enemy but that thou wilt alwaies haue care of it as of thine owne peculiar inheritance And if it shall so fall out that thy people runne astray and that afterwards being punished by thee by some punishment of dearth pestilence or any such chastisement by which thou reclaimest those that offend thee to the obseruation of thy lawes they haue recourse vnto this temple assembling beseeching and requiring thee of mercie heare them I beseech thee as being present in this place and haue compassion on them and deliuer them from their aduersities Neither doe I onely intreat thee for the Hebrewes when they shall haue offended thee but if it happen that any one arriue here from any part of the world of what countrey soeuer he be to demaund and require the fruition of this mercie heare thou him I pray thee and grant his request For by this means all men shall know that it is thy will that thy house should be builded in this place and that we are not inhumane by nature but that we haue desired that thy helpe and the communication of thy blessings should be bestowed not onely on those of our nation but also on all the world This said he cast himselfe flat vpon his face and continued in praier a long time and afterwards rising againe he offered sacrifices vpon the altar and hauing filled the temple with intire offrings he knew most euidently that God did gratefully account and accept of his oblations for a fire trilling thorow the ayre and lighting vpon the altar in the sight of all men consumed and deuoured the sacrifice When this vision had hapned the people manifestly coniectured that Gods aboad should be in that temple with great ioy humbled themselues on their faces and lay prostrate on the pauement But the king began to praise God and incited the people to doe the like considering they had already receiued the testimonies of his mercie exhorting them to pray that he would be alwaies mercifull vnto them and that he would keepe them for euer in cleannes vncorrupt minds and that they might iustly and religiously leade their liues in obseruing those commandements which he had giuen them by Moses For in so doing the people of the Hebrewes should prosper and grow more happy then all the nations of the world Moreouer he exhorted them
thorow the waightinesse of the charge Consequently hee declared vnto him the death of him that had fortolde these signes that were to come and how he had been slaine by a Lyon For which cause he perswaded him to thinke that he in no sort was a Prophet neither any waies partaking with the truth of prophecie By such like allegations he made the King beleeue that which he said and hauing wholy distracted his thoughts from God and good workes and obseruation of Gods lawes hee drew him to all wickednesse and impietie by which act of his he outraged God and offended his lawes and sought daily after no other thing then to inuent some new and cursed wickednesse that was farre more hainous then all that which before time he had attempted This is all that at this time we haue to write as concerning Ieroboam As touching Roboam Salomons sonne who was King of the two Tribes as we haue before this declared he builded these great and strong Cities Bethleem Itama Thecos Bethsur Socoth Odolam Epan Maresa Zipha Adoraim Lachis Zicha Saraim Elon and Hebron which being within the confines of Iuda he builded first He builded also other great Cities in the countrey of the Beniamites which he walled and placed garrisons and gouernours in euery one of them and great store of corne wine and oyle and generally in euery Citie hee made a great storehouse with all sorts of prouision and victuals with an infinit number of targets and launces To him the Priests and Leuites annexed themselues who were dispersed thorow Israel who came and dwelt in Ierusalem For they tooke no pleasure to adore by compulsion those calues that Ieroboam had erected and during the terme of three yeeres they increased the kingdome of Roboam who being married to one of his owne line had three children and was afterwards married also with Maacha the daughter of Thamar daughter to Absalon who was of his parentage likewise of whom he begat his sonne called Abiah He had also diuers other children by other women but aboue all the rest he loued Maacha most intirely He had eighteene legitimate wiues married vnto him according to the law and thirtie concubines he had eight and twenty sons and threescore daughters and declared for his successor in the kingdome Abiah 〈◊〉 son of Maacha and committed all his treasures and strong sorts vnto his hands But mortall men most vsually are corrupted by the vntoward flatteries of wauering fortune as appeareth by this King For Roboam seeing his kingdome thus increased he bent himselfe to all vniust and impious actions and contemned the seruice of God the people also conformed themselues to his impieties For the life of the subiect is oftentimes peruerted by reason of the corrupt and dissolute life of their princes and those that are inferiours beholding the ryot of their superiours will easily be withdrawne from all modestie and follow those vices they professe as if they had beene their professed vertues for should they doe the contrarie they should seeme to disanull and mislike the actions of their Princes As it hapned vnder the gouernment of Roboam wherein the subiects addicted themselues to impietie and all errors for they would not make profession of honestie for feare least they should seeme to study the meanes to be offensiue vnto the king CHAP. IIII. Susac king of Aegypt after the spoile of Ierusalem transporteth the riches of that Citie into Aegypt BVt God sent Susac king of Aegypt to take vengeance for that excesse which was committed against his maiestie by Roboam whose actions Herodotus wrongfully ascribeth to Sesostris For this Susac in the fifth yeere of Roboams raigne assembled a huge army of diuers thousands of men and brought them out against Roboam wherein it is reported that hee had twelue hundreth chariots threescore thousand horsemen foure hundreth thousand footmen The greater part of these were Libyans and Aethiopians breaking in therefore into the Hebrewes countrey with this power without stroke-striking he seazed the strongest places of the kingdome of Roboam and fortified them and at last came and incamped before Ierusalem But Roboam and his associates seeing themselues begirt with a strong siege on euerie side by Susacs army at last had his recourse vnto praiers yet could he not moue God to incline and fauour him with the victorie For the prophet Samaeas threatned and told him that God would abandon both him and his in like sort as they had forsaken him and his seruice Which when they heard they sodainly lost their hearts and seeing no meanes to escape they all of them began to confesse that God had iustly forsaken them because they had shewed their impietie against him and had peruerted all his lawes But God seeing them thus disposed and making confession of their sinnes said vnto the prophet that he would not vtterly destroy them yet notwithstanding that he would deliuer them into the hands of the Aegyptians to the end that they might learne whether it were more difficult to serue God or men When as therefore king Susac had without bloudshed or resist taken and surprised the Citie and was receiued into the same by discomforted Roboam hee kept not those conuentions that were made betwixt them but spoiled the temple and tooke away with him those treasures that were dedicated vnto God and the seruice of the King rauishing from thence innumerable thousands of golde and of siluer not leauing any thing behind him He carried away also those targets and bucklers of gold which were made by King Salomon neither left he behind him the quiuer of gold which was offered by Dauid and receiued by him of the king of Sophena Which done he retired back againe into his own countrey Of this expedition Herodotus of Halicarnassus maketh mention who differeth only in the name of the King and saith that he assailed diuers nations and subdued Palestina and Syria and tooke many men prisoners without any resist wherby it is manifest that he meaneth no lesse then that our nation hath beene ouercome by the Aegyptian For he saith that in their gates who yeelded themselues vp vnto him without inforcement he erected pillars which were figured with the secret parts of a woman But our king Roboam yeelded vp the Citie into his hands without contradiction It is said that the Aethiopians haue learnt of the Aegyptians the vse of circumscissiō of the prepuce For the Phenicians and Syrians that are in Palestine confesse that they haue learnt it of the Aegyptians But it is a matter verie manifest that no other are circumcised in Palestine of Syria but our selues But let each one speake of these things according as him list After the retreat of Sisac king Roboam made shieldes and bucklers of brasse in steed of those of gold and gaue the like number vnto his guard and in steed of liuing in a braue army in a royall and princely estate he raigned after
In this estate were the affaires of Asa king of the two Tribes Now will I returne to Basa King of the multitude of Israel who hauing slaine Nadab the son of Ieroboam vsurped the kingdome He made his aboad in the citie of Thersa and raigned foure and twenty yeeres shewing himselfe more wicked impious then either Ieroboam or his son had bin He plagued the people many waies dishonoured God very greatly who sent the Prophet Gimon vnto him to foretell him that his whole race should perish and that his house should be persecuted with as many miseries as himselfe had inflicted on Ieroboams posterity because that hauing receiued the gouernment from God he shewed himselfe vngratefull vnto him for his goodnesse and gouerned his people impiously and vniustly whereas iustice and pietie are both profitable vnto those that practise them and wel-pleasing vnto God Further in that he had conformed himselfe in life to the dissolute course that Ieroboam vsed and was wholy contaminated with all his vices he might assure himselfe that resembling him in wickednesse he should vndoubtedly equall him in punishment When Basa heard all those euils that should shortly fall on him and his posteritie by reason of his wickednesse he redeemed not the time neither indeuoured himselfe to gaine the reputation of a reconciled life or to obtaine pardon at Gods hands by repenting himselfe of his forepassed sinnes but euen as they that haue a recompence proposed vnto them to make them more affectionate in exploiting any thing doe diligently indeuour themselues to performe the same so Basa notwithstanding the prophet had foretold him of that which should happen persisted in his wickednesse as if it had been in vertue and became worse and worse to the vtter ruine and confusion both of him and his houshold and daily addicted himselfe vnto all wickednesse with no lesse greedinesse then if he had enterprised to beare away the honour in such a combate In the end he assembled an army and assailed Ramath once more which was a great Citie some foure leagues distant off of Ierusalem which he tooke and determined to leaue a garrison therein and fortifie the same with a resolution from thence to make his roades into Asaes kingdome But Asa fearing the inuasion of his enemy and considering that the souldiers who were left in Ramath did most grieuously spoile all the dominions that were vnder him sent embassadours to the King of Damasco with gold and siluer to induce him to a societie in warre and to renew that amitie betweene them which was confirmed betwixt both their fathers Who willingly receiued those treasures that were sent him and made a league with him and brake the truce which he had with Basa so that he sent the gouernours of his dominions against those Cities that were vnder Basaes subiection with commandement to destroy them Of these they burned some and ransackt other some amongst which were Elon Dan and Abellane Which when the King of Israell vnderstood he gaue ouer the fortifying of Ramath and with all expedition returned to yeeld those of his subiects his assistance who were vtterly distracted But Asa in the meane while builded two strong townes Gabath and Maspha of that stuffe which Basa had prepared to build withall Basa afterwards preuented by the common debt of death had no more opportunitie to make warre against Asa. He was buried in the Citie of Arsane and his sonne Ela succeeded him in the kingdome who after he had raigned some two yeeres was traiterously slaine by Zamri a captaine of a halfe regiment of horsemen For whilest Ela banquetted with Osa who was the steward of his house Zamri wrought so effectually that he perswaded some of his horsemen to assault Ela who at that time was alone and destitute of men of warre and captaines for that all of them were at the siege of Gabathon a Citie of the Philistines CHAP. VII Basaes ofspring being extinct among the Israelites Zamri raigned in Israel and after him Amri and his sonne Achab. AFter that Ela was slaine Zamri tooke the Kingdome vpon him and wholy rooted out Basaes posteritie according as the prophet Gimon had foretold For after the same maner was his family vtterly ouerthrowne for their impietie as Ieroboams progeny was ex tinguished for their iniquitie as we haue toforetime declated For the army which bâ—…â—…ged Gabathon hearing newes of the Kings death that Zamri had murthered him and seased the kingdome they made Amri generall of the army and annointed him for their king who leuying the siege before Gabathon came before the royall Citie of Thersa which he besieged and tooke perforce Zamri seeing the Citie destitute of defence had retired himselfe into the most secret and retired place of the pallace where setting it on fire he burned both himselfe and it after he had raigned seuen daies Sodainly after this the Israelites fell at controuersie amongst themselues because that some of them sought to preferre Thaman to the kingdome and others were wholy addicted to Amri but they of Amries side had the better and being of the better sort slew Thaman and made Amri soueraigne ouer the people The thirteenth yeare of Asa Amri began his raigne and was King for twelue yeeres space six yeeres gouerned he in Thersa and six in Mareon which the Greekes call Samaria himselfe imposed this name of Samaria calling it by the name of Samar who had giuen him the land on which he builded this Citie He differed in nothing from the other kings his predecessors but in that he was worser then any of them for all of them busied their heads on this thing onely that by daily impieties they might alien the people from God For which cause God being displeased cansed the one of them to cut off the other and finally extinguished both the posteritie and name of one another This Amri died in Samaria and Achab his sonne was his successor Hereby a man may truely and easily perceiue what care the diuine maiestie hath of humane affaires and how he loueth the vertuous and vtterly rooteth out the vicious For the kings of Israel through their impietie in a short and successiue course the one after the other were cut off and confounded with all their families But Asa king of Ierusalem and the two Tribes liuing happily in the fauour of God for his pietie and iustice attained to a reuerend and old age and after he had raigned one and fortie yeeres he died a good death And after his decease Iosaphat his sonne whom he begat on his mother Abida succeeded him who in all things that concerned either pietie or fortitude seemed to emulate and equall his grandfather Dauid according as it shall be declared hereafter But Achab King of Israel made his aboad in Samaria and gouerned the kingdome for the space of twenty two yeeres without any alteration of those ordinances which his progenitors kings of Israel had established but that he exceeded
seuen and twentie thousand being slaine by the ruine of the walles that fell vpon them besides one hundreth thousand men that gaue vp the ghost in that fight But Adad attended by some of his faithfull friends went and hid himselfe in a certaine caue vnder the ground who protesting vnto him and concluding amongst themselues that the kings of Israel were curteous and mercifull and that there was hope of pardon to be had if after the manner of suppliants they might be attired and sent vnto him Adad permitted them Wherupon they incontinently presented themselues to Achab cloathed in sackcloth and hauing their heads wreathed about with cords according to the manner of suppliants amongst the Syrians telling him that Adad besought his maiestie to grant him his life promising on his behalfe that from thenceforth he would alwaies continue his seruant and acknowledge his fauour Achab answered them that it highly contented him that their king was as yet aliue and had escaped from the furie of the fight offering him by them that good will and honour which one brother ought to shew vnto another After this they drew an oath from Achab that he should offer him no wrong if so be he discouered himselfe vnto him and withall presently resorted vnto Adad whom they drew out of the place where he was hidden and afterwards brought him vnto Achab who was mounted vpon a chariot Adad prostrated himselfe before him but Achab stretching out his hand made him incontinently mount vp with him into his chariot and kissed him willing him to be of good courage assuring him that hee should receiue neither iniurie nor iniustice at his hands Hereupon Adad gaue him thanks protesting that during his life time he would neuer be forgetfull of his fauours promising him moreouer to restore vnto him those cities which his predecessors kings of Syria had taken from the Israelites He likewise gaue him power to come into Damasco in like maner as before time his ancestors had the credite to repaire vnto Samaria When these accords were made and confirmed by oath Achab gaue him many worthy presents and sent him backe into his kingdome Thus ended the warre betwixt Adad and the king of the Israelites After this a certaine Prophet called Micheas came vnto another Israelite commanding him to wound him vpon the head assuring him that God was so pleased and had so commanded him When as this Israelite would in no sort condescend hereunto he prophecied vnto him that since hee had disobeyed Gods commandement he should meet with a lyon which should rent him in peeces Which comming to passe according as it was foretold the Prophet addressed himselfe again vnto another commanding him to do the like and when he had wounded him in the head he bound vp the wound came vnto the king telling him that he had been in war had receiued a prisoner in charge from his Captaines hands and how that his prisoner being fled from him he feared least he that had committed him to his charge should for that cause take his life from him the rather for that he had threatned no lesse Achab answered him that he was iustly condemned Whereupon Micheas discouered his head and made it knowne who he was And to this intent vsed the Prophet this policie that his words might be of greater force and value For hee told the king that God would bend himselfe against him because he had permitted the blasphemer Adad to depart vnpunished assuring him that God would cause him to be slaine by Adad and suffer the people of Israel to be slaughtered by the Syrian armie The king displeased with the libertie and free speech of the Prophet commanded him to be cast into prison and being vehemently affrighted with this his prediction he departed home vnto his house CHAP. IX Of Iosaphat King of Ierusalem HItherto haue we spoken of Achabs estate but now must I returne vnto Iosaphat king of Ierusalem who hauing inlarged his kingdome and planted garrisons in those cities that were subiect vnto him and in those likewise which his grandfather Abiah had possessed in the portion of Ephraim at such time as Ieroboam raigned ouer the ten Tribes This king had perpetuall assistance and fauour at Gods hands in that he was a iust vertuous Prince studying day and night for nothing more then how he might please and honour God The kings his neighbors round about him honoured him with presents so that his riches were great and his honours excellent In the third yeare of his raigne he assembled the gouernours and priests of his countrie enioyning them to ride their circuit about the prouinces and to teach the inhabitants of euerie citie the law of Moses training them vp in the obseruance thereof and in the studie of pietie Which all the Citizens embraced and entertained so willingly that they seemed to emulate and striue the one with the other which of them should exceede the rest in the seruice of God The Nations likewise that dwelt round about him loued Iosaphat and were at peace with him The Philistines also payed those tributes which were imposed on them And the Arabians furnished him euerie yeare with sixe hundreth and thirtie lambes and the like number of kids He fortified also other great cities of importance made preparation of munition of war and armes against the enemie He mustered in the tribe of Iuda three hundred thousand men ouer whom he placed Edraus Generall and two hundred thousand vnder the conduct of Iohanan Who besides these had two hundred thousand Archers on foote of the tribe of Beniamin Another Chieftaine called Ochobat leuied and led for the king one hundred and fourescore thousand men armed at assay besides those which he sent into the defenced cities Hee maried his sonne Ioram to Athalia the daughter of Achab king of the tenne tribes And not long after resorting to Samaria Achab receiued him verie curteously and magnificently entertained his armie with bread wine and flesh in all abundance requiring him to yeeld him his assistance against the king of Syria to the intent he might recouer the cirie of Ramath in the country of Galaad which Adads father had wonne and conquered from his father Iosaphat promised to assist him and being no wayes inferiour vnto him in force he sent his armie from Ierusalem to Samaria When these two kings were departed out of the citie and each of them were seated vpon their thrones they distributed their pay to euery one of their souldiers At that time Iosaphat commanded that if at that present there were as yet any prophets amongst them they might be sent for to giue notice what the issue should be of this their warre against the Syrians and whether they thought it good to make warre against them by reason that at that time there was amitie and peace betwixt Achab and the Syrians confirmed for the space of three yeares since the
according to the custome of their forefathers which had already too long time been neglected dreadfully threatning all those who should any waies intermit to roote out the name and memorie of these wretches out of the world They therefore slew all these priests and inuironed the kings pallace and in so doing cleered Samaria of forraine gods This Baal was the God of the Tyrians for whom Achab builded a temple in Samaria intending thereby to content Ithobaal the king of the Tyrians and Sidonians to whom he assigned priests and honoured him with all sorts of sacrifice After this Idol was exterminated Iehu suffered the Israelites to adore golden calues When this execution was performed in punishing the wicked God to whom this action of his was acceptable told Iehu by his Prophet that his children should obtaine the kingdome of Israel to the fourth generation This was Iehus estate CHAP. VII Athalia raigned fiue yeeres in Ierusalem and after she was slaine by the hie priest Ioas is proclaimed king AThalia Achabs daughter hearing newes of the death of her brother Ioram and her son Ochozias togither with the vtter ruin of al the royal posterity bethought her selfe to extinguish Dauids memory in such sort to root it out that no one of that line should remain aliue to enioy the kingdome hereafter which when she had concluded in her heart she began to put it in execution Yet notwithstanding one of Ochozias sons escaped her bloudy hands by this means that ensueth Ochozias had a sister by his fathers side whose name was Iosabetha who was maried to Ioiada the hie priest who entring into the kings pallace and finding Ioas at that time but one yeare of age hidden with his nurse amongst the dead she tooke both him and his nurse and locked them vp in a closet within the temple where Ioiada her husband and she did secretly nourish them for the space of fiue yeeres during which time Athalia raigned in Ierusalem ouer the two tribes About the seuenth yeere Ioiada entred into discourse with fiue centurions and perswaded them to oppose themselues with mutuall consent against Athalias proceedings and to assure the kingdome to little Ioas. Whereupon giuing and receiuing faithfull promises of secrecie the one vnto the other they confidently addressed themselues to execute their intended purposes after this maner They whom the hie priest had chosen to execute this act went thorow all the countrey and gathered the priests and Leuites together with all the gouernours of the tribes and afterwards returned and brought them to Ierusalem to the hie priest who made them sweare an oth that they would keepe secret that which he should enforme them of as a thing that required silence and men of execution to performe the same As soone as he had assured them by oth he brought forth the little child whom he had nourished who was of Dauids line and said vnto them Behold your king who is of that race which as you know was chosen by God to raigne ouer you for euer I therefore thinke it fit that the third part of you guard and keepe him within the temple and that the fourth make their watch round about the same An other company shal haue the guard of the great gate that leadeth to the pallace As for the rest of the people let them remaine disarmed within the temple and suffer no armed man to enter thereinto except the priest onely He appointed also an other company of priests and Leuites to be about the king with iauelins and drawne swords charging them that whosoeuer durst be so bold to enter the temple armed they should presently put him to the sword and laying all feare aside to attend the safety and guard of the kings person They being obedient to that which the hie priest had commanded them in effect expressed their readinesse whereupon Ioiada opening the Arsenall which in times past was prepared by Dauid distributed amongst the centurious Leuites and Priests all the iauelins quiuers and all other sortes of armes that were therein and disposed all them that were armed round about the people ioyned hand in hand to impeach any one from entring in amongst them that were not of their faction Afterwards bringing out the infant Ioas into the midst of the company they set the royall crowne on his head and Ioiada after he had annointed him with oyle proclaimed him king whereupon all the people reioiced and clapping their hands cried out God saue the King Athalia hearing this noise and applause beyond all hope was greatly troubled and with those souldiers which she had about her she hastily issued out of the pallace and arriuing in the temple the priests admitted her as for the rest of the men of warre that followed her they that by the hie priests ordinance circuited the temple would not suffer them to enter with her Now when Athalia saw the childe standing before the Tabernacle with the royall crowne on his head she rent her garments and storming thorow despite she cried out and commanded that the traitor should be slaine that had thus betraied her and sought to dispossesse her of her kingdome But Ioiada called the centurions and commanded them to carie Athalia out vnto the brooke Cedron and there to kill her because he would not permit that the temple should be defiled with her cursed bloud Moreouer he charged them that if any one should attempt to rescue her they should kill them likewise Hereupon they that were appointed to execute this his command tooke her and led her without the gate of the kings mules and there slew her After that Athalia was in this manner executed Ioiada assembled the people and the men of warre in the temple binding them all by an oth to yeeld the king their faithfull seruice and to procure the prosperitie and increase of his kingdome Secondly he made the king sweare in like manner that he would maintaine the seruice of God and in no manner disanull Moses lawes That done they ranne vnto Baals temple which Athalia and her husband Ioram had built to the dishonour of God and their forefathers and for the honour of Achab and leuelled it with the ground and put to death their hie priest called Mathan The charge and guard of the temple Ioiada committed to the priests and Leuites according to the order established by Dauid with commaundement twise a day to offer their ordinarie burnt offrings and consequently to make perfumes according to the lawe He appointed also certaine of the Leuites to be porters to guard the temple to the intent that no vncleane thing should enter the same vnespied and after he had ordained these things with the Centurions and gouernours and with all the people he tooke Ioas and led him out of the temple and attended him to the pallace and hauing placed him in the royall throane all the people cried God saue the king banquetted
words moued the King vnto displeasure so that he commanded the prophet to silence threatning him to punish him if he intermedled with his affaires any more Who answered him that he would no further vrge him yet withall he foreprophecied vnto him that God would not suffer this his innouatiō to rest vnpunished Anon after Amasias not able to keep a moderation amidst his affluence and prosperitie but waxing more insolent against almightie God by whom he possessed the blessings he enioyed in height of his pride wrote to Ioas king of Israel commanding him and his to yeeld him homage according as in times past the Israelites were subiect to Dauid and Salomon threatning him that if he refused to doe him voluntarie seruice he would enforce him to decide the different by armes to whom the Israelite replied thus King Ioas to King Amasias There was in the mountaine of Libanus a cypres tree of great height to whom a little thistle wrote demanding of him his daughter in mariage for his son But during this interparlee betwixt them there came a certaine wilde beast that troad downe the thistle Let this example admonish and dissuade thee from attempting of too mighty matters nether growing proud of thy last victorie against the Amalechites least thorow thy presumption thou expose both thy life and fortune to the incertaine hazard of warre When Amasias had perused this answere of his he was the more whetted vnto warre God also as it seemed pricked him forward to the intent to chastise those iniquities that were committed by him When as therefore he had drawne his army into the field and both the armies were vpon the point to wage the battell a sodaine feare and discouragement seased him such as God in his displeasure is accustomed to inflict which made Amasias army turne their backes so that by the apprehension they had conceiued they were scattered before they came to handy strokes and Amasias being left alone was taken prisoner Him did Ioas threaten that except he perswaded the inhabitants of Ierusalem to open their gates and to receiue both him and his army into the Citie he would put him to death For which cause Amasias constrained by necessitie and feare of death wrought so much as his enemies were receiued into Ierusalem who made a breach of three hundreth cubits in their wall and there-thorow Amasias was led captiue into Ierusalem In this manner was Ioas made master of the Citie who afterwards carried away the treasures of the temple and tooke away the gold and siluer that Amasias had in his pallace and hauing in this sort raunsomed him from captiuitie he returned backe againe into Samaria This hapned in the fourteenth yeere of the raigne of Amasias who afterwards fled into the Citie of Lachis to auoide the conspiracie of his domesticall friends by whom notwithstanding he was surprised and slaine by them that were sent to doe the deede his body was brought and royally entombed in Ierusalem Thus died Amasias for introducing innouations in contempt of God he liued fiftie foure yeeres and raigned twentie and nine his sonne Ozias succeeded him in the kingdome CHAP. XI How Ozias ouercame his neighbour nations BVt in the fifteenth yeere of the raigne of Amasias Ieroboam Ioas sonne began to raigne ouer the Israelites in Samaria and enioyed the kingdome for the space of fortie yeeres This King dishonoured God and offended him grieuously in obseruance of Idols and diuers absurd and strange actions by which he heaped ten thousand mischiefes and miseries on the Israelites heads To him came there a certaine prophet called Ionas who prophecied vnto him that he should make warre against the Syrians and that he should ouercome them and enlarge his kingdome to the northward as farre as the Citie of Amatha and to the southward as far as the lake Asphaltites for these in times past were the limits of the countrey of Chanaan according as the generall Iosuah had confined them Ieroboam encouraged by this prophecie led forth his army against the Syrians and spoiled all their countrey according to the prophecie of Ionas And for that I haue promised to yeeld an exact historie in writing of all those things that hapned in our nation me thinks it shall not be amisse to declare that which I haue found written of this prophet in our Hebrew Chronicles This man being commaunded by God to repaire vnto the kingdome of Ninus to proclaime that which should happen to the Citie of Niniue namely that the gouernment thereof should be abolished thorow feare which he conceiued repaired not thither but fled from Gods presence into a Citie called Ioppa where finding a ship he entred the same and sailed towards Tharsis in Cilicia But there arose so vehement a tempest vpon the sea that the vessell was readie to be drowned and both the mariners master and owners of the ship made their vow of thankesgiuing vnto God if they might escape from this tempest but Ionas hid himselfe and couered his face performing no such matter as the rest had done Whereas therefore the turbulent waues incensed by violent windes increased more and more the mariners passengers began to imagine amongst themselues that some one of them in that barke had caused that tempest whereupon they agreed amongst themselues to cast lots to know which of them were the occasion of their danger Which done the lot fell vpon Ionas who being demanded whence he was and for what businesse he trauelled answered them that he was an Hebrew by nation and a Prophet of the most high God and counselled them that if they would be warranted from that danger they should cast him into the sea because it was hee onely that was the cause of that tempest Notwithstanding this confession of his they durst not performe that which he desired supposing that it would be an act of great impietie in that sort to thrust a stranger into that manifest perdition whose life had been committed to their trust But for that the storme more and more increased and grew so vehement that they wanted verie little of imminent shipwracke and being besides that incited by Ionas himselfe and whetted on likewise by the feare they conceiued to lose their liues they cast him into the sea whereupon sodainly the storme ceased It is likewise-said that being swallowed vp by a great fish for the space of three daies and three nights he was at the last vomited out and cast by the same fish vpon the shore of the Euxine sea aliue and without any maime in any of his members There besought he God that he would pardon him the sinne which he had committed and afterwards he resorted to the Citie of Niniue where ascending a place from whence he might be heard hee published with a loud voice vnto them that they should lose the Empire of Asia which after he had pronounced he returned backe againe This recitall haue I made according as
taken and the people translated into Babylon by Nabuchodonosor 11 The successors of Nabuchodonosor the destruction of Babylon by Cyrus king of Persia. CHAP. I. Senacherib King of Assyria besiegeth Ezechias in Ierusalem IN the fourteenth yeere of the raigne of Ezechias King of the two Tribes Senacherib King of Assyria drewe forth a huge army against him and surprised all the Cities of Iuda and Beniamin by strong hand To him Ezechias sent embassadours promising him obedience and such a tribute as it should please him to impose When Senacherib had heard and considered vpon the embassadours instructions he resolued on peace and accepted Ezechias offer promising that he would depart in peace as soone as he had receiued three hundreth talents of siluer and thirtie talents of gold swearing an oth vnto the embassadors that vnder these conditions he would depart away without offering any outrage Ezechias giuing credit to these wordes of his emptied the treasuries and sent the prefixed summe to Senacherib hoping to be deliuered from his enemy and the hazard wherein his countrey stood But the Assyrians hauing receiued the money set light by their promises so that Senacherib went in person to make warre against the Aegyptians and Aethiopians and left Rapsaces his generall in Iudaea with a great power accompanied with two of his chiefest minions and courtiers with commission to spoile Ierusalem The names of these two were Tharata and Anachares As soone as they were encamped neere vnto the walles they sent vnto Ezechias and commaunded him to come and speake with them but he thorow feare which he had conceiued went not vnto them but sent three of his most familiar friends Eliacim the superintendent of his realme Sobna and Ioachus that had the commission of his registers These three presented themselues before the chiefetaines of the Assyrian army whom when Rapsaces had beheld he commaunded them to returne vnto their master and to tell him that the great king Senacherib was desirous to know vnder what hope he thus neglected his gouernment and obstinately refused to obey him and receiue his army into the Citie Is it perhaps because he hopeth the Aegyptians will haue the vpper hand of the kings army If that be his hope doubtlesse he is deceiued shewing himselfe to be like vnto a man that staieth himselfe vpon a broken reede by which hee is not onely not sustained but in his fall also hath his hand pierced therewith He likewise wished him to conceiue that this his expedition was not without the will of God who as in times past hath giuen them victorie ouer the Israelites so nowe also is pleased to humble Ezechias and to make both him and his subiects stoope vnder the Assyrian gouernment Whilest Rapsaces spake thus in the Hebrew language wherein he was very skilfull Eliacim searing least the multitude should be strooken with feare vpon the hearing of these words besought him to speake in the Syriack toong But he sufficiently instructed what it was that he feared answered him with a lowder voice in the Hebrewe toong and tolde them that they ought to giue eare vnto the kings commaundement and to yeelde themselues to his mercie because it concerned their securitie I am not ignorant said he that both you and your King doe perswade the people vnder a vaine hope and fraudulently allure them to beate armes against vs. But if your valour be ought at all and you suppose that you can leuy the siege from your walles I am ready to furnish you with two thousand horse giue you vs so many horsmen to approoue their valours but you cannot giue them that you haue not Why therefore delay you why yeeld you not to those that are too strong for you and are able euen in spite of your resist to ransacke your citie whereas you know that a willing submission is alwaies secure contrariwise whereas duetie is inforced there wanteth no perill of calamitie When both the Embassadours and the people had heard that which the Assyrian had spoken they reported the same to Ezechias who incontinently cast his royall garments off and cloathed himselfe in sackcloth carrying the countenance of a disconsolate man and casting himselfe prostrate vpon the earth after the manner of their countrey he besought God to be assistant vnto him since all other hope was vaine He sent also certaine of his friends and some Priests vnto the Prophet Esay requiring him to pray vnto God that since the sacrifice was offered vnto him for publike securitie it might please him to frustrate the enemies hopes and to haue pitie and compassion on his people When the Prophet had performed no lesse then he required he receiued an answere from God by which he assured the king and all them that were about him foretelling them that the enemies should be ouercome without stroke strooken should retire with shame and not with that aduantage which they bragde of at this present because God had alreadie determined how they should be ouerthrowne He foreprophecied also that Senacharib himselfe the king of Assyria should faile of his enterprise in Aegypt and that vpon his returne to his owne court he should be slaine At that verie time the Assyrian wrote letters to Ezechias in which he called him foole and mad man to thinke that he could warrantize himselfe from being his slaue yea his in especiall who had conquered diuers and far greater nations threatning him with vtter ruine at such time as he should surprise the Citie if he opened not the gates of Ierusalem willingly to entertaine his armie When Ezechias had red these letters he set light by them by reason of the confidence he had in God and hauing opened them he spred them in the temple And whilest he renewed his praiers vnto God for the saluation of the Citie and his subiects Esay the Prophet told him that his praier was heard that hereafter likewise they should manure their lands in peace securitie should enioy their possessions without feare Not long after the king of Assyria hauing but cold successe in his expedition against Aegypt returned back againe without doing any thing for this cause that ensueth He had lost much time in the siege of Pelusium at such time as he had alreadie raised certaine bulwarks as hie as the wall so that he wāted nothing but to giue the assault newes was brought him that Tharsices king of Aethiopia brought an army to rescew the Aegyptians with an intent to take his way thorow the desart and sodainly to charge the Assyrian armie Senacharib troubled with these tidings speedily departed thence with his army But Herodotus saith that he made warre with Vulcans priest especially for that he was both a king and a priest Besieging Pelusium said hee for this cause he gaue ouer the siege The King of Aegypt called to his God for assistance by whose power the Arabians suffered much miserie But in this also he erreth in
his wofull predictions had weakned the hearts of the people which were otherwaies readie to fight for him and their countrey by reason that he flying vnto the enemie menaced them with the surprisal and vtter ruine of their Citie But the king in regard of the naturall humanitie and iustice that was in him was not any waies whetted in respect of his owne interest yet to the intent he might not seeme to be vtterly opposed to the gouernours by contradicting them he deliuered the Prophet into their hands to deale with him howsoeuer they pleased Who hauing obtained this libertie from the king entred the prison on the sodaine and laying hold on Ieremy they let him downe into a pit full of mud to the intent he might die in that place and be strangled by the ordure in effect he was set therein vp to the necke But one of the kings seruants an Aethiopian by nation certified the king of the Prophets affliction assuring him that his friends and gouernours did not iustly so to thrust and burie the Prophet in the mud and cursedly to conspire against him tyring him with bonds and tortours worse then death For which cause the king hearing this newes was sorie that he had deliuered the Prophet to the gouernours and commaunded the Aethiopian to take thirtie men of his court with him with cords and such other things necessary as might concerne the safetie of the Prophet charging him with all expedition to deliuer him from that captiuitie Hereupon the Aethiopian furnished with men and necessarie meanes drew the Prophet out of the mud and dismissed him without any gard That done the king sent for him in secret demaunding of him if he had any message to deliuer him from God praying him to let him vnderstand what soeuer he knew as touching the successe of the siege The Prophets answere was that although he should tel him yet it would not be beleeued that if he should exhort him he would not giue eare or listen vnto him But said he O king thy friends haue condemned me to death as if I had beene a most wretched malefactor But where are they now at this present that haue deceiued thee and bore thee in hand saying that the Babylonian would not come and besiege thee Now will I take heed how I tell thee the truth for feare least thou condemne me to death Hereupon the king swore vnto him that he should not die neither that he would deliuer him into the hands of the gouernours for which cause Ieremie grounding himselfe vpon the faith which he had plighted vnto him counselled the king to yeeld vp the Citie to the Babylonian because that God had willed him to signifie vnto the king that if he would saue his life and auoid the imminent daunger and saue his Citie from vtter ruine and preserue the temple from burning he should submit or otherwise that none but he should be the cause of all these euils that should happen vnto the Citie and Citizens and of that calamitie that should confound both him and all his familie When the king heard this he told him that he would doe according as he had counselled him and performe whatsoeuer he thought necessarie to be done but that he feared his friends who were alreadie of the Babylonian faction least being accused by them he should be deliuered by their meanes and the kings displeasure vnto death But the prophet encouraged him telling him that his feare was in vaine assuring him that he should suffer no euill if so be he yeelded vp the Citie and that neither his wife nor children nor the sacred temple should either endure desaster death or ouerthrow Vpon these words the king dismissed Ieremy charging him to communicate the counsell that was held betweene them to no one of the Citizens no not to the princes if so be they should light on any inckling of their conference or aske of him whether the king had sent for him aduising him to answere if so be they were inquisitiue that he resorted to the king to request him that he might be no more imprisoned all which the Prophet performed for they instanced him verie much to know for what cause the king had sent for him CHAP. X. Ierusalem is taken and the people carried into Babylon by Nabuchodonosor MEane while the Babylonian continued his violent siege against the Citie of Ierusalem and hauing raised towers vpon certaine bulwarks he droue away by this meanes all those that approched neere vnto the walles he raised also round about the circuit of the Citie diuers platformes that equalled the walles in height Meane while the Citie was as valiantly and couragiously defended by the inhabitants for neither pestilence nor famine plucked down their spirits And although that within the Citie they were tormented with these scourges yet were not their resolutions distracted by the warre neither did the enemies inuentions astonish them nor their engines affright them but that they inuented new countermines so that all the battel betwixt the Babylonians and Iewes seemed to be a trial both of valour art whilest these by the one doe assuredly hope to surprise the Citie and the other thought their safetie consisted herein if they ceased not by new inuentions to frustrate their enemies endeuours And in this estate continued they both for the space of eighteene moneths vntill they were consumed by famine and by the darts that were shot against them by those that shot from the towers At length the Citie was taken by the princes of Babylon in the eleuenth yeare of the raigne of Zedecias the ninth day of the fourth moneth who were put in trust by Nabuchodonosor to performe the siege For touching his owne person he made his aboad in the Citie of Reblata Now if any man be desirous to know the names of them that had commaundement at such time as Ierusalem was surprised these they be Nergelear Aremantus Emegar Nabosar and Echarampsar The Citie being taken about midnight the princes of the enemies armie entered into the temple which when Zedecias vnderstood he tooke his wiues and his children with the princes and his friends and fled thorow a great valley by the desart which when the Babylonians vnderstood by certaine Iewes that were reuolted and had submitted themselues vnto them they arose earely in the morning to pursue them and ouertooke and surpised them neere vnto Iericho Whereupon those princes and friends of Zedecias that had taken their flight with him seeing the enemies neere vnto them forsooke him scattering themselues heere and there concluded each of thē to saue himselfe When as therefore the enemies had apprehended him who was attended by a few followers only and accompanied by his children wiues they brought him vnto the kings presence who no sooner beheld him but he called him wicked and perfidious and vpbraided him with breach of his promise and contempt of his maiestie to whom he had
the rather for that he excelled them in all things and had such parts in him as might draw them to emulate him Whereas therefore Ioseph was desirous to know which of his children had the ripest iudgement and vnderstanding he sent them one after another to those masters who were most renowmed for science in that time but all of them returned backe vnto him rude and illettered by reason they were negligent and idle Whereupon he sent Hircanus the youngest of them after all the rest into a desart place distant from the high way some seuen daies iourney and gaue him with him three hundreth couple of oxen to sow the ground in that barren place hiding from him before his departure the yokes that should couple them together When as therefore he came vnto the place and perceiued that the yokes were missing he asked aduise of some of the husbandmen who counsailed him to send some one backe vnto his father to fetch the couples But he supposing that he ought not to lose so much time as would be spent in sending backe a messenger deuised a cunning expedient stratageme more then might be expected from one of his yeares For he caused ten couple of oxen to be slaine and distributed the flesh amongst his workemen and made them cut the skins and fashion couples thereof and hauing yoked his oxen he caused the land to be manured according to his fathers direction and afterwards returned home vnto him Who loued him the more intirely by reason of his wisedom and the subtiltie of his vnderstanding praising besides that his resolution and execution esteeming him the more for that he was his only true sonne to the general discontent of the rest Whenas therefore newes was brought vnto Ioseph that about that time king Ptolomey was blessed with a young sonne and how all the chiefest Lords of Syria and the countries vnder his obeisance repaired to Alexandria in great pompe to celebrate the birth day of the kings sonne he being of himselfe vnable by reason of his age to repaire thither he sounded his children whether any one of them would go and visit the king Whenas therefore the elder sons had excused themselues and made refusall to vndertake the iourney pretending that they were of insufficient ability to performe the message and all of them gaue counsaile that their brother Hircanus might be sent Ioseph tooke great pleasure thereat and calling for Hircanus asked him if he would goe to king Ptolomey who promised to vndertake the iourney and told his father that he needed no great summe of money to performe the voyage because in the way he would trauell frugally and content himselfe for the whole expence with ten thousand drachmes Ioseph was verie glad to heare of his sons prudence and after Hircanus had kept silence for a while he counsailed his father that he should not present the King with any thing out of Iudaea but that he should write vnto his factor in Alexandria commaunding him to deliuer such summes of money as he thought conuenient to buy that which he found to be most magnificent of best esteeme in that Citie Ioseph imagining with himselfe that perhaps he would onely employ some tenne talents in presents and allowing his sonnes counsaile wrote vnto his factor Arion who had the vse of almost three thousand talents of his in Alexandria For gathering vp his money in Syria he was wont to send it thither and as oft as the prefixed time came wherein the kings tributes were to be paid he commaunded Arion to defray the same Hauing therefore letters of credence vnto him he iourneyed towards Alexandria Wherupon his brethren wrote presently vnto all the kings friends that by some meanes they would make him away As soone as he was arriued in Alexandria and had deliuered his fathers letters to Arion Arion asked him how many talents he would haue hoping that he would craue but ten or some little ouerplus but when Hircanus had told him that he had need of a thousand he waxed wroth and reproued him for his prodigalitie telling him how his father had gathered his goods with much trauaile and thriftie sparing and refusing his demaunds he praied him to imitate his fathers example who had begot him and in a word he told him that he would deliuer him no more then ten talents and that for no other vse then to buy giftes to present the king withall Whereupon Hircanus waxing angry caused Arion to be kept in prison All which his wife certified to Cleopatra praying her that she would moderate the young man for Arion was in great estimation with the Queene who for this cause acquainted the king with the matter Wherupon Ptolomey sent for Hircanus and said vnto him that he marueiled that being sent vnto him from his father he had not as yet visited him and besides that he had committed his fathers agent to prison he therefore commanded him to yeeld him a reason thereof Whereunto he answered that there was a law among the Iewes that no man should taste of the sacrifices that had not first of all visited the temple and sacrificed vnto God and that in that respect he had not hitherto visited his maiesty because he expected certaine presents to present his highnesse with from his father who was his bounden seruant Furthermore he alleadged that he had punished his fathers seruant because he had disobeyed his commandement which he ought not to doe whether his master were either noble or ignoble and if said he we chastise not such men as they haue deserued expect O King that you also shall be neglected by your subiects When Ptolomey heard these words he began to smile and wondered at the magnanimitie of the yoong man Arion perceiuing that the king held himselfe satisfied and that he was like to haue no assistance at his hands deliuered Hircanus the thousand talents and by this meanes was he set at libertie Some three daies after Hircanus came and saluted both the king and Queene who entertained him graciously and feasted him kindly for the affection sake which they bare vnto his father He priuily inquiring among the merchants bought one hundreth yoong laddes well lettered and in the flower of their age paying a talent for euery one and the like number of virgins for so many talents Being therefore inuited to a banquet by the king with all the Princes and other Lords he was placed beneath them all because that by reason of his yoong yeeres they that assigned the places according to euery mans dignitie made small accompt of him Now when as all the guests after they had eaten their meats laid all their bones before Hircanus so that the table was loaden round about him a certaine pleasant fellow of the Kings called Triphon whose merrie conceits and iests the king very willingly listned vnto during the time he was at meat being sollicited by those that were at the table came vnto the king and said
spoiled the temple of Diana in the countrey of Persia. For since he had onely intended to commit sacriledge but had not effected it he merited not to suffer punishment for the same And if it seemeth good vnto Polybius that Antiochus was punished by death for this occasion it is farre more likely to be true that his death befell him for the sacriledge he had committed in the temple of Ierusalem But our purpose is not to argue against those that maintaine that Polybius reasons are of greater truth and consequence then ours are CHAP. XIIII Antiochus Eupator discomfiteth the Iewes and besiegeth Iudas and shutteth him vp in the temple BEfore Antiochus gaue vp the ghost he called for Philip one of his chiefest familiars and made him gouernor of his kingdome And hauing deliuered the diademe into his hands his royall robe and his ring with other iewels he charged him to beare and deliuer them to his sonne Antiochus requiring him earnestly to haue care of his bringing vp and to maintaine the kingdome in his behalfe vntill he comming vnto the yeeres of discretion were fit to manage it himselfe This done Antiochus died the hundreth fortie and ninth yeâ—…re of the kingdome of Syria After that Lysias had certified the people of the kings death he pâ—…oclaimed his sonne Antiochus whom at that time he had in his protection king surnaming him Eupator according to the instructions that were giuen him About that time the garrisons and Apostataes that were in the fortresse in Ierusalem did much mischiefe vnto the Iewes For setting vpon those at vnawares who ascended the temple to worship and offer their sacrifice they slew them for the fortresse commanded the temple For these causes Iudas resolued to cutte off these garrisons and to that intent he assembled all the people and besieged it This enterprise was vndertooke in the yeere one hundreth and fiftie after that Seleucus had vsurped the gouernment of those countries Hauing therefore made him certaine engins and raised diuers rammes he industriously continued the siege But diuers of those Apostataes that were reuolted and of that garrison issued out by night and assembling togither such men as were of so malicious nature as themselues they came vnto king Antiochus requiring him that he would not suffer them to be abused in such sort by those of our nation nor so carelesly neglected by them considering their disgrace grew by his fathers seruice for whose sake they had forsaken their own religion followed his lawes and ordinances Furthermore they inferred that the fortresse was in danger to be surprised by Iudas and his associates except some present succours were sent vnto them When Antiochus the yonger had notice hereof he was sore displeased and sent for his captaines and friends commanding them to hire strange souldiers and all those in his kingdome who were of yeeres to beare armes so that he gathered in short time an army of one hundreth thousand footmen and twentie thousand horsemen and thirtie two Elephants and with this Equipage departed he out of Antioch committing his army to Lysias direction As soone as he came into Idumaea he went vp vnto Bethsura a walled Citie and very difficult to be surprised which he besieged and begirt but with such disaduantage that the Bethsurians resisting him valiantly and sallying out vpon him burned those preparations and engines which he had furnished for the batterie of the town When as therefore a long time was consumed about this siege Iudas hauing intelligence of the kings approch raised his campe from before the Castle of Ierusalem and marching forward to meet the enemy he shut his army in a certaine streight in a place called Beth-zacharia some seuentie stounds distant from the enemies campe The king hauing tidings hereof raised his siege from Bethsura marched towards the streight wherein Iudas army was inclosed and about the morning he set his souldiers in battel aray He first of all caused his Elephants to march one after another thorow the streight for that it was impossible for them to march in square About euery Elephant were one thousand footmen and fiue hundreth horsemen These Elephants bare high towers on their backs garnished with archers Touching the rest of his forces he caused them to ascend two seuerall waies by the mountaines vnder the conduct of his most intirest friends commanding them with a huge shout and crie to charge their enemies to discouer their golden and brazen bucklers to the end the reflection thereof might dazel the eies of the Iewes whereupon the mountaines resounded with fearfull cries of Antiochus army Yet was not Iudas any waies amated hereat For entertaining the charge with a noble courage he slew almost six hundreth of the forlorne hope But Eleazar surnamed Auranes Iudas brother seeing a huge Elephant among the rest armed with royal trappings supposing that the king was vpon the same he ran against him with a mightie courage and after he had slaine diuers of them that enuironed the Elephant and scattered the rest he thrust his sword into the belly of the beast and wounded him to the death so that the Elephant falling vpon Eleazar slew him with the waight thereof and thus nobly died this worthy man ouerthrowing a great number of his enemies thorow his infinite valour Iudas seeing his enemies forces so great in number retired backe to Ierusalem to continue his siege and Antiochus sent part of his army to Bethsura to surprise the same and with the rest he himselfe marched onward to Ierusalem The Bethsurites being affraid of this mighty army of the king and seeing their necessarie prouisions failed them yeelded vp their Citie after they had taken the kings oth that they should receiue no outrage When as therefore Antiochus became Lord of this Citie he offered them no iniurie onely he thrust them out disarmed from the Citie and planted a garrison therein Hee spent a long time also in besieging the temple of Ierusalem for that they who kept the same defended it valiantly For against euerie engine the king builded raised vp against them they erected a counter-engine Their only want was victuals because their old prouision was consumed the ground had not bin manured that yeere because it was the seuenth in which according to the law the countrey soyle should not be stirred which was the cause that diuers of those that were besieged fled secretly for want of victuals insomuch that very fewe remained for the defence of the temple In this estate were they who were besieged in the temple When as King Antiochus and Lysias the generall had receiued tidings that Philip comming out of Persia intended to make himselfe master and lord of the countrey they concluded to giue ouer the siege for that time and to march forward against Philip without giuing any inckling thereof either to his souldiers or captaines He onely commanded that Lysias should communicate the same with the captaines
when by no pollicy nor prowes of theirs they were able to apprehēd him for that Ionathā hauing notice of their ambushes stood vpō his gard Bacchides the Macedonian was displeased with the Apostataes or fugitiues obiecting against thē that they had deceiued both the king and him and laying hold on fiftie of the principallest of them he put them to death But Ionathan and his brother with those of their company retired themselues vnto Bethalaga a certaine village in the desart for feare of Bacchides in which place he builded towers and walles to keepe his garrison in more securitie Bacchides vnderstanding hereof tooke the army that he had with him and those Iewes that were his confederates and marched forward against Ionathan where battering those fortifications that were made by him he besieged him for many daies But Ionathan for all his busie siege and violence was not awhit terrified but resisted him valiantly leauing his brother Simon in the citie to make head against Bacchides he secretly stole out and gathered a great number of soldiers that fauoured his proceedings and in the night time with valiant courage brake into Bacchides camp and after he had there slaine a number of them he gaue his brother Simon notice of his comming who assoone as he heard the noise in the enemies campe hastily issued forth with his soldiers and burnt all the Macedonians engines and for his part also made a great slaughter of them Bacchides seeing that he was circumuented by his enemies and that both before and behind he was pressed by them being astonished at this so hard sodaine and vnexpected encounter was almost out of his wits so sore was he confused at the issue of his siege that fell out altogither contrary to his expectation for which cause he discharged all his choler vpon those Apostataes supposing he was abused by them who had sent vnto the king and had caused him to be sent thither and full gladly would he haue returned home could he but make an end of the siege without his dishonour CHAP. II. Ionathan constraineth Bacchides to make peace with the Iewes and to depart out of the countrey BVt Ionathan knowing his deliberation sent an Embassadour vnto him to conclude a peace and amitie betwixt them with this condition that they should each of them deliuer vp those prisoners that were taken on either side Bacchides supposing that his request would be to his great honour and that a fit occasion was now offered him whereupon he might raise his siege without any disgrace promised Ionathan his friendship so that both of them swore from that time forward neuer to make warre the one against the other and each of them both receiued and restored their prisoners Thus returned Bacchides into Antioch vnto his King and after that retreat he neuer made warre againe vpon Iudaea But Ionathan hauing obtained this securitie went and dwelt in the towne of Machmas where administring and gouerning the commonweale he executed such seuere iustice on those that were reuolted from the religion of their countrey that he clensed the nation of all such kind of men CHAP. III. Alexander the sonne of Antiochus Epiphanes maketh warre against Demetrius IN the hundreth and sixtie yeare Alexander the sonne of Antiochus the Famous came into Syria and seazed the Citie of Ptolemais by the treason of those soldiers that were therein who were ill affected towards Demetrius by reason of his arrogancy which was such that he granted no man accesse vnto him for being locked vp in a royall fort defenced with foure towers which himselfe had builded neere vnto Antioch he suffered no man to approch his presence but was carelesse and wholy negligent in his affaires liuing in pleasure and idlenes whereby he grew into great hatred amongst his subiects as we haue alreadie declared in another place Now when Demetrius knew that Alexander had seazed Ptolemais he gathered all his forces and marched forth against him CHAP. IIII. Demetrius couenanteth a peace with Ionathan MOreouer he sent Embassadors vnto Ionathan that might confirme an alliance and ratifie a friendship betwixt them for he determined with himselfe to preuent Alexander for feare least he capitulating with him first of all should obtaine his assistance And this did he especially for the feare he had of Ionathan least remembring those iniuries he had before time receiued at his hands he should oppose himselfe against him He therefore sent vnto him requiring him to assemble his forces to make preparation for the warre cōmanding likewise that those Iewes should be deliuered into his possession whom Bacchides had shut vp for hostages in the fortresse of Ierusalem After that Demetrius had demeaned himselfe in this sort Ionathan resorted to Ierusalem and in the presence of all the people and of the garrison that was in the fortresse he red the kings letters and after the reading thereof the cursed and reuolted Iewes that were in the fortresse were sore afraid seeing that the king permitted Ionathan to leuy an army and to receiue the hostages But he receiuing them into his hands restored each of them to their fathers and mothers and by this meanes remained Ionathan in Ierusalem where he made diuers reparations and buildings according as him pleased For he builded the Citie walles of hewen stone to make them more forcible against the assaults of warre Which when they perceiued who were in the garrisons thorow out al Iudaea they forsooke them all and retired backe into Antioch except they that were in the Citie of Bethsura and those in the fortresse of Ierusalem for they consisted for the most part of those Iewes that had abandoned their religion who for that occasion feared to forsake their garrisons CHAP. V. Alexander draweth Ionathan to his partie BVt Alexander knowing what promises Demetrius had made vnto Ionathan and being well assured how valiant he was and how he behaued himselfe against the Macedonians moreouer how he was vexed by Demetrius and his Lieutenant Bacchides Hee told his friends and familiars that it was impossible for him to meete with a better allie at that time then Ionathan who had approoued himselfe a valiant man against his enemies and for particular causes bare hatred against Demetrius from whom he had receiued many iniuries and on whom he had wrought sundry reuenges for which cause if they thought it good to draw him vnto their side against Demetrius the time was veriefit to entertaine and confirme a mutuall peace betweene them which aduise of his being approoued by his fauorites he sent a letter vnto Ionathan to this effect King Alexander to Ionathan his brother Health We haue long sithence vnderstood of your valour and fidelitie which hath caused vs to send our Embassadours vnto you to intreat with you of alliance and amitie betwixt vs and from this day forward we elect and ordain you high Priest of the Iewes receiue you into the number of our chiefest
he especially mooued by a certaine prophecie of Esay who more then six hundreth yeeres before had foretold that a temple should be assuredly builded in Aegypt in honour of the almightie God by a Iew. Being therefore incited by this Oracle he wrote a letter to Ptolomey and Cleopatra to this effect During the time that I was emploied in your warres and by Gods fauourable assistance haue done you many seruices I haue visited Coelesvria and Phoenicia and haue been in the Citie of Leontopolis which is in the territories of Heliopolis I haue also visited diuers other places wherein the Iewes haue temples against all right and honestie which is the cause that they agree not among themselues as also the like hath hapned amongst the Aegyptians thorow the multitude of temples and the great diuersitie of religions And hauing found out a very conuenient place neere a Castle called Bubastis in the Plaine where there is store of all sorts of stuffe for building cattell fit for sacrifice I beseech you that it may be lawfull for me to purifie the temple that is leuelled in that place with the ground and dedicated to no sacred power and that in the place thereof it may be lawfull for me to erect and build a temple in honour of the highest God according to the patterne and the same dimensions of that temple which is in Ierusalem for the preseruation and prosperitie both of you your Queene and children and to the intent that those Iewes that dwell in Aegypt may assemble and serue God therein for that by how much the more there is vnitie and concord among themselues by so much the more may they be disposed to your seruice For to this effect is the prophecie of Esay which saith thus There shall be saith he a temple for our Lord God in Aegypt many other things also hath he foretold as touching this place This is the effect of that which Onias wrote vnto K. Ptolomey And by his answere which he made hereunto a man may easily coniecture what pietie was both in him and Cleopatra his sister and wife For they haue returned the sinne and transgression of the law which through this meanes fell vpon Onias head by this answere that ensueth King Ptolomey and Queene Cleopatra to Onias the high Priest Health We haue perused your letters by which you require vs to giue you licence to clense the temple that is defaced at Leontopolis in the seigniorie of Heliopolis in the place called Bubastis in the plaine We maruell very much that a temple builded in a place so vncleane and full of execrable beasts should be agreeable vnto God but since that you informe vs that the prophet Esay did long time sithence prophecie the same we giue you licence if it may be done according to the law and with this condition that we commit not any sin against God Vpon this answere Onias taking possession of the place builded therein a temple and erected an altar vnto God according to the model of the temple of Ierusalem but farre lesse and Iesse rich Yet thinke I it no waies requisite to declare the dimensions thereof neither the vessels in the same because I describe them particularly in my seuenth booke of the warres and captiuitie of the Iewes neither wanted there some Leuites and priests who being answerable to Onias in deuotion and zeale frequented the diuine seruice in that place and renued the ceremonies But let this suffice for the present as touching this temple But it came to passe that the Iewes of Alexandria and the Samaritanes that brought in the seruice and worship of the temple vpon the mount Garizim vnder Alexander the great fell at oddes and debated their differents before Ptolomey For the Iewes said that the temple in Ierusalem builded according to Moses lawes and ordinances was the lawfull temple but the Samaritanes maintained that that which was builded on mount Garizim was the true temple They therefore besought the king that it would please him to sit in iudgement with the assistance of his friends to heare their allegations in this behalfe and to condemne the party vnto death who should be found faultie in his processe Now the aduocates which pleaded for the Samaritanes were Sabbaeus and Theodosius and Andronicus the sonne of Messalam defended the cause of those of Ierusalem and the other Iewes And both of them swore both by God and by the King that they would bring their prooues according to the law beseeching Ptolomey to adiudge him to death whom he should find to haue falsified his oath The king therefore sate downe with his friends both to heare the cause and determine vpon their differents But the Iewes of Alexandria were sore mooued and displeased against them that had drawne the preheminence of the temple in Ierusalem into question and were highly discontent that a temple so auncient and famous and so esteemed and honoured thorow the whole world should in such sort be dilgraced When as therefore the day of audience was come Sabbaeus and Theodosius suffered Andronicus to declaime first who began to approoue the lawfulnesse holinesse and religion of the temple in Ierusalem out of the law and by the successiue gouernment of the high priests who from father to sonne and from hand to hand had receiued this honour therein alleadging that all the kings of Asia had honoured the maiestie of that place with presents and rich oblations whereas neither in record of men nor course of antiquitie the temple of Garizim hath been in any estimation By these and such like words Andronicus perswaded the king that the temple of Ieruusalem was builded according to the ordinance of Moses inuiting him to adiudge Sabbaeus and Theodosius to death This may suffice as touching the differents of the Iewes of Alexandria and such things as befell them during Ptolomey Philometors time CHAP. VII Alexander after Demetrius death honoureth Ionathan greatly AFter that Demetrius was slaine in fight according as we haue heretofore declared Alexander was king of Syria who wrote to Ptolomey Philometor requiring his daughter in marriage telling him that it was a matter answerable to his dignitie to contract affinitie with him first since he had obtained his fathers empire by the fauour of God and next for that he had ouercome Demetrius Ptolomey yeelding a willing eare to these his demaunds and entertaining them with great pleasure wrote backe that he was very glad that he had recouered his fathers kingdome promising him to giue him his daughter in marriage giuing him to vnderstand that he would meete him at Ptolemais and bring his daughter vnto him to that place and there celebrate the nuptials After he had written these letters Ptolomey made his speedy repaire to Ptolemais and led with him his daughter Cleopatra where meeting with Alexander according to their appointment he deliuered him his daughter with such a dowry of gold and siluer as well beseemed his kingly magnificence Vnto
he entred into his lodging to bath himselfe in which place he ouerwent a mightie misfortune from which he escaped by Gods prouidence For whereas he was naked and accompanied with one onely seruant to attend him at such time as he bathed there were a certaine number of armed enemies hidden in that lodging who were fled thither for the feare they had and during the time that Herode bathed the first amongst them issued with his naked sword and got the doore and after him the second and the third no lesse armed without offending the king for the feare that they had of his presence and content to escape in their owne persons without the preiudice of other men The next day he sent Pappus head to his brother Phaeroras who was slaine by his owne sword in reuenge of the iniury offered to Ioseph When the tempest was done he departed from thence and approched neere to Ierusalem and encamped neere vnto the Citie This was about the third yeere since he was created king at Rome and encamping himselfe in the place which was as he thought fittest for battery he addressed himselfe towards the temple side resoluing to batter and make breach in that place in like manner as Pompey had done before him Hauing therefore erected three bulwarks in three places he builded towers theron by the assistance of many workmen and by meanes of a great quantitie of wood which he caused to be cut downe round about the place and hauing pointed such men as were of ripe iudgement to ouersee these works he left his army well prouided and resorted to Samaria to marrie with the daughter of Alexander who was Aristobulus sonne to whom he was betrothed according as I haue heretofore declared CHAP. XXVIII Antigonus is discomfited by Sosius and Herode AFter this marriage was solemnized Sosius repaired thither thorow the countrey of Phaenicia hauing first of all sent his army thorow the continent he himselfe also resorted thither with many aswell footmen as horsemen thither also repaired the king from Samaria with no small army to annexe himselfe with the olde bands for he had about thirtie thousand men All these assembled themselues togither neere vnto the walles of Ierusalem and planted their siege nigh vnto the wall of the citie that extendeth towards the north◅ The army contained eleuen legions of footmen with sixe thousand horsemen besides the succours that came from Syria Of this army there were two generals namely Sosius who was sent by Antonius to succour Herode and Herode himself who made warre for himselfe with an intent that hauing dispossessed Antigonus whō he had proclaimed enemie to Rome he himself might be king in his place according to the Senates decree Those Iewes that were within the enclosure of the walles that is to say almost all the nation resisted the Herodians with great courage and affection vaunting and boasting much of the temple of the Lord and wishing all good happe and successe to the people namely that God would deliuer them from all daungers and spoyling all prouision without the citie that was either behoouefull for the vse of man or beast by their secret thefts and excursions also they made the verie besiegers destitute of reliefe and victuals Which inconuenience Herode so well preuented that he forstalled their meanes of theft and laid ambushes in place conuenient to cut them off As for victuals he sent his footmen to fetch his prouision from farre so that within a verie little space they had aboundance of all that which was necessary in the campe He erected also with no lesse carefulnes three bulwarks by the diligent labour of a great number of workemen for it was sommer time neither was the aire incōmodious or negligence of the workemen such but that they presently furnished and finished them Afterwards hauing raised their engines vpon them they battered the wall with as much violence and diligence as was possible notwithstanding all this they did no waies amate those that were within who for their parts vsed al the cunning that might be possible to defend themselues and by diuers sallies set fire vpon the enemies engines and burnt not onely those that were halfe made but those that were wholy perfected and when necessitie droue them to handy strokes they shewed no lesse valour then the Romans courage but they were inferiour vnto them in skill and martiall discipline And when as the first wall was beaten downe they builded vp a new and contermined against those mines that were made by the enemy so that they fought vnder ground hand to hand Thus vsing despaire rather then courage they sustained the warre to the vttermost yea notwithstanding they were besieged by a great army and pressed by famine and want of victuals for the yeere wherein this siege was continued was the seuenth in which the earth was vnmanured which by vs is called the yeere of rest But finally twenty chosen soldiers first of all mounted vpon the wall and after them one of Sosius Centurions for the first wall was taken in the fortith day after the siege and the second on the fift◅th and some galleries were burned which were neere vnto the temple which as Herod said were burned by Antigonus to bring him into more hatred amongst the Iewes When the outward part of the temple and the lower part of the citie were taken the Iewes fled into the temple and into the higher towne for feare they had least the Romans should hinder them from offering their daily and ordinarie sacrifices vnto God and they sent embassadours to their enemies to require that it might be lawful for them onely to bring in certaine beasts to offer thē for sacrifices Which Herode their king granted thē hoping by this meanes that they would submit thēselues yeeld vp the places But perceiuing that his opinion failed him herein that they obstinately resisted him to continue the soueraintie in Antigonus he gaue the assault and tooke the Citie by force where all things vvere incontinently filled with murthers in that the Romanes were displeased because they had so long time continued the siege and the Iewes that were on Herodes side enforced themselues vtterly to exterminate all those that were of the contrary partie so that continuall slaughters ranged raigned euery vvhere both in porches in the houses vvherinto they entred Neither did the religious reuerence of the temple saue those suppliants that resorted thither for safety but that vvithout all compassion both olde and young vvere slaughtered Neither did their murthering hand spare or refraine from women nay not so much as from young infants And although the king besought and requested them to forbeare them yet no man gaue ouer but all sorts of persons were murthered by them without respect either of sex or age Antigonus inconsiderate of that estate wherein he had beene or the fortune and desaster that at that
estate vnto him giuing him secret instructions to kil Mariamme if so be that Anthony should happen to doe him any mischiefe For he loued her so extremely by reason of her beautie that he supposed himselfe iniured if after his decease she should be beloued by any other and he openly declared that all that miserie which befell him proceeded from Anthonies passion and intire affection and admiration of her beauty whereof he had before time heard some report As soone therefore as he had in this sort disposed his affaires notwithstanding he had little hope of good hap yet repaired he to Anthony But Ioseph gouerning that kingdome that was committed to his hands conuersed diuers times vpon this occasion with Mariamme and communicated oftentimes with her not onely for publique profit sake but also to doe her that honour which so great a princesse deserued At such time therefore as he secretly deuised with her as touching the friendship and ardent affection which Herode bare vnto heâ—… his speeches were iested at after the manner of Ladies but especially flouted at by Alexandra For which cause Ioseph being ouer-forward to expresse the kings good will towards her proceeded so farre that he discouered the commandement that was giuen him thereby to make manifest that it was not possible for Herode to liue without her and that if any inconuenient should happen vnto him he would not in death also be disioined from her This discourse of Iosephs was not interpreted by the Ladies as a demonstration of his good will but rather as a manifestation of Herodes malignitie who dying desired also that they should perish and interpreted that which he had spoken as the testimonie of his tyrannous and malicious hart At that time there was a rumour spread in the Citie of Ierusalem by Herodes maligners that Anthony had in such sort tormented him that he was dead Whereupon all those of the kings house were troubled and in especiall the Ladies so that Alexandra incited Ioseph to forsake the pallace and take the Ladies and to retire himselfe vnder the ensignes of the Roman legion who at that time were about the citie for the security of the kingdome vnder the conduct of the Tribune Iulius to the end first of all that if any trouble should happen in the kings house they might be by this meanes in safetie hauing the Romans to friend and afterwards for that they hoped that if Anthony should see Mariamme she might obtaine all things at his hands whatsoeuer she desired assuring him that he would restore the kingdome vnto her and depriue her of nothing that concerned or was answerable to her royall estate But whilest they were distracted with these deliberations there came letters from Herode contrarie to some few mens report and all mens expectation For as soone as he came vnto Anthony he compassed his fauour by his many presents which he had brought with him to that intent from Ierusalem and sodainly debating the matter with him he appeased him in such sort as he was no more displeased against him and from that time forward Cleopatras speeches were but coldly conceited of in regard of his so ample satisfaction For Anthony said that there was no reason that a king should be answerable for that which he had done in his kingdome for that in so doing he should no more be king but that when the honour is once giuen him he hath the authoritie likewise left him to vse his regall power Vrging further that it concerned Cleopatra likewise her selfe not to search too curiously into the affaires and gouernment of kingdomes Herode certified all this by his letters and signified further what other honours he had receiued at Anthonies hands in assemblies and feasts to which he inuited him alwaies notwithstanding that Cleopatra seemed to be displeased therewith detracting him and being desirous to get the kingdome of Iewry into her hands stroue by all meanes possible to put him to death but that he had found Anthony alwaies an vpright man and feared not henceforward that any euill should be fall him and returning presently vpon this he brought with him a more ample testimonie of Anthonies most assured affection both in respect of his owne kingdome as of his particular affaires And as touching Cleopatra she pretended not to seeke any further then that which she had because that Anthony had giuen her Coelesyria in steed of that which she had demaunded for bearing thence forwarde to mention Iewry any more because Anthony wholy reiected those suites After these letters came vnto their hands the trouble and disturbance wherein they were and their desire to retire vnto the Romans as if Herode had been dead was wholy extinguished Yet was not this their resolution hidden from the king but that Herode after he had brought Anthony on his way who at that time set forward in his warres against the Parthians he returned into Iewry Vpon his arriuall his sister Salome and his mother certified him exactly of Alexandras intent and the determination of her friends Salome likewise spake against Ioseph her husband and slandered him obiecting against him that he had had Mariammes company Al which she spake thorow the malice she had long time conceiued against him for that in a certaine debate Mariamme had in her rage despitefully hit them in the teeth with their obscure birth Herode who was alwaies inflamed with the earnest affection which he bare vnto his wife Mariamme was sodainly troubled hereat and although iealousie pressed him forward yet loue restrained him and kept him from doing any thing rashly thorow passion or affection for which cause he called Mariamme aside and demanded of her in secret what familiar companie she had kept with Ioseph She by solemne othes and by all possible allegations in her owne defence appeased the king by little and little and pacified his choler For in such sort was he transported with the loue that he bare vnto his wife that hee beleeued she had sufficiently purged her selfe of those slanders that had been inforced against her yeelding her most hartie thankes for her honest affection towards him and declaring vnto her openly the great esteeme and loue that he bare vnto her Finally as it often falleth out amongst louers they fell to teares and embraced each other with great affection and for that she gaue him no credit he indeuoured the more to draw her to beliefe Whereupon Mariamme said vnto him It is not the act of a louer to haue giuen commandement that if any thing should befal thee otherwaies then well with Anthony I should presently be done to death with thee notwithstanding I haue no waies offended thee No sooner were these words out of her mouth but the king entred into a strange passion and giuing ouer his embraces he cried out with a loud voice and tore his haire saying that he had a most euident proofe that Ioseph had committed adultery with her
Iewes not daring to expect or preuent their assault for that their present miseries had deiected their mindes seemed to neglect their common weale and in a manner to despaire of their safetie These thus affected did the king incourage and called vnto him their captains and as much as in him lay awaking and reuiuing their drouping spirits and when he had restored those of better hope to more successefull good hap at length he attempted to speake vnto all the army who in the former ouerthrowes would yeeld no respect or allowance to perswasion These did he both comfort and exhort in such manner as followeth CHAP. VIII Herodes Oration to his army FRiends and fellow souldiers there is not one of you but knoweth that at this time there are so many present and impendent misfortunes attending our estates as are able to weary and amaze those men that are of the greatest resolution But since we must needly fight and that all those things that haue befallen vs vnto this present are of that kind that by your owne vertue and magnanimitie they may be recouered I haue resolued to informe and confirme you in those meanes whereby you may retaine and continue your accustomed valour and noble courage First of all therefore I will approue vnto you as touching our war that it consisteth on iust grounds for that we are inforced thereunto thorow the outrage of our enemies the knowledge whereof should chiefely make you recouer your courage Secondly I will apparantly approue vnto you that our estates are not so desperate but that we haue great and assured hopes to obtaine the victorie First of all therefore I will discourse of that which formerly I proposed and wil make your selues iudges of those things which I will discourse vpon For you your selues are priuie to the Arabians vniustice and how perfidious they are to their friends and impious and barbarous towards all men but in especiall they haue alwaies troubled vs prouoking vs thorow their extreme auarice and malignant enuy with perpetuall iniuries And yet to let slip all other our benefits to that nation who is he that deliuered them from their imminent perill and thraldome that was hazarded by Cleopatras meanes but our selues For the friendship I had with Anthony and his beneuolence towards me was the cause that their burthen of miserie was so lightned for that Anthony forbore to commit any thing that might draw vs to suspition Besides after she had wrought him by her sollicitation to cut off certain portions of the two kingdomes to be giuen vnto her the matter was so handled by me that by diuers presents particularly bestowed vpon him by my hands I haue obtained securitie for vs both and by disbursing two hundreth talents of mine owne and giuing my word for two hundreth more for others for the reuenues of that very land which in times past was ours and these now possesse and enioy Notwithstanding reason it were in my opinion that we that are Iewes should not be tributaries or giue any portion of our countrey to any man and if we must needly doe it it ill becommeth vs to pay it for these who enioy their liues by our meanes It should not be reasonable for the Arabians who after they had confessed with many plausible protestations and thankesgiuings that they enioy their libertie by our benefit to haue depriued and thrust vs from our own and to haue vniustly dealt with vs yea euen with vs I say who were not their enemies but rather on the contrarie side their chiefest friends in the time of peace And if fidelitie should be respected euen amongst those that are our most hated enemies much more necessarily ought it to be obserued by those that are friends But these men set light therby who thinke nothing honest but that which is annexed with Lucre and thinke no wrong vnexcusable nor impunitie iniurie that hath bâ—…t a shew of profit Is there any question then whether we should chastice these vniust men by a iust warre since both God commandeth no lesse and enioyneth vs alwaies to hate outrage and reuenge iniustice especially in that warre which is not onely iust but necessarie For that which both in the confession of the Graecians and opinion of the Barbarians is most hatefull and haynous this haue they perpetrated in murthering our Embassadours For the Greeks say that embassadours are sacred and inuiolable and we our selues haue receiued our most holesome and holiest precepts of the law of God by Angels that is from his heraulds and messengers for this name can both bring God to mans knowledge reconcile enemy vnto enemy What impiety therefore is more vnpardonable then to put those Embassadours to death who bring tidings of right and iustice or what prosperitie can they expect either in their warres or felicitie in their whole liues after so hainous a crime Truely I cannot imagine any But perhaps some man will say that right and equitie is on our side but that the greater number of men and means are with them but this their speech is vnwoorthy of my followers For with those with whome iustice is with those also is God and where God is there neither wanteth multitude nor fortitude But let vs wade further and way our owne forces by themselues In the first battell we had the victorie in the second vpon the first charge we put them to flight and found them vnable to make their partie good against vs. Afterwards when the victorie was ours behold Athenio not by lawfull warre but subtill treacherie assaulted vs. But shall this be called their fortitude or rather their fraud and second iniquitie why therefore should we haue lesse courage who ought to haue the greater confidence or why should we feare them who are alwaies inferiours if they fight openly and without fraud and when they seeme to ouercome they doe it by vniustice Moreouer if any man suppose them to be valiat this should the rather incite them more and more vnto vertue for it is no honour for a generous and noble mind to ouercome his inferiour but to haue meanes and might to conquer his superiour And if any one be terrified by our domesticke and homebred miseries by our late earthquake first of all let him think with himselfe that he erreth in that which deceiueth the Arabians by supposing the same to be more grieuous and terrible then indeed it was And afterwards let him thinke that it becommeth them not to draw matter of feare from thence whence the other tooke occasion of courage For as touching themselues they conceiue not any hope thorow any good that is in themselues but onely in the trust they haue that we are already deiected by our calamities But when they shall see vs march forth against them their courage will be weakned and our confidence by this means shal be awakened for that we are not at this time to encounter with desperate men For neither
so many sacrifices as that scarcely they may be comprehended in number for that their multitude exceedeth their estimate About the verie time of the celebration of this feast in honour of the reedification of the Temple the kings day of coronation fell out which he was woont to solemnize euerie yeere with great ioye and for this twofolde occasion the solemnitie and ioy was farre more sumptuous and compleate The king also caused a conduit of water to be made and conuaied by pipes vnder ground drawing it from the Castle Antonia vnto the Orientall gate of the temple neere to which he builded an other Tower also to the end that by the conduits hee might ascend priuily vnto the Temple if happely the people should practise any insurrections against his roialtie It is reported that during the building of this temple it neuer rained by day time but onely by night to the intent the worke might not be interrupted and our predecessors haue testified no lesse vnto vs. Neither is this thing vncredible if we attentiuely consider those other effects of Gods prouidence Hitherto concerning the reedification of the Temple THE XVI BOOKE OF THE ANTIQVITIES OF THE IEWES WRITTEN BY FLAVIVS IOSEPHVS The Contents of the Chapters of the 16. booke 1 How Alexander and Aristobulus returning vnto Herode their father were calumniated by Salomes and Pheroras meanes 2 How Herode gaue Alexander and Aristobulus wiues 3 How Herode sailed vnto Agrippa 4 The Iewes of Ionia accused the men of that countrey before Agrippa for indeuouring to take away their priuiledges granted vnto them by the Romans 5 How Herode returned into Iudaea 6 Of the discord in Herodes house betweene him and his sonnes 7 How Antipater being at Rome Herode brought Alexander and his brother and accused them before Caesar. 8 Of the defence of Alexander and how he was reconciled vnto his father 9 How Herode did celebrate euery fiue yeeres certaine sportes for hauing finished Caesarea 10 The Embassage of the Cyrenian and Asian Iewes vnto Caesar. 11 How Herode needing money entred into Dauids Sepulchre 12 How Archelaus king of Cappadocia did reconcile Alexander vnto his father 13 How the Trachonites reuolted 14 Of Herodes expedition into Arabia 15 How Syllaeus accused Herode vnto Caesar. 16 Of Euryclis his calumniations against Herodes sonnes 17 How Herodes sonnes were condemned in a councell at Berytus CHAP. I. How Alexander and Aristobulus being returned vnto their father were assailed and calumniated by Salome and Pheroras AMongst the rest of the affaires of the common wealth the king thought it behooued him to redresse and hinder priuate iniuries both in the Citie and country for the which purpose he made a new law vnlike to the former that it should be lawfull for such as were wall-breakers to be sold for slaues out of the limits of his kingdome which law did not seeme so much to intend the punishment of malefactors as the dissolution of his own countrey customs For to serue forraine nations who liued not after the manner of the Iewes and to doe whatsoeuer they commanded them was more preiudiciall vnto religion then vnto the parties conuicted of that fact Wherefore it was sufficiently already in the olde auncient lawes prouided for the punishment of such people to wit that a theefe should restore four times as much as he stole which if he was not able to doe that then he was to be solde not vnto strangers nor into perpetuall bondage but onely for seuen yeeres at which time he should againe be set free So that the common people did interpret this new lawe to set downe an vniust punishment and rather to sauour of tyrannie then of princely dignitie and to be enacted not without contempte of their auncient lawes so that for this cause all men spoke verie ill of the king At the same time Herode sayled into Italy to salute Caesar and to see his children liuing at Rome Where Caesar receiuing him verie curteously permitted him to take his sons home with him as being now sufficiently instructed in the liberall artes Who returning into their country were ioyfully receiued of all their countrimen both for that they were of comely stature and of curteous conditions and in their very behauiour did shew that they came of kingly linage Which things mooued Salome and the rest by whose false accusations their mother Mariamme was oppressed to enuy them fearing their puissance and verily perswading themselues that they would be reuengers of their mothers iniuries So taking hereby occasion they began also falsly to accuse them as misliking their father who had caused their mother to be slaine and as though they had an auersion from him whose hands was imbrued in their mothers bloud For they well perceiued that by such calumniations they might draw them into hatred and auert their fathers good will from them Yet did they not carrie these their inuentions to the kings eares but contented themselues to brute them abroad amongst the common people which so in the end comming to his hearing would cause in him such enmitie and hatred against his sonnes as that it would ouercome in him all naturall affection CHAP. II. How Herode gaue wiues vnto Alexander and Aristobulus BVt the king as yet mistrusting nothing moued with a fatherly care ouer them had them in such estimation as reason did require and for that they were now come vnto mans estate he married them both and vnto Aristobulus he gaue Bernice the daughter of Salome and vnto Alexander Graphyra the daughter of Archelaus king of Cappadocia Which done vnderstanding that Marcus Agrippa was returned out of Italy into Asia he went vnto him thither and inuited him into his kingdome requesting him to accept of his friends entertainment Which Agrippa yeelding vnto Herode omitted nothing that might delight him for he receiued him in his Cities newly built shewing him the faire houses and goodly edifices entertaining him and the rest of his friends and followers with all sorts of delights pompe magnificence as well at Sebaste as at the hauen of Caesarea and in the Castles he built to wit Alexandrium Herodium and Hircania He also brought him to Ietusalem where all the people met him apparelled in such goodly and braue attire as they were accustomed to adorne themselues withall when as they celebrated their festiuals and with many ioyfull acclamations receiued and saluted him Agrippa offered a hundreth head of fat oxen to God and feasted all the people and although he would willingly haue made a longer abode there yet winter drawing nigh fearing tempestuous weather he was forced to saile away with all speed into Ionia both he and his friends being honoured with very great presents CHAP. III. How Herode sayled vnto Agrippa HErode hauing past the winter at home and hearing that Agrippa was now with an army minded to go to Bosphorus the spring time being now at hand he sayled vnto him againe and
practise these trecheries you haue poisoned your mother also with no lesse corruption and in steed of the loue that should haue beene amongst brethren you haue filled your family with mutinies and hatreds And after and besides all these things thou hast beene so audacious as to call thy father beast being of thy selfe more malignant then those beasts that are most venemous vsing thine owne venome against thy deerest friends and such as haue best deserued at thy hands strengthing thy selfe with his guard and diuers trecheries both of men and women against one olde man as if thy cursed mind alone were not sufficient to satisfie thy hatred And now after so many men and women slaues and free men tortured for thy cause after the open and manifest testimonies of thy parties in the conspiracy thou art so impudent as yet to contradict the trueth and thou that lately hopedst to depriue thy father of his life doest now as much as in thee lieth endeuour to abolish that law that was instituted against malefactors in thy kind herewithall Varus equitie and all whatsoeuer iustice is in the world Dost thou therefore accuse them of falsehood who were examined in torments to the end thou mightest endaunger their credit who were the preseruers of thy fathers life shall we beleeue thee more then them in their torments Wilt thou not O Varus deliuer the king from the iniuries of those who are his owne flesh and bloud wilt thou not put this wicked beast to death who hath murthered his brothers to pretend a loue towards his father and who hath at last beene discouered to bee the most mortall enemie of them all to the intent that at one instant hee might establish the kingdome in himselfe Thou knowest that Patricide is no priuate crime but a publike iniurie to life and nature which is no lesse lothsome in the thought then it is in the act which who so punisheth not is of himselfe guiltie of an iniurie offered to our common mother nature After these speeches he annexed certaine points as touching Antipaters mother which thorow feminine frailtie had beene blabbed out by her to wit that she had asked counsaile of southsaiers and diuiners to whom the kingdome should befall And that she had offered sacrifices and made prayers for the death of the king And moreouer he declared what lasciuious pranks Antipater had plaied with Pheroras women in banqueting and amorous and wanton dalliances The informations likewise that were presented by such as were tortured with sundry testimonies of diuers men some suborned the other found out to be incontinently produced and confirmed For each man seeing that Antipater was exposed to the accusations of those men who had the gouernment in their hands and that the good fortune that had long time accompanied him had openly deliuered him into the hands of his enemies they manifestly discouered the insatiable hatred which they had conceiued against him whereas before time the feare that they had of him inforced them to be silent yet was he not so much burdened with other mens hatreds as with his owne wickednes namely his deadly hatred against his father his breach of amitie amongst his brethren wherby he filled the kings houshold with seditions and murthers of some complotted and acted by other some neither giuing place to hatred according to iustice nor to amitie according to good affection but according as it might stand with his profit Which for that diuers men perceiued long before that time they iudged of euents according as they had reason and the rather because that being voide of hatred they spake but their opinions And whereas heretofore they had cried with a lowd voice against him at such time as they were shut vp at this time when as they were depriued of their feare they declared al things that they knew And whereas there were diuers produced of the mischiefes committed by him yet seemed there nothing to be fained for that the accusers neither spake in fauor of the king neither concealed any thing for feare of perill but condemned all Antipaters wicked actions and iudged him worthy of death and punishment not so much for his fathers security as of his own deinerit Neither did they onely accuse him who were by iustice tied thereunto but diuers voluntarie witnesses also brought in their euidence so that although he was a verie cunning dissembler and colourer of his lies and most impudent in his assertions yet durst he not once open his mouth or mutter against the same As soone as Nicholas had finished his discourse and accusations Varus cummanded Antipater to answere to those crimes that were obiected against him if he had any thing to alleadge that he was not guiltie of those forfaits or hainous crimes that were laid vnto his charge For of himselfe he desired nothing more and knew well that Herode his father desired no lesse then that he should iustifie himselfe and maintaine his innocencie But he humbling himselfe vpon his face and lowly bending his body to the ground besought God who was the searcher of all hearts to approoue his innocencie by some euident signe how he had neuer attempted anything to his fathers preiudice For this is the custome of all wicked men that as often as they attempt any hainous act they engage themselues in all wickednesse without any respect of Gods iustice and when as by their misdeeds they are fallen into perill then call they God to their mindes by whose inuocation and testimonie they desire to be deliuered making a shew that they commit all things to his determination The like whereof at that time happened in Antipater who wheras before time disposed all his actions in such sort as if there had been no God that had the ouersway of humane affaires at such time as iustice ouertooke him and he was disfurnished of the benefit of the lawe had his recourse to Gods power alleadging that he was reserued by God to this end that he might diligently intend his fathers safetie Hereupon Varus when as by often questionings he could wrest nothing from him but that he onely cried vpon God seeing that otherwise there would be no end of these debates he commaunded the poison to be brought forth before them all that hee might make experience of what force it was which being presently brought vnto him and ministred to one that was condemned to die it presently killed the man Which done he arose and departed out of the councell and the next day went to Antioch where for the most part he was wont to haue his residence for that it was the chiefe Citie of the Assyrians But Herod presently commanded his sonne to be put in bonds no man knowing what talke had been betweene him and Varus vpon his departure but all mens opinion was that the king did nothing in imprisoning him but by his counsaile When as therefore he had fast bound him he sent vnto Caesar and wrote
king by the Romans a man without respect cruell and seuere towards all men slaue to his wrath Lord of the lawes yet so fauoured by fortune as no man more for from a priuate man he became a king and being inuironed with many perils he alwaies happily escaped them and he liued also a verie long time And as touching his family and children in this also in his owne opinion was he happie in that he ouercame his enemies and aduersaries but in my opinion he was most vnfortunate But before the kings death was thorowly knowen Salome and Alexas discharged those that were locked vp in the Hippodrome and sent euerie one of them home vnto his owne house telling them that the king commaunded them to depart and follow their household affaires and till their land wherein they performed a most noble action and benefited the whole nation with an especiâ—…ll good turne After that the kings death was bruited abroad Salome and Alexas caused all the men of warre to be assembled in the Amphitheater in Iericho and first of all they caused Herods letters to be read after which were addressed to the soldiers in which he gaue them thanks for the fidelitie and good will which they had expressed towards him praying them to continue the same to Archelaus his sonne whom he had appointed to be their king after him That done Ptolomey to whom the king had committed the custodie of his seale recited his testament which was to take no effect except that Caesar approoued the same Thereupon all of them began to applaud and honour Archelaus for their king The men of war flocked about him in troupes accompanied with their captaines promising him to serue him with no lesse will and affection then they had done his father praying God to yeeld him his assistance At that time also the kings herse was prepared and Archelaus gaue order that his obsequies should be most royallie performed and bestowed all the furniture that was requisite for that funerall and princely enterment He was carried out in a gilded litter distinguished with diuers precious stones the couer thereof was of azure colour The dead body was apparelled in a purple raiment hauing a diademe vpon his head ouer which there was set a crowne of gold and a scepter was couched in his right hand About this litter marched a great number of his children and kinsfolke and after them followed the men of warre disposed in bands and troupes according to the manners of euerie nation The first of these were the Archers of his guard after them went the Thracians and lastly marched the Germans and Galathians all of them in their warlike abiliments and discipline After them followed all the army marching in order in like manner as when they were addressed to battell each one vnder his corporall and captaine Next these followed fiue hundreth of his houshold seruants bearing perfumes and all these in this equipage marched to the Castle Herodion distant some eight stades or furlongs off For there was he entombed according to the tenor of his testament Thus died Herode Archelaus continued his mourning for seuen daies space in honour of his father For the law of the country ordaineth no lesse And after he had feasted the people and laid aside his mourning apparell he ascended vp into the temple All the way as he went all the people with shouts and acclamations cried God saue the king and with praiers and praises honoured him to their vttermost and he being conducted vp to a high station and state which was made for the purpose and placed in a throne that was embelished with gold entertained the people verie gratiously taking pleasure in their acclamations and congratulations that they bestowed vpon him He gaue them thankes also for that they had blotted out of their remembrance the iniuries that his father had done vnto them protesting in his owne behalfe that he would enforce himselfe to requite their kindnes with an intire affection He likewise tolde them that for the present he accepted not the stile of a king because the honour was bequeathed vnto him with this condition that Caesar should ratifie his fathers testament For this cause although the souldiers that were in Iericho enforced themselues to set the diademe vpon his head yet would he not accept that vncertaine honour because it was not as resolued whether Caesar who was the principall partie in the gift would grant him the gouernment or no. He alleadged likewise that if his affaires succeeded according to his desire he would not according as his honour commaunded him forget their loue or leaue their good affection vnrequited And that in the meane while he would enforce himselfe by all meanes to further those things that concerned them and entertaine them with more kindnesse then his father had done But they according as it is the custome of the common people thinking that those that enter into such dignities declare and open their mindes at the first day the more Archelaus spake kindely and curteously vnto them the more they applauded him and presented him with diuers petitions for certaine grants and donations from him Some of them cried out vnto him that he should cut off some part of their taxes and tallages which they paied annually Othersome cried vpon him to deliuer those prisoners that were committed by Herode of whom diuers had pined a long time in prison Others instantly vrged him to cut off those tributes which had been imposed by him vpon bargaines and sales which was to pay the halfe of the bargaine Whereunto Archelaus did not in any sort contradict striuing to the vttermost of his power to please the people for that he knew full well that their good affection would be no small aduantage toward him in the confirmation of his kingdome That done he sacrificed vnto God and afterward fell to banquetting and entertainment of his friends CHAP. XI The people mutinie against Archelaus MEane while certaine men among the Iewes that were desirous of innouation in their priuate conuenticles bewailed Matthias and his confederates whom Herode had put to death and condemned for racing and defacing the golden Aegle for that incontinently after their decease they had neither been publikely honoured nor lamented for by reason of the feare that the people had conceiued of Herode For which cause at that time they required with lamentations and great cries that their obsequies might be solemnized and as if the dead bodies had receiued some contentation by their teares and tempest of exclaimes they vttered many hainous and disgracefull speeches against Herode and assembling themselues togither they required Archelaus to doe them iustice against those that during Herodes life were in authoritie and especially they demaunded that the high priest who was aduanced by his father should be deposed and that an other more lawfull and vpright might be placed in his steed to offer and exercise the high
repaired to Petronius who was gouernor of Syria and complained against these Dorites who was no lesse displeased with the action then he himselfe For he supposed that such breach of religion was the meanes to further impietie and for that cause he wrote to those which had attempted this innouation somewhat sharply to this effect following CHAP. VI. Petronius letter written to the Dorites in the behalfe of the Iewes PVblius Petronius lieutenant to Tiberius Claudius Caesar Augustus Germanicus to the Magistrates of the countrey of Doria health Whereas Caesar hath published an edict by which he permitteth the Iewes to liue according to their lawes and customes some one amongst you haue been so presumptuous to contradict the same in effect although in words you protest that you obey him and doe all that which you can to hinder the Iewes from enioying their Synagogue in so much as in the same you haue planted Caesars image not onely therby opposing your selues against the Iewes but also against the Emperour himselfe whose image might haue been better placed in his owne temple then in a forraine temple and you haue placed it in their Synagogue whereas by right euerie one ought to be maister of his place according to Caesars iudgement For it should be verie ridiculous in me to alleadge mine owne iudgement after that of Caesars who hath granted the Iewes the liberty to liue according to their lawes and customes and hath commanded that they should conuerse in equall freedome among the Greekes For these causes I commaund you that they who haue been so bold as to contemne Augustus decree against whom their owne magistrates haue beene displeased excusing themselues that this accident hapned not by their motion but by the furie of the common people be brought before me by the captaine Proculus Vitellius to yeeld a reason of that which they haue done exhorting the magistrates that if they will not be accounted parties in this contempt they labour to discouer those that are guiltie vnto Proculus and giue order that no sedition or violence be offered thereupon Which notwithstanding it seemeth that they affect although we and the most honoured king Agrippa whom I take for my good and special friend labour nothing more then that the nation of the Iewes should not assemble and take armes vnder colour of their defence And to the end that whatsoeuer Augustus hath ordained as touching this matter may be the better knowne vnto all men I haue annexed his edict which he published in Alexandria and although they are sufficiently knowne vnto all men yet hath the most honoured king Agrippa read them vnto me at such time as I sate in my tribunal seat concluding according to right that the Iewes ought not to be excluded nor hindred from enioying those benefits which are granted vnto them by Caesar I therefore charge all men that hence forward they take heed least they seeke any occasion of mutinie or sedition and that euerie one liue according to his religion See here how Petronius proceeded in this matter both to amend that which was past as also to preuent that which was to come that none should be so bold to attempt the like After this Agrippa tooke the priesthood from Simon Canthara and gaue it againe to Ionathan the sonne of Anani whom he esteemed to be more worthy then the other But Ionathan declared that he was not desirous of this dignitie for in effect he refused it saying O King I most willingly acknowledge the honour which it pleaseth you to bestow vpon me and know well that it is a dignitie which of your owne freewill you bestow vpon me notwithstanding that God iudgeth me vnworthy It sufficeth me that I haue once been inuested with the sacred habite for at that time I wore it with more holinesse then I can now receiue it at this present yet notwithstanding if it please you to know one that is more worthy of this honour then my selfe I wil informe you of one My liege I haue a brother who towards God and you is pure and innocent whom I dare recommend vnto you for a most fit man for that dignitie The king tooke great pleasure in these his words and leauing Ionathan he bestowed the priesthood on Matthias his brother according as Ionathan had aduised him and not long after this Marsus succeeded in Petronius roome and tooke vpon him the gouernment of Syria CHAP. VII Agrippas acts vntill the time of his death SIlas was made generall ouer the kings army and for that he had alwaies beene faithfull vnto him and had neuer forsaken him in any daunger that was offered without partaking the vtmost extremitie but had alwaies aduentured on the greatest perils in respect of his intire and constant resolution he made his account that being so firme a friend to the king he should also be partaker and companion with him in the honour For which cause in all things whatsoeuer he submitted not himselfe to the king but chalenged to himselfe a liberty to speake what him listed For this cause he grew hatefull in the kings sight for that in particular he boasted of himselfe beyond measure and oftentimes refreshed the memory of those aduersities the king had past the rather to expresse how affectionate he had been toward him and his continuall talke was nothing else but of those trauailes he had endured Now for that he obserued no measure in this his discourse the king tooke it as an iniury intended to his honour was offended with the vnbridled licence of the mans prattle For nothing soundeth more harsh in a mans eare then the memorie of his forepassed miserie and it is but the fault of a foole to rip vp the courtesies he hath emploied on another man Finally Silas grieuously prouoked the kings displeasure against himself that rather subscribing to his wrath then his wit he not only dispossessed Silas of his generals roome but also sent him bound into his countrey in that place to be held prisoner This notwithstanding time asswaged his displeasure the king drawing himselfe into better consideration and remembring himselfe how many trauels Silas had endured in his behalfe he reuoked the sentence that he had pronounced At such time therfore as he was ready to celebrate the festiual day of his birth and al his subiects were addressed to take their pleasure he speedily sent for Silas to the end he might be partaker thereof and banquet with them But Silas who was of a free nature supposing that he had iust cause to be displeased concealed it not from those who were sent vnto him but spake vnto them after this manner To what honour doth the king inuite me at this present to the intent incontinently to depriue me thereof for he hath not onely depriued me of those honours which he bestowed vpon me in acknowledgement of the good affection I haue alwaies shewed vnto him but he hath altogither spoyled me and
necessitie of mine owne which constrained me to depart out of the kingdome within a â—…ittle while And calling Crispus secretly vnto me I charged him to make those souldiers drunke who had the charge of him to the end that he might in all securitie flie back to the king Thus Tiberias being ready to be destroied the second time by my gouernment and prouidence auoyded at that time a great and fatall danger At the same time Iustus the sonne of Pistus fled vnto the king without my knowledge the cause of which flight of his I will orderly expresse As soone as the Romans had began their warre against the Iewes the Tiberians concluded to obey the king and in no sort to rebell against the Romans But Iustus egged them on to take armes thirsting after alteration and hoping both to obtaine the gouernment of Galilee as of his owne countrey but his hope failed him of a succesfull end For the Galileans being enuiously bent against the Tiberians for those iniuries they had suffered at their hands before the warre could not allow Iustus to be their gouernour My selfe also whom the people of Ierusalem put in trust with the gouernment of Galilee was oftentimes so much mooued that I failed little of killing Iustus so intolerable was his wickednesse He therefore fearing least my displeasure should shorten his daies went vnto the king supposing that he might liue more freely and securely with him The Sophorites beyond their expectation hauing escaped this first danger wrote vnto Cestius Gallus the second time requiring him to come vnto them to the end that he might be the sooner seazed of their Citie or that he should send them forces to withstand the incursions of their enemies and finally they wrought so much that Gallus sent them store of horsemen and after them footmen who came by night and were receiued into their Citie But seeing that the countrey round about them was but in poore estate by reason of the Roman horsemen I tooke my souldiers and came to Garizim where I encamped some twentie stades off of Sephoris and by night I approched the same and set ladders to the wall with which I entred a number of my soldiers and became master of the better part of the Citie from whence notwithstanding we were afterwards constrained to retire for that we knew not the place killing before our departure twelue Roman footmen and to horsemen with some Sephorites to the onely losse of one of ours Afterwards a fight hapning betweene vs and their horsemen in open field we fought for a long time with disaduantage For the Romans hauing inuironed me on all sides my rereward thorow the feare they conceiued began to retire In this skirmish I lost one of my guard called Iustus who in times past had serued in the verie same place vnder the king At that verie time the kings forces both of horse and foote came thither vnder the gouernment of Sylas captaine of the guard who encamped some fiue stades off of Iulias beset the high waies that bended towards Cana with men of warre and the fort of Gamala to hinder the inhabitants from receiuing any commodities from the countrey of Galilee As soone as I receiued newes hereof I sent out two thousand souldiers with Ieremie their coronell who shrouding themselues within a stade of Iulias neere vnto the floud Iordan offered nothing els but light skirmishes vntill such time as I had gathered three thousand souldiers more and was come vnto them The next day hauing planted an ambush in a certaine trench neere vnto the enclosure of their campe I touled out the kings soldiers to skirmish hauing first forewarned my souldiers to faine a flight vntill such time as they had drawne their enemies as far as the ambush which they cunningly executed But Sylas supposing that our men fled for cowardize set forward to follow them as fast as he might possible but they that lay in ambush charged him on the backe and discomfited his army and I presently turning and making head against them constrained the kings forces to trust to their heeles At that time the estate of the countrey was at a good point had not some cursed spirit thwarted mine honest purposes For the horse whereon I roade falling into a certaine bog cast me on the ground whereby mine hand being thrust out of ioint about the wrist I was carried into a burrough of Cepharnom My souldiers hearing hereof and fearing least some more sinister misfortune had befallen me then indeed had done restrained themselues from pursuing the enemie any further and turned their backes thorow the griefe they had conceiued by reason of mine accident Hauing therfore sent for Physitions and caused my selfe to be dressed I staied there for that day and being seazed with a feuer I was carried by night to Taricheas according to the aduice of my physitions Sylas and his souldiers hauing newes of mine accident recouered their courages and vnderstanding that we kept but slender watch in our campe they laid an ambush by night on this side Iordan with their horsemen and as soone as the day appeared he drew out our soldiers to fight who willingly condescended thereunto and being come into the plaine they perceiued the men that lay in ambush by whom they were put to flight and six of our men were slaine But they pursued their victorie no further For hauing newes that certaine souldiers had past the water of Taricheas to Iulias they were affraid and returned backe Not long after Vespasian arriued at Tyre accompanied with king Agrippa Against whom the Tyrians began to vtter many reproches telling Vespasian that the king was both an enemy to the Tyrians and the Romans alleadging that Philip his Generall had betraied the kings pallace and the Roman army in Ierusalem and that by the kings commission Which when Vespasian vnderstood he reprooued this impudent boldnesse of the Tyrians for blaming a king of that power and a friend to the Romans and aduised the king to send Philip to Rome to yeelde account of his actions But notwithstanding that Philip was sent thither yet presented he not himselfe before Nero for finding him extreamly busied with troubles and ciuill warres he returned vnto the king without doing any thing When Vespasian was arriued at Ptolemaâ—…s the gouernors of the ten Cities of Syria cried out against Iustus the Tiberian accusing him for burning of their burroughs Vespasian therefore deliuered him bound vnto the king to the end that the subiects of his kingdome might haue him punished But the king before that time vnwitting to Vespasian had kept him prisoner as it hath been heretofore declared The Sephorites also resorted to Vespasian to salute him and receiue a garrison from him with their commander Placidus who made many roades into the countrey and I pursued them vntill such time as Vespasian arriued in Galilee of which arriuall I haue amply spoken in my bookes of the Warres of
kingdome and railed against such as he had no power ouer Antipater increased this mischiefe more and more and gathering togither a great company of his friends he omitted no kind of calumniation The king likewise was terrified by the rumours tales of pickthanks that he thought alwaies that he saw Alexander before him with a drawen sword For which cause he sodainly tooke him and cast him in prison and tortured his friends many of which died in torments because they would not confesse more then in conscience was true others not able to endure the torments were forced to confesse that Alexander and his brother Aristobulus thought to haue wrought treason against their father that they expected their time till he went a hunting resolued in themselues that hauing killed him they would presently flie to Rome Although these and such like calumniations were nowaies probable yet extremitie of paine forced men extempore to inuent them and the king willingly beleeued them as it were comforting himselfe thereby in that he might not be thought to haue imprisoned his sonne vn◅stly Alexander perceluing that it was vnpossible for him to abolish his fathers suspition thought it better to yeeld hi◅selfe guiltio and so wrote foure bookes against his aduersaries and confessed the treason affirming that he had many partakers therein namely Pheroras Salome who were the chiefe auouching that before that time he had had the vse of her body in the night time and how though he himselfe was vnwilling yet she forced him thereunto Now the bookes came vnto Herods hands which charged the greatest amongst the nobilitie with most hainous matters Archelaus fearing his son in law and daughter to be in great danger speedily came into Iudaea and ingeniously appeased the kings wrath for so soone as he came vnto Herod he cried where is that wicked son in law of mine or where may I see the face of that wre◅h that goeth about to murther his father that I may teare him in peeces with mine own hands marrie my daughter anew to a better husband for although she be not priuie to his cou◅sell yet is she defiled for that she was wife to such a man Nay I admire thy patience who art in such daunger and sufferest Alexander yet to liue for I came thus hastily out of Cappadocia thinking he had beene put to death to talke with thee concerning my daughter whom I maried to him for thy sake and honour Wherefore now let vs take counsell what to do with them both and seeing thouart too father like and not able to punish thy sonne thy ◅echerous sonne let vs chaunge roumes and let me be in t◅y place to reuenge thee with such like inuections he deceiued Herode though otherwise firme in his purpose Then Herode shewed him the bookes that Alexander had writ and reading euery chapter with deliberation Archelaus tooke occasion fit for his purpose and by little and little laid al the fault on Pheroras and those that were accused in the booke And perceiuing the king to giue eare vnto him let vs quoth he consider whether the young man was not circumuented by the trechery of so many lewde persens and not thou by the yong man for there appeares no cause why he should fall into such wickednes who now enioyed the kingdome and hoped to succeed thee therein had he not beene perswaded thereto by other men who seeing him a young man entised him vnto such naughtines For we see that through such men not onely young men but also olde men and most noble families yea and whole kingdomes are ruinated Herode vpon these speeches began somewhat to relent so that he appeased his wrath toward Alexāder encreased it towards Pheroras for he was as it were the subiect of the whole booke Who perceiuing the king so to trust vnto Archelaus friendship that he was lead by him to do what he pleased leauing Alexander he in humble manner came to Archelaus seeking impudently for succour at his hands of whom he had not deserued any fauour Archelaus answered him that he knew no waies to obtaine his pardon who was guiltie of so hainous crimes and conuicted manifestly to haue practised high treason against the kings owne person and to be the cause of all these miseries that had now befallen the young man except that he would lay aside all subtle dealing and denying of his fact and confesse the crimes wherof he was accused and so in humble wise go vnto his brother who loued him dearely and craue pardon promising him that if he would so do he would do him what good he could Hereupon Pheroras obeyed Archelaus his counsell and putting on a blacke attire he in pitifull maner and with teares prostrated himselfe at Herodes feete and crauing pardon obtained it confessing himselfe to be a most wicked and vile person and to be guiltie of al that which was obiected against him and that the cause which moued him to do al those things was the franticke and madde fits he fell into for the loue of that woman Now when Pheroras became his owne accuser a witnesse against himselfe then Archelaus endeuored to mitigate Herodes wrath towards him and excuse his faultes with fit examples for he alleaged that his brother attempted greater matters against him whom notwithstanding for natures cause he pardoned adding that in euery kingdome as in mightie bodies alwaies some part began to swell which notwithstanding was not presently to be cut off but to be cured by easie means Archelaus vsing many speeches vnto Herod to this purpose at last quite appeased his wrath toward Pheroras still counterfaiting himselfe to be angrie with Alexander affirming that he would take his daughter away with him till at last he forced Herode of his owne accord to entreat for the yong man requesting him again to despouse his daughter vnto him Archelaus after much entreatie answered that he was willing the king should bestow his daughter vpō any saue Alexander for he greatly esteemed the law of affinity Herod replied that if he did not diuorce his daughter from Alexander he should thinke that he bestowed his sonne vpon him for they had no children and his daughter was dearely loued of the young man so that if he would permit her to stay still there for her sake he would pardon all Alexanders offences Heereto Archelaus with much ado agreed and so was reconciled vnto his sonne in law and he vnto his father Yet Herode affirmed that he must needs be sent to Rome to speake with Caesar for he had written the whole matter vnto Caesar. Thus Archelaus craftily deliuered his sonne in law from daunger and after this reconciliation was made they spent the time in feasting and mirth Vpon Archelaus departure Herode gaue him seuentie talents and a throne of pure gold adorned with precious stones and Eunuches and a concubine named Pannychis and rewarded euery one of his
last for the same put to death Herod caused the Gouernour of the castle to be tortured but he confessed nothing that was laid against him and although he had no good proofe of any thing yet he commaunded his two sonnes to bee kept in hold He likewise called Eurycles who was the bane of his house and the breeder of all the mischiefe author of his safetie and one who had well deserued at his hands and gaue him fiftie talents who departing from Iudaea before matters were well knowne went to Archelaus and faining that he had reconciled Alexander and Herod he receiued there a peece of money From thence he went into Achaia and spent that which he had euilly gotten in as bad manner as he got it Lastly he was accused vnto Caesar that he had caused dissension in all Achaia and spoyled the Cities for the which cause hee was banished And this was the punishment which was inflicted vpon him for Alexanders and Aristobulus troubles It is not amisse here in this placeto compare Euaratus of Cous vnto this Eurycles who being a deare friend vnto Alexander and arriuing about the same time that Eurycles did being put to his oath sware that he heard the young men say nothing yet his oath nothing preuailed nor profited them poore soules For Herod would onely heare and giue eare vnto accusatitions and hee highly esteemed them that would beleeue them with him and shewe themselues moued thereat Moreouer Salome encreased his crueltie towards his sonnes for Aristobulus minding to bring her into the same trouble with himselfe who was his mother in law and his Aunt sent vnto her willing her to looke to her selfe as though the King was minded to put her to death Who being now called into question for the matters whereof she was before accused to wit that she purposed to marrie with the kings enemie Syllaeus the Arabian to whom she priuilie reuealed the Kings secrets and this was the vtter ruine of the young men wherewithall they were ouer throwne as it were with a violent tempest For presently Salome went vnto the King and told him what Aristobulus had admonished her of and he being now outragious caused both his sonnes to be bound and imprisoned in seuerall places Then sent he Volumnius who was the Generall of his Armie and Olympus one of his familiar friends vnto Caesar to carie him the informations against his sonnes in writing who sayling to Rome after their arriuall deliuered the Kings letters And Caesar was verie sorie for the young men yet hee permitted the father to doe what hee would with his children and so wrote vnto him that he should haue licence to do what he thought good yet he signified vnto him that he should do better to cal his Nobles together and let them make enquirie concerning the treasons and then if he found them guiltie of these things whereof they were accused to put them to death Hereupon Herod according to Caesars letters and appointment came vnto Berytum and there gathered an assembly to sit in iudgement the chiefe in that iudgement were the Gouernors that Caesar in his letters appointed Saturninus and Pedanius Ambassadors and with them Volumnius Procurator next the kings kinred and Salome and Pheroras and then the nobilitie of Syria Archelaus onely excepted who because he was father in law to his sonne Herod suspected him to be partiall But hee suffered not his sonnes to come into iudgement for he knew that the verie sight of them would haue moued all men to compassion And moreouer if they were permitted to speake for themselues that then Alexander would easily haue acquited them both for which cause they were kept in Platane in a Castle of Sidonia The king beginning his oration was as vehement as though they had beene present against whom he spake and he was halfe afraid to obiect anie treason against them for that he had no proofe thereof and therfore he prosecuted their opprobrious words iniuries and offences which they had committed against him the which he affirmed to be more grieuous then death At last when no man contradicted him he began to lament as though by ouercomming in such sort himself was also ouercome thereupon requested euery one to giue their vedict And first of all Saturninus condemned his sonnes but not to die saying that he had three sonnes present and he thought it not lawfull to adiudge other mens sons to death The two Legats also affirmed the same and many followed their aduise But Volumnius was the first that pronounced the sorrowfull sentence after whom all the rest followed some to flatter Herod some for hatred they bare him but none for anie indignation against the young men Then all Iudaea and Syria expected an end of this tragedie yet no man thought Herod to be such a Tyrant as that he would haue put his two sonnes to death Herod caused his sonnes to be brought to Tyre from thence by ship he conueyed them to Caesarea bethinking himself what death he should put them to In the meane time there was an old souldiour of the kings named Tyro who had a sonne belonging to Alexander and highly in his sauour and he himselfe greatly loued the two young men who being verie much grieued in mind at that which had past went about crying that iustice was troden vnder foote truth opprest that nature was confounded and the life of man full of iniquitie and whatsoeuer else griefe put into his mind who nothing esteemed his owne life At last this Tiro came boldly vnto the king and sayd vnto him O king thou seemest to me most vnhappie who doest giue credite vnto wicked and vile persons against thy dearest sons For Pheroras Salome thou beleeuest before thy owne children whom notwithstanding thou hast often found to haue deserued death and thou dost perceiue that they do this to the intent to make thee want lawfull successors and leaue thee none but Antipater whom they with all their harts would haue king because they can rule him as they list But bethinke thy selfe O king how all thy souldiours will hate him for the death of his two brethren for there is no man that doth not pitie the two young men and many of the Nobilitie are displeased hereat After he had spoken this he named them who were displeased whereupon the king presently commaunded them and him and his sonne to be laid hold on and presently one of the kings Barbers named Tryphon shewing himselfe to be in I know not what furie came forth and said vnto Herode Tiro perswaded me to kill thee with my razour promising me that if I would so do Alexander would giue me great rewards Herod hearing this caused Tiro and his sonne and the barber to be tortured and they denyed all and the Barber affirmed nothing more then hee had already said Then he commaunded Tiro to be more tormented Whereupon his sonne moued with
one of the maids were tortured apart all their examinations agreed so that now it was euident wherfore Antipater had compacted to go to Rome and Pheroras beyond the riuer Iordan For they were often wont to say that Herode hauing killed Alexander and Aristobulus now he vvould come to them and their wiues and that it was vnlike that he would spare any one who spared not Mariamme and her sonnes and therefore it was best to flie as farre as it was possible from such a beast And that Antipater was wont often to complaine vnto his mother that now he grew gray-haired and his father waxed young and lustie and that it might so chaunce that hee should neuer liue to bee king or if euer his father died he should enioy the pleasure of the kingdome but a short time And moreouer the heads of Hydra that is to say Alexanders and Aristobulus sons began to spring vp againe and that his father had iniuriously cut off all hope from his sonnes appointing none of them to succeed him but the sonne of Mariamme wherein he was perswaded that he doted if so be hee thought his wil should be of force for he would take such an order that he would leaue none of all his progenie aliue and that Herod was the greatest hater of his sonnes of any father in the world and was not therewithall contented but he also hated his owne brethren Furthermore that he not long ago gaue him an hundreth talents that he should haue no conference with Pheroras and when Pheroras asked wherein they hurt him Antipater answered I would to God that he would take away all men else and leaue onely vs two naked so that he would grant vs life but quoth he it is impossible to escape this dangerous beast who will not suffer men openly to shew friendship to one another Lastly though we now secretly meete yet if we beare the hearts and hands of men the time will be when we may talke and meete openly The maides in torments disclosed these speeches and that Pheroras was determined to fly with them into Petra Herod beleeued all their sayingâ—… and the rather for that which was said concerning the hundreth talents For he said nothing of them to any one but to Antipater And first of all he bent his furie against Doris Antipaters mother and taking from her all the ornaments which he had bestowed vpon her and bought with many talents he banished her When his wrath was somewhat appeased he released Pheroras maids from torments and now he became timorous and feareful and prone to any suspition torturing many that were innocent for feare he should let any escape that were guiltie Hereupon he set vpon Antipater the Samaritane who was procurator for his sonne Antipater who through torments confessed that his sonne Antipater had procured poyson out of Aegypt to kill him by the meanes of a friend of Antiphilus which poyson Theudion Antipaters vncle tooke of him and deliuered to Pheroras whom Antipater charged to dispatch Herod whilest he was at Rome far from suspition and that Pheroras gaue his wife the poyson to keepe Wherefore the king calling for her commaunded her to bring forth that which was deliuered vnto her And she making as though she would haue gone forth to fetch it cast her selfe downe from a house top thereby to preuent the torments which if she were connicted they would inflict vpon her But by the prouidence of God as it should seem it came so to passe that she fel not on her head but vpon her side so escaped death to the end that God might inflict punishment vpon Antipater And being brought vnto the king so soone as she began to come to her selfe for she was amazed with the fall the king demanded of her wherefore she had done so and sware vnto her that if she would truly disclose all he would pardon her for all but if she told an vntruth her bodie should be tome in peeces with torments and not be buried She a while held her peace and at last sayd Wherefore should I keepe any thing secret seeing Pheroras is dead to saue Antipater who hath caused all our ouerthrowes Heare O king and God be witnesse of the truth hereof who cannot be deceiued When I sate weeping by Pheroras as he lay a dying he called me vnto him and said see wife how much I am deceiued concerning my brothers loue towards me for I hated sought to kill him who thus loueth me and sorroweth so much for me though I am not yet dead but truly I am iustly rewarded for my iniquity And now wife bring me hither the poison which was left by Antipater in thy keeping for my brother make it away before my face that I carrie not with me to hell a guiltie conscience for that crime So I brought it as he willed me the most part of the poison I cast into the fire where it was â—…onsumed kept a little therof to my self for feare of mischances and of thee And hauing thus said she brought forth a box which had in it a very little of the poison And then the king tortured the brother mother of Antiphilus and they also confessed that Antiphilus brought a boxe out of Aegypt and that he receiued poison from his brother who practised physicke at Alexandria The ghosts also of Alexander and Aristobulus went all about the whole kingdome and became as it were spies to giue notice of such things as were vncertaine who also caused those that dwelt in the vttermost parts of the kingdome to come and giue euidence of such things as were suspected At last it was proued that Mariamme the daughter of the high Priest was acquainted with these conspiracies for her brethren being tortured did confesse it Wherefore the king reuenged the mothers fault vpon her child for hauing writ in his will that Herod her sonne should succeed Antipater in the kingdome now for her fault he blotted that out CHAP. XX. How Antipaters malicious practises against Herod were knowne and reuenged AFter all this Bathyllus ioyned himselfe with Antipater as it were to adde the last hand vnto all his practises This Bathyllus was one of his libertines who brought another sort of poyson to wit of Aspes and the poison also of other serpents that if the first proued too weake and tooke not effect that then Pheroras and his wife should make an end of the King with these And beside these shamefull practises of his against his father hee also had letters which he had counterfeited against his brethren For Archelaus and Philip two of the kings sonnes were at that time at Rome to studie who were verie toward young men and for that Antipater feared they might be some hinderance to him in that which he expected hee hasted by all meanes possible to make them away And the better to effect his purpose he counterfeited letters in his friends names that were
at Rome and hee for money got others to write that these two young men vsed in taunting wise to raile against their father and openly to complaine of the death of Alexander and Aristobulus and that they tooke it in bad part that they were sent for home for their father sent word that they should come away and thereat Antipater was mâ—…st troubled For he before his departure from Iudaea to Rome procured such like letters to be forged against them at Rome and so deliuering them to his father that he might auoid all suspicion seemed to excuse his brethren affirming some things that were written to bee lies other things to be offences whereunto yong men were prone At which time he gaue great summes of money to them in whose names he had counterfeited the letters against his brethren hereby as it were hiring them to be secret He gaue them also rich apparell and Tapistrie of curious workeâ—… also siluer and golden cups with many things more to the end that by the precious gifts and rewards which he bestowed he might haue all things kept close so that at his returne hee made his father account that he had spent two hundred talents the greatest portion whereof was consumed in following the law against Syllaeus Antipaters small faults were all hid by a greater for all they that had beene tortured gaue euidence against him how that hee practised his fathers death and the letters witnessed how againe he went about to make away other two of his brethren and yet for all this none of those who came out of Iudaea to Rome bare him so mâ—…ch good will as to giue 〈◊〉 intelligence what troubles were in the court at home although it was seuen moneths after 〈◊〉 was conuicted before he came to Iudaea from Rome Peraduenture they who were minded to tell him all were forced to hold their peace by the ghosts of them who were put to death At last he sent letters from Rome to his father that now he would shortly returne home and that Caesar had dismissed him very honorably The king desired greatly that the Traitor were in his power and fearing that if he had an inckling of any matter that hee would looke to himselfe fained great kindnesse towards him and sent backe againe vnto him verie louing and familiar letters willing him to hasten his returne for if he made hast it might be he should obtaine pardon for his mothers offence for Antipater vnderstood that she was banished About this time he receiued a letter at Tarentum wherby he vnderstood the death of Pheroras and greatly lamented it which diuers thought well of Yet as farre as one may coniecture the cause of his griefe was that his treason went not forward as hee wished and hee did lament Pheroras so much as though he had lost one to effect his treacherie Moreouer he feared least that which had passed should come to light and least the poison should be found yet when he came to Cilicia and there receiued his fathers letters which before we mentioned he then made great hast homeward yet when he came to Celenderis hee began earnestly to thinke vpon his mothers mishap his mind as it were presaging some sinister fortune And the wiser sort of his friends about him counselled him not to go to his father till such time as hee were certaine for what cause his mother was banished and diuorced For it was to be feared that he should be accused also of the same that was laid to his mothers charge But the vnwiser sort being more desirous to see their countrey then to bethinke themselues what was expedient for Antipater admonished him to make hast least that his long delay should breed any suspition in his father and least thereby he should giue occasion vnto malignant people to raise vp slanders For said they if any thing hath passed against you it was in your absence were you in presence no man durst do nor speake against you and it were a verie vnwise part for vncertaine suspitions to depriue himselfe of certaine felicitie and not to returne speedily vnto his father and receiue the kingdome at his hands who had him in whom onely his hope was This counsell for fortune would haue it so Antipater followed so arriued in the hauen of Cesarea passing Sebaste where contrarie to his expectation he fell into a great sorrow and admiration for all men eschewed his companie and no man durst come neere him For although that he was alwayes hated of them yet then they had libertie to shew their hatred Manie abstained from comming to him for feare of the king and now the rumour of those things which Antipater had done was knowne in euerie Citie and to euerie man only Antipater himselfe was ignorant thereof For there was neuer any man brought thither with more maiestie then he when hee was to saile to Rome nor neuer any man more basely entertained at his returne And now vnderstanding of the massacre at home he craftily made himselfe ignorant thereof and notwithstanding that he was almost dead for feare yet in his countenance he counterfeited confidence For hee could not now possibly make anie escape nor rid himselfe out of those present daungers and yet he heard no certaine newes of matters at home nor there for the king by an edict had forbidden all men to giue him notice thereof So that manie times he comforted himselfe thus that either all matters concerning him were yet secret or if any thing was come to light that he by policie and impudencie could acquite himselfe thereof for these two were his refuge and hope Being thus determined he went into the kings pallace alone without anie of his friendes and followers which at the verie first gate were most contumeliously repulsed And by chaunce Varus the ruler of Syria was there within then he boldly going in to his father came neere vnto him as though hee would haue saluted him But Herode stretching forth his hand and shaking his head cried out O thou that hast attempted to murther thy father darest thou yet presume to offer to embrace me who art guiltie of so manie treacheries God confound thee wicked wretch and come not neere me till thou hast cleared thy selfe of all that which is laid against thee for thou shalt haue iustice and Varus shall be thy iudge who is by good fortune now here Go and premeditate how to acquite thee against to morrow for I will giue thy subtill and craftie braine some time to do it Hereat Antipater was astonished with feare that he was not able to reply anie thing but so went his way Presently his mother and his wife came vnto him and told him all the proofes of treasons against him Then he calling his wits together be thought himselfe how to answere euerie point The next day the king caused an assemblie of his friends and kinsfolks and to them admitted Antipaters friends and he and
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
Petronius receiued the letters of Caius Caesars death twentie and seuen dayes before the other threatning letters came CHAP. X. Of the Empire of Claudius and of the raigne and death of Agrippa CAius Caesar being slaine by treason when he had raigned three yeares and sixe moneths Claudius was made Emperour by the armie which was at Rome The Senate by the instigation of the Consuls Sentius Saturnius and Pomponius the second commanded three legions of Souldiers to keepe the Citie during the Councell holden in the Capitol and for Caius Caesars crueltie they determined to fight against Claudius intending to reduce the Empire to the ancient gouernmēt that as before time so for euer after those shuld rule that the Senate iudged worthy It chanced that at this time Agrippa came to Rome and the Senate sent vnto him requesting him to come and be one of their Councell Claudius also desired him to take part with the armie intending to vse his helpe where neede required Agrippa perceiuing that Claudius was already as it were Emperour for his power hee tooke part with him who presently sent him as Embassadour to the Senate to tell them his purpose how that first of all the souldiers whether he would or no set him in that dignitie and it had beene in him an vndiscreet part to haue forsaken such an offer at the souldiers hands who did it for good will nay if he had refused it his life should be in continuall danger for it was sufficient cause of enuie that hee had beene elected Emperour Moreouer he purposed to rule not as a tyrant but as a most mild prince for he would be contented only with the title of an Emperour and doe nothing without the common consent of them all And although he was not naturally inclined to modest and curteous behauiour yet he had a sufficient example to beware that he abused not his authoritie by Caius Caesars death Agrippa bare this message to the Senate who answered as though they trusted vnto their souldiers and learned Counsell that they would not thrust themselues into wilfulbondage Claudius receiuing this answer sent Agrippa againe to tell them that nothing could cause him to betray them by whom he was made Emperour and that he was forced to make warre against them with whom hee was verie loth to striue and therefore willed them to chuse a place out of the Citie for the battell to be fought in for it stood with no reason to deface the Citie with ciuill wars and massacres for the obstinacie of some few Agrippa did also this message vnto the Senate and one of the souldiers that were for the Senate drew his sword and said Fellow souldiers what should moue vs to massacre our friends and kinred and parents who follow Claudius especially seeing wee haue an Emperour with whom we can find no fault vnto whom we should rather go forth with entreaties then with armes When he had said this he passed through the midst of the court and all the souldiers followed him The Senate being thus left desolate the Lords abādoned of their force began to be in great feare and seeing it was no standing out for them they followed the souldiers went vnto Claudius Before the Citie walles there met them some that indeuoured to shew themselues dutifull vnto Claudius for his fortune sake hauing their swords drawne and they almost killed fiue before Caesar vnderstood the outrage of the souldiers and they had done it had not Agrippa ranne and told him of the matter saying that if he did not presently appease the souldiers furie now raging against the Citizens that all his Nobilitie would presently be extinguished and he should be left an Emperour of a desolate place When Claudius heard this hee repressed the souldiers furie and verie honourably receiued the Senate into his campe and went forth presently with them and offered sacrifice to God as the maner is for the good estate of the Empire Also hee presently made Agrippa King of all his fathers dominions giuing him likewise that which Augustus gaue Herod to wit Trachonite and Auranite and beside them another kingdome called the kingdome of Lysania and published this his gift by an edict vnto the people and commaunded the Senate to engraue that donation in brasen tables and to place it in the Capitoll Moreouer he rewarded his brother Herod who was his kinsman with the kingdome of Chalcis and married him to the Queene Berenice Agrippa receiued greater reuenues of his kingdome then he could desire which he spent not vainly but in building such a wall about Ierusalem as had he finished it the Romans could neuer haue taken it but before he could end that worke he died in Caesarea hauing raigned three yeeres with the title of a king and other three yeeres before in the state of a Tetrarch Hee left behind him three daughters which he had by Cypris Berenice Mariamme and Drusilla and one sonne by the same wife named Agrippa who because he was verie young Claudius reduced the kingdome into a prouince and made Cestius Festus Gouernour thereof But after him Tyberius Alexander who nothing violating the lawes of the nation ruled them in peace After this Herod king of Chalcis departed leauing behind him two sonnes which he had by his brothers daughter Berenice to wit Berenicianus and Hircanus and by his first wife Mariamme Aristobulus His other brother also Aristobulus died a priuate person leauing one daughter Iotapa And these were the posterity of Aristobulus king Herods sonne and Herod had Alexander and Aristobulus by Mariamme whom he put to death but Alexanders posteritie raigned in the greater Armenia CHAP. XI Of diuers tumults in Iudaea and Samaria AFter the death of Herode who raigned in Chalcis Claudius created Agrippa the sonne of the former Agrippa king of Chalcis in his vncles kingdome and Cumanus was made ruler of the other prouince after Alexander vnder whō there were many tumults and new calamities which befell the Iewes For when they were assembled togither at the feast of vnleuened bread in Ierusalem the Romane souldiers standing in the porch of the temple for alwaies armed men kept that place vpon festiual daies least the people gathered togither should make any tumult one of the souldiers taking vp his coat turned his bare buttocks against the Iewes faces speaking words as vnseemely as was his gesture Whereat all the whole multitude began to murmur so that they flocked about Cumanus requesting him to punish the souldier for this misdemeanour and some of them rash young men and as it were prone to sedition began to reuile the souldiers and threw stones at them Then Cumanu fearing that the whole multitude of the Iewes would violently rush vpon him called vnto him many armed souldiers and sent them into the porch of the temple The Iewes being in a great feare fled and left the temple and there was such a throng that as they
resist the Romans but also God himselfe Nechias at that time king of Aegypt who also was called Pharao came and with an infinite armie tooke away Queene Sara the mother of our nation And what did our first father Abraham in this case Did he with weapons and armes reuenge this iniurie hauing vnder his commaund three hundreth and eighteene Captaines and vnder them an infinite multitude Or did he rather desist from warre perceiuing God not to accompanie him Wherefore lifting vp pure and vndefiled hands towards this holy place which now you haue defiled and prophaned he chose God an inuincible helper to aide him And was not the Queene the second night after sent home againe vnto him vntouched And the Aegyptian adoring this holy place which yee haue polluted with murders of your owne nation and trembling at the visions he saw in the night time fled rewarding the Hebrewes with gold and siluer whom he perceiued to bee so beloued of God Shall I recount vnto you the going of our auncestors into Aegypt who hauing for fower hundreth yeeres beene slaues vnto the Aegyptian tyrants and kings and able to haue reuenged themselues by force of armes yet did they rather expect and staie Gods leasure Who knoweth not that then Aegypt in reuenge of the Hebrewes was filled with all kinds of serpents and infected with all diseases and the earth became so barren that Nilus waxed drie the ten plagues followed one another without ceasing whereby our auncestors were safely deliuered without any bloudshed for God conducted them as willing to reserue them for his Priests When the Assyrians had taken away from vs the holy Arke did not Palestina and Dagon repent that fact did not all the nation of them that tooke it weepe and lament therefore For their priuie parts being putrified their bowels and the meate they did eate ranne out there and so with vncleane hands they were forced to bring it backe againe with Cymbals and trumpets thereby to make satisfaction for their offence It was God that did this for our ancestors because that they laying their arms aside wholy resigned thēselues to his pleasure Was Senacherib king of Assyria comming with all the power of Asia and incamping himselfe before this Citie ouercome by humane force Did not our auncestors leauing armes flie to praiers and by an Angell God in one night destroyed an infinite armie And the next day the Assyrian rising found a hundred fourescore and fiue thousand of his men dead and so fled with the rest from the Hebrewes being vnarmed and not pursuing him You know also that in the captiuitie of Babylon where the people liued the space of seuentie yeeres they got not their libertie till such time as God put in Cyrus heart to suffer them to go into their owne countrie Who still assisting them they againe as the priests in old time were wont did serue and reuerence their helper In briefe our ancestors did neuer atchieue any great matter by force of armes neither did they leaue any thing vndone wherein they expected Gods helpe but still remaining quiet at home they ouercame their enemies through his prouidence And when they did fight after their owne wils they alwaies failed of their expectation For when Zedechias our king contrarie to the admonition of the Prophet Ieremie did goe foorth and fight with the king of Babylon then besieging the Citie both he and all his were taken and this Citie destroyed Yet consider how farre your Captaines are inferiour vnto that King and your selues vnto the people of those times For Ieremie crying vp and downe the Citie and saying that God was offended at their iniquitie and that except they did yeeld the same it should be taken by force yet did not the King nor any of the people lay hands vpon him And you that I may omit your iniquitie done within the Citie which though I would I could not sufficiently discipher doe attempt to kill me and vse rayling speeches against me who once gaue you holesome counsell for your good onely for that I put you in mind of your sinnes you not enduring to heare of that which you daily commit This same betided also when Antiochus surnamed Epiphanes besieged the Citie God being highly displeased at our auncestors who going out in armes against him were all slaine the towne spoyled and this holy place for three yeeres and sixe months made desolate What should I shew vnto you any more examples Who first incited the Romanes themselues against the Iewes Was it not the impietie of our owne Countrimen that did it Whence began our bondage at that time Did it not proceede from the sedition of our auncestors when the furie of Aristobulus and Hyrcanus brought Pompey into our Citie and so God subdued them vnto the Romans being now vnworthie of libertie And at length hauing for three months space endured a siege being not so great offenders as you are and better able to abide the siege then you yet did they yeeld themselues Are we ignorant of the end of Antigonus the sonne of Aristobulus who inuading the kingdome brought our nation againe into subiection God so laying this bondage vpon them for that he was moued at the iniquitie of our nation And Herode the sonne of Antipater brought Sosius and the Romane armie and besieged the Citie round sixe months space and at last for the greatnesse of their iniquitie was taken and punished for their offences and the Citie sacked by the enemies So you euidently see that our nation did neuer preuaile by force of armes And assure your selues that the Citie will be taken by this siege It is meet therfore that you who keepe this holy place wholy commit your selues to Gods wil and pleasure then feare not the forces of the enemies when by reason of your pietie you are assured of Gods helpe and succour But what one parcell of Gods law haue you obserued Nay what mischiefe haue you left vndone that hee detesteth not How farre greater is your impietie then theirs that did sodainly perish for their sinnes For you making small accompt of secret sinnes to wit stealing deceit and adulteries do violently take away mens goods by open force and murder whom yee please an◅ haue deuised new wayes to sinne Moreouer you haue made the holy Temple a place of all these your impieties and the seate that the Romanes did adore is by our owne nation polluted much derogating from the honour of our religion by your impious facts Last of al you hope of his helpe whom you haue so hainously offended Truely you are verie iust people and obedient and with pure hands you aske helpe of God Did our king thus pray vnto God when he obtained that in one night so many of the Assyrians should bee destroyed Or doe the Romanes commit such impietie as the Assyrians did that you may hope of the like reuenge against them for he hauing
earth nor vsed any handy craft but ceasing from all labours and paines taking liued in their Citie far and faire-liking hauing both their meate and all other necessaries prouided and prepared for them by others and esteemed that onely their felicitie to doe or endure any thing so that they might preuaile against those against whom they enterprised warres and that they failed also herein I omit to rehearse For not onely one or two of them at once but oftentimes whole companies of them forgetting their owne lawes yeelded themselues to their enemies And can anie one tell of I say not so many but of one or two of vs that euer was treacherous to his own lawes or that feared to die for them I meane not a common death such as souldiers are subiect vnto but such a death as is effected by all torments and tortures that can be deuised Which I think those that preuailed against vs imposed vpon vs not for hatred but that they desired to see so admirable a matter and to see if we being but men and such who esteemed it the greatest impietie possible to doe it could be compelled by them to speake or doe any thing contrarie to our lawes Yet it is no wonder that we for our law doe die with such constancie rather then any other nation for other nations cannot abide to endure that which we account a triflle to wit labour and simple fare and that no man eate whatsoeuer or what he desireth or lie with them whom he ought not or be idle except he be of noble birth or go gallantly attired and we are alwaies carefull that when we fight against our enemy we obserue our lawes concerning our meats And thus we take pleasure to obserue and keepe our lawes and to exercise fortitude in obeying them Let now Lysimachus or Molonus passe and such as they be wicked lying writers and Sophisters deceiuers of young men and detracters of our owne nation as though we were the wickedest people liuing As for me I will not examine the lawes of other nations for it is our custome to keepe and obserue our owne not to detract others yea and our law-maker openly prohibited vs from blaspheming such as other nations hold for gods onely for the name of God attributed vnto them yet may we not leaue the obiections of our accusers vnanswered seeing that which wee are to speake against them is not our owne deuice but many before vs haue spoken it Who then of all the wise Greekes will not condemne the most famous Poets and especially the law-makers who at first brought and setled such vaine opinions of the gods amongst the cōmon people affirming the number of them to be so many as they thought good and to be borne at diuers times one of another allotting to euerie one his proper place as vnto other liuing creatures some to be vnder the earth others in the sea and the ancientest amongst them in Hell fettered and bound and those whom they place in heauen in words they do terme him a father but in deeds they shew him to be a tyrant and for this cause they report that his wife his brother and his daughter whom they affirme to haue been borne of his braine conspired against him to binde him and hang him as they report him also to haue dealt by his father Against these vanities all excellent and wise men doe worthily inueigh who beside this already rehearsed too in derision adde how some of the gods are young and some olde and some infants others are gods of artes and sciences and one is a Smith another a Weauer another a Pilgrime and is at variance with mortall men others delight in musicke others in shooting moreouer that they are at variance one with another amongst themselues and that they fall our one with another in mens behalfe and that not onely one of them laieth violent hands vpon the other but that also they are wounded by mortall men and sorrow feele griefe for the wounds and that which is most abominable of all do vse carnall copulation with mankind and that most vndecently that their vnbridled lust is extended both to men and women Then that their chiefe God of all whom they call father contemned and drowned certaine women whom he himselfe had deceiued and gotten with childe and that he could not deliuer the children borne of these women from calamitie for that destinie had obliged him not see their deaths without teares This is all good stuffe as also is that which followeth to wit adulteries committed in heauen so openly and impudently amongst the gods that some professe themselues to enuie their fellow gods and goddesses tied togither in such filthinesse And what should the rest of them doe when as their king and the most auncientest amongst them could not refraine his lustfull licentiosnesse from the company of women Moreouer some of them became seruants vnto men and some built houses for money and others became shepheards others like malefactors were chained in hell What man then that euer was accounted wise would not blush at these follies and reprooue the inuentors thereof and the foolish beleeuers also Others presumed to feigne both terror and feare and madnes and such simplicitie as that they might be deceiued and all other naughty passions to be found in the nature of their gods haue perswaded whole cities to offer sacrifices to the most noble amongst them And they are in great perplexitie thinking that some of the gods are the giuers of all good things others again to be their enemies and so seeke to please them with gifts as they would doe wicked men and they are verily perswaded that they shall sustaine great domage by their meanes except they doe daily pacifie their wrath by frequent gifts What is the cause of this shamefull ignorance and erronious iniquitie concerning God Truely I am perswaded for that their first law-makers were themselues herein to seeke and ignorant of the nature of God and that they did not faithfully deliuer vnto their common wealth so much as themselues knew concerning this point but as thought it had bin a thing of least moment did wilfully let it passe giuing licence to Poets and permitting them to deifie and make gods whom they pleased and that the Orators should write of the common wealths affaires and tell what them liked of strange gods Moreouer the painters and image-makers amongst the Greeks had a great hand in making of gods it being lawfull for them euerie one to frame what shape he list and how he list some of earth others in colours and the chiefest godmakers amongst them vse iuorie and gold to make their gods of a true argument of their mutable noueltie And then the auncient gods whom they first so honoured and reuerenced as they could possibly deuise being now withered with age are out of credit and other youngsters possesse their places and honours their
by many ages For our lawes established amongst vs haue beene imitated of all other nations For though the first Greekes did colourably obserue lawes yet all their Philosophers did imitate ours and our opinions of God and in humilitie taught others communion of life and conuersation yea the common people did long since imitate our pietie neither is there any nation either Greekes or Barbarians who haue not after some manner obserued a Sabaoth as we do and fasting daies and candlestickes with light all which they learned of vs yea many do also obserue our customes concerning their meats and our vnitie and concord wherein we excell all other nations our communitie also and industrie in arts and labours and sufferance for our lawes And which is most to be admired our law not hauing any to force vs to obserue it hath so obliged our hearts that as God is of all the world honoured without compulsion so are our lawes amongst vs all we not forced therevnto And whosoeuer doth diligently consider his owne nation and family shall find that which I haue reported to be true I will now generally reprehend the voluntarie malice of all men for either they meane that we hauing these good lawes do yet little esteeme them and follow worse or if they do not so meane let theÌ„ hold their malitious tongue from any further calumniatiation For I doe not take vpon me the defence of this cause for that I beare any hatred to any man but for that I and all Iewes do honour and reuerence our lawmaker and beleeue that whatsoeuer he prophecied proceeded from God yea although our selues did not know the goodnesse of our lawes yet the multitude of them that imitate them were a sufficient motiue to enduce vs thereunto But I haue at large and with all sinceritie discoursed our lawes and commonwealth in my bookes of our antiquitie And I now againe haue made mention of them neither in contumely of other nations nor in praise of our own but only to reproue such as haue most maliciously and impudently belied vs contrarie to the knowne truth And I thinke I haue alreadie fully performed thâ—… which I promised For I haue shewed our nation contrarie to their affirmations to be most ancient which I haue proued by the testimonie of many ancient writers who in their works haue mentioned vs. Our aduersaries affirme vs to haue come of Aegyptians I haue shewed that our forefathers came into Aegypt out of some other place They alledge that we were expelled Aegypt for their miserie in that they were infected with disease I haue proued that they came from thence to their owne countrey by meanes of their owne prowesse and force of their owne accord Others labour to defame our lawmaker as a wicked person whose vertue many of ancient times so long time as hath beene since him do witnesse It is not needful to speake more largely of our lawes for they by themselues appeare pious and good such as do not inuite or incite vs to the hatred of other nations but rather to communion and friendshp being both enemies to iniquitie and commaunders of iustice banishers of luxuriousnes and teachers of frugalitie and labour forbidding all wars enterprised for auarice and preparing the people to shew fortitude in them and for them inflicting ineuitable punishment vpon their transgressors not easily to be deceiued by gloasings speeches and executing in action all that they in word commaund yea amongst vs the execution of them obseruation is more readie then the words of them I therefore confidently affirme that we do teach more pious and vertuous manners then other nations doe For what can be better then inuiolate pietie What more iust then to obey the law what more profitable and commodious then to be at vnitie and peace amongst ourselues and neither to forsake one another in calamity nor iniurie one another in prosperitie to contemne and dispise death in time of warre and in peace to labour and till our grounds to vse other arts and works and alwaies to thinke and beleeue that God beholdeth all our actions and ruleth and disposeth all things If this be either written or reserued by any one before this time we are then to thanke them as being their schollers but if they are knowne neuer before to haue beene extant then we are knowne to be the first authors and inuentors of it Let therefore all Apions and Moions go and all others that with them are conuicted of lying and slaundering And this bookeis written to the Epaphroditus who louest the truth and to others who by thee wil or are desirous to know the same DESIDERIVS ERASMVS ROTERODAMVS TO THE MOST VERTVOVS AND LEARNED FATHER HELIAS MARCEVS THE MACHABAETAN RVLER OF THE RENOWMED COLLEDGE OF THE MACHABAES I Haue not grudged vertuous Father to dedicate vnto thee a dayes labour wherein I haue perused and what in me lyeth amended the booke which Ioseph writ of the seuen Machabees brethren And would it had lyen in my power more aboundantly to haue answered your expectation I haue now for that I counted the Greeke copie by the Latine coniectured the Greeke and altered some things yet but verie few Ioseph doth not falfely boast himselfe to haue attained to the excellencie of the Greeke tongue and this booke will sufficiently witnesse the same wherein he shewed both great vanitie and Emphasis in so much as hee seemeth to haue handled that famous worke with eloquent stile and ornament of discourse Saint Ierome for this cause entitleth this booke great eloquence Suidas 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 out of them both wee amend the corrupted title cal it 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 that is of the rule of reason for the scope of this booke tendeth all to proue that reason is of no force in man except it beare soueraigntie ouer all our inordinate appetites This is most euidently proued by the bookes of the Machabees in the Scripture which books the Iewes doe not receiue as Canonicall yet doe they account it amongst their sacred writ I cannot but congratulate this worthy Colledge which though famous for many other things yet is more happie for that it is so blessed as to inioy so worthie and vnspeakable a treasure Or rather all Colonia Agrippina that happie and fortunate Citie yet in nothing more happie then for that it alone doth in her bosome shrine so many so sacred and excellent pledges of pietie yet should it be more happie if it could expresse their vertues whose sacred reliques it so religiously keepeth and imitate their manners whose bodies it possesseth to wit if in sinceritie of religion it imitated the pietie of three Kings and the sacred puritie of the eleuen Virgins if it resembled the most valiant yong men the Machabes and the inuincible courage of that woman whose valorous constancie no miserie could conquer And this best portion and part of her felicitie this worthie Citie might bestow vpon
presence d. accused by Eutichus 474 h m. 475. a. b. imprisoned ibid. hateth Tiberius 618. h. getteth Caius friendship ibid. his happy fortune foretold 476. g. h. certified of Tiberius death 498. g. departeth to his kingdome ibid. l. his request of Caius 482. i. his speech to the Senate 504. h. 619. f 620. g. hangeth vp his golden chaine 507. d. his acts 509. a b c c. 510. 511. c. saluted for a God 510. in his death 511. c. 610 k. his children ibid. d. Agrippas request to the Empresse 5 ac m. obtaineth Philips tetrarchie 52â—… a. getteth a portion of Galilee 522. g. deposeth Ioseph 524. i inlargeth the citie of Caesarea 525. a. his kindnes to the Berytians c. f 525. b. c. his Epistles to Ioseph 550 m. Agrippa excuseth Caesar c 628. h. his oration 627. c. 628. 629. 630. driuen out of the citie 631. b. And that came to the Romans 6 7 c f. Aid of the Idumaeans 677. a b c. Ainan or Aitaken and burnt 103. e. f. Ainites discomfit three thousand Israelites and slew 36. 103. a. after put to flight and slaine by Iosuah ibid. c. Aire temperate 688 i. Albirius gouernour of Iudaea 524 i. full of wickednes 623. d. pacifieth the countrey 524. l. executeth malefactors 525. c. Alcimus high Priest 313. accuseth Iudas and his brethren ibid. c. his popularitie 314. g h. killeth of all Iudas faction ibid. h. dieth sodainly 315. d. Alexander Polyhistor 19. c. Alexander King of Macedonia 284. i. ouerthroweth Darius armie ibid. subdueth Darius 285. a. marcheth toward Ierusalem ibid. e f. honourably receiued by the high Priest and the rest 2â—…5 f. 286. g. his sacrifice in the temple ibid. h. i. adoreth the high Priest 286. g. his death and successors 287 e f. Alexander warreth against Demetrius 320. g. laboureth to win Ionathan ibid. l m. slaieth Demetrius 321. f. marieth Ptolomies daughter 323. d. sendeth presents to Ionathan 325 a. discomfited and slaine 326 g. Alexander Zebina obtaineth the kingdome 337. b. slaine ibi b. Alexander king of the Iewes 341. a. 563. a. besiegeth Ptolemais ibid. c. his ouerthrow 342. k. besiegeth Gaza 343. c. sedition raised against him 563. c. 344 h. ouercome ibid l. 563. f. citions cast at him 341. h. crucifieth 800. Iewes 345. a. 564. b. his sicknes and aduise to his wife 346. i k l. 564. l. his death and funerall 347. a b. Alexander sonne of Aristobulus 356. i. ouercome ibid. l. 668. l. beheaded 359. b. Alexander Herodes sonne 413. b. marrieth Glaphyra ibidem his defence 418. k. 419. a b c c. reconciled to his father 419. e. 427. f. bribeth the Eunuches 593. b. imprisoned 427 a. 593. b. accused of treason ibid. 431. g h c. writeth bookes 593. c. condemned 434. h. 596. m. strangled 435. c. 597. d. false Alexander c. 460 g. 613. d. condemned to tug at an oare 460. g. 614. f. g. Alexander exerciseth crueltie 261. d. Alexandra gouerneth the kingdome 347. f. imprisoneth Aristobulus wife and children 564. l. committeth charge to the Iewes 348. g. her embassage to Tigranes 348. h. her death ibid. 565. d. Alexandra solliciteth Antonius and why 384. h. excuseth her selfe ibid. suspected by Herode c. 385. b. pretending to flie is betraied ibid. c. certifieth Cleopatra of Herodes trechery 387. b. striueth to acquit her selfe 398 m 399. a. seeketh to get Herods castles 399 c. put to death 400. g. Alexas marrieth Salome 437. c. dismisseth the Nobles 450. m. Alliance of Abraham with his wife 16. l. of lacob with Laban 23. c. 25. f. of Saul and Ionathan with Dauid 145. b of Iuda with the Israelites 241. d. Allowance of Micheas 221. f. Allusion of Ionathan 147. f. Alacritie of the Romans 702. m. Alleageance renounced 748. l. Altar of incense 63. b. Altars of Idolators to be destroyed 90. h. one Altar to be erected c. and why 90. l. Altar builded by Iosuah 102. g. Altar erected by the two tribes and halfe 107. c. why 108. i. Altar of gold and of brasse where placed 198. g. h. Altar in Bethel 207. claue in twaine ibid f. Altar erected by Dauid 185. b. Amalechites warre against the Israelites 56. gh ouercome by the Israelites 57. b c spoiled and their vtter ruine foretold ibid d 98. g. ouercome the Israelites 115. f. are destroyed 139. b c. d. burne Siceleg 157. a. Aman honoured by all but the Iewes 278. h i. his petition for the Iewes ruine ibid. k. his hatred against Mardoche 282. k. his trecherie discouered 281. e f. iudged to the gallowes ibid f. his goods bestowed on Mardoche 282. g. Amarames Moses father see Amram Amasias king of Iuda 236. h. reuengeth his fathers death 237. c. ouercommeth the Amalechites ibid. c d. reproued and why 237. d e. commaundeth Ioas to yeelde him homage ibi f. his armie flies and he taken prisoner 283. g. is slaine ibid. h. Amaza slaine 181. c. Amazement of the seditious 743. a b. Ambition 162. h. of Adonias 185. i. of Iohn 685 a. of Eleazar 697. c. f. An Ambush laid for the Ainites 103. e. Abushes of Saul for Dauid 144. g h c. 145. d e f. 146. g. h. of Adad for Ioram 227. a. Ammon Lots sonne 16. h. Amnon deflowreth Thamar 172. i k. Ammonites oppresse the Israelites 119. b c. and are ouercome ibid. f. iniute Dauids Embassadours 168. k. reuenge wrought on them 169. b c d. warre against Iosaphat 223. e. kill one another 224. h. Amorites ouercome 82. l. their countrey possessed by the Hebrewes 83. b. Amos a wicked King 248. i. is slaine ibid. Amphitheater built by Herode 401. c. 406. h. Amram Moses father 41. m. praieth to God 42. g. casteth Moses into the riuer 42. k l. and why ibid. Amri King of Israel 214. g. slew Thaman ibid. his impictie and death ibid. Ananias death 633. a. Ananus high Priest 524 i. had fiue sons his successors ibid. Ananias high Priest 524. l. Ananias high priest slaine 722. i. Ananus stoneth Iames 524. k. Ananus gouernor of Ierusalem 639. d. his iruectiue against the Zealous 674. h. disposeth this soldiers c. 675 c d. slain 680. l. Ananus a cruel souldier 722. k. Achimelech entertaineth Dauid 148. g h. deliuereth him Goliahs sword ibid. h. accused to Saul 149. a. and slaine ibid. c. Ancestors conceale not honest things 〈◊〉 h. Angels guarded Elizeus 227. c. Angels i. sonnes of God c. 6. k. Angell resisteth Balaam 84. g. Angels promise Abraham a sonne 13. d. e. enter Lots house ibid. f. foretell the destruction of Sodome 15. e. Angell appeared to Agar 14. m. 17. b c d. to Iacob 22. k. l. 26. g h i k. to Manoach his wife 120. m. foretelleth hir Sampsons birth ibid. m. worketh a miracle 121. c. 227. c. Angersee wrath Anilaeus receiueth charge from Artabanus 485. c d. killeth a noble man 486. h. reproued and accused ibid. h i. taketh Mithridates prisoner 487. a Anna
vanquished by sea 666. g. Taske of the workemen of Salomon 195. h. Taske more grieuous imposed c. 47. c. Taxation of the Iewes 462. l. Teares of Esau 22. h. Tediousnesse of the Hebrewes iourney 53. a. Teglaphalassar king of Assyria 240. i. led away the Israelites captiue ibid i. slaieth Rasis and taketh the Syrians prisoners 242. g. gold and siluer giuen him ibid. g. Temperance of Saul 133. c. Tempest after Samuels prayer 135. f. Tempest caused by Ionas 238. l m. Tempest drowned those of Ioppe 661. d e. Tempest of miseries assailes Ierusalem 685. c. Temple when builded 195. c d. heighth length and breadth thereof ibid. e. with all the other things belonging thereunto 196. 197. c. when consecrated 197. e. spoyled 209. e f. cleansed 242. i k 238. h. repaired 248. m. 249. a. burned 255. c d. began to be builded 270. g. finished 271. f. dedicated ibid. 272. g. desolate three yeeres 308. m. repurged ibid. 309. a. burned 463. b. the strongest fortresse of the Citie 674. k. builded on a strong hill 705. c. consumed with fire 736. h c. one Temple to be builded and why 90. l. Temples of Idolaters to be destroied 90. h. Temple on mount Garizim 286. m. laid desolate 336. h. Temple builded by Herod 407. c. Temple of Apollo 421 a. Temple of Isis pulled downe 468. g. and why 467. a c. Temple builded by Vespasian 751. e. Temple of Onias shut vp 762. i c. Tempting of the Serpent 4. i. of Iosephs mistris 3â—… a b c. Tents a place so called 24. m. Ten commandements 59. f. Tenths of the fruits 91. a. Tenths for the poore Leuites and festiuals 93. c. Terme of mans life 12. g. Terme of exile for chance-medlie 88. k. Terror among the enemies 137. d. 224. h. 228. l m. Testament of Herod 447. d. altered 604. l. Testimonies of the Iewes antiquitie 771. a. 772. l. 773. b c d f. 774. h. 775. c. Thanksgiuing of the Israelites for their deliuerance 52. g h. Tharbis the kings daughter of Ethiopia 44. m. enamoured of Moses ib. m. 45. a. yeeldeth the Citie of Saba and is married to Moses ibid. 2. Thares Abrahams father 11. e. went out of Chaldaea to Charran 12. g. his age and death ibid. g. Thargal a captaine of the Assyrians 13. e. sacked Syria and extinguished the Giants 13. e. Theater builâ—… by Herod 401. b. Theft committed how punished 95. e. Thermuthis Pharaos daughter 42. m. taketh Moses out of the water ibid. m. adopteth him for her sonne and preserueth him from death 43. c e. Theudas the Magitian 518. l. his perswasion to the people ibid. Theeues confident 638. h i. Theeues appâ—…ehend Ananias kinred 525. a. Theeues taken by Herode 377. b. Theeues murther in the day 622. k. work much mischief ibid. m Theeuâ—… spoile the countrey 672. l. make a high priest 673. 〈◊〉 Theeâ—…e punished 412. l. 428. k l. Things vncleane 70. i. Thirst oppresseth the Israelites 55. c d. Thirst of the Arabians 585. c. Thirst of Sampson 132. k l. of Dauid 801. e. Thobel a warriour 5 f. inuented the art of forging ibid. f. Thola a Iudge of Israel 119. b. Tholomaeus the Archtheefe 513. a. ten Thousand thronged to death 621. a. Thraldome of the Chanaanites 202. i. Three admirable works 707. b. Three valiant Iewes 719. e f. Threefold sedition deuided into two parts 702. i. Thirce in the yeere the Hebrewes ought to meete 90. m. Throne of Salomon 200 m. Thucydides history 765. e. Tiberians meete Ioseph 534. m. their letters to Agrippa 538. l. intend warre against Ioseph 548. h. submit themselues to Vespasian 66â—… i. m. 663. a. Tiberias builded 465. a. in daunger of ruine 551. e. recouered 643 b. Tiberius Emperour 464. m. reiecteth Vonones suit 466 g. punisheth Isis Priests 467. f. thrusteth the Iewes out of Rome 468. h his league with Artabanus 469. c. his death 471. c. 478. g. h. why he deferred to giue audience to Embassadors and prisoners 474. h. c why chaunged not gouernours ibid. h. addicted to the Mathematickes 476. l. 477. a. b. recommendeth the Empire to Caius ibid. d. his funerall 478. k. Tiberius a gouernour of Iudaea 518. k. crucifieth the sonnes of Iudas ibid. l. Tiberius a gouernour of Egypt 694. l. Tidings of Neros death 689. c. Tigranes inuadeth Syria 348. h. Tigris a riuer of Paradice 4. h. called Diglat ibid. h. Tillage practised by Noah 11. c. Timber precious 203. c. Time of the Israelires deliuerance 50. g. Time of the building of the temple 195. c. Time of the Iewes returne 265. a b. and 269. b c c. Time of the Israelites transportation 243. c. Time of the kings raigne of Dauids line 255. b. Time when Ieremy liued 250. k. Time of the destruction of Ierusalem and Temple 255. c d. 736. i. k. 737. b. 742. i c. 743. a. c. 744. g c. 745 a b c. Timotheus twice ouercome 310. h i. Titus his mightie army 647. e. winneth Iapha 656. m. taketh Tarichea 664. m. entreth Gamala 670. g. repaireth to Ierusalem and why 700. g. putteth his enemies to flight ib. k. in what places besieged Ierusalem 703. d 3. circuiteth the wals 709. b. commaundeth theÌ„ to be battered 710 g. putteth the Iewes to flight ibid k. taketh the second wall 712. l. 713. d. sur ceaseth the siege and distributeth money 713. 〈◊〉 crucifieth many Iewes 718. k l. accuseth the souldiers 720. i. calleth God to witnesse 722. g. dareth Iohn to fight 729. c. striueth to saue the temple 731. a. beholdeth the souldiers ibid. c d. restraineth his wrath 735. c. granteth the Iewes life vpon condition 741. a. promiseth recompence to the souldiers 745. f. celebrateth pastimes 749. c. lamenteth Ierusalem 750. g. Torment of Eleazar 803. d e c. 804. g 〈◊〉 Torment of the mother and seuen brethren 806. g h. c. 807. a c. 808. g. c. 809. a c. 810. g c. 811 a c. Tortures laid vpon many 426. k. Touch of conscience 340. k. Tower of Babel 9. a. Tower of white marble 302. k. Towers erected 201. d. 239. c. 656. h. Tower of Antonia 410. l. Towers of Herode 704. m. 705. a b. Trachonites compelled to ciuilitie 428. i k. rob againe ibid. k. subdued by Herode 429. b. Traiane taketh Iapha 656. i k m. Training vp of souldiers 640. h. 647. f. 648. g. Traitor apprehended 440. k. Transgression of vocation punished 239. f. Transgression of Saul 139. c d e. Transgressors of Gods lawes threatned to be punished 〈◊〉 i k. 140. i k l m. Translation of the Bible 294. h i. Translation of the Priesthood foreshewed 126. g. Translation of the Israelites 240. i. 242. g. 243. e f. and when ibid. Transportation of the kingdome 140. i. Transportation of the Arke 165. c. Trauuler to be directed in his way 96. g. Trauailers not to be forbidden ripe fruit 93. a. Treason intended and discouered 278. g h.
that now they againe became the kings welwillers Supposing also their hatred still continued towards him they rather should haue attempted reuenge by treason against him then towards all their nation wherin they had many deare friends and alliance And although they had purposed to warre against these men yet would they not haue been so impious as to haue rebelled against the gods and to haue violated the lawes wherein they were brought vp We haue therefore cause to thanke Manethon in that he cleareth vs and affirmeth his owne countrimen yea a priest to be authors of this impietie and that by oath bound themselues so to doe But is it not against all reason that neither any of their countrimen nor kinsmen rebelled with them but that the poore distressed people were glad to send to Ierusalem for succour But what societie or friendship had they with the people of Ierusalem of whom they came to demaund help Why they were more their enemies then the rest of their countrimen were all of quite different manners from vs. They of Ierusalem as he saith presently did as they were willed to do in hope that according as they were promised they might subdue Aegypt were they ignorāt of that countrey out of the which they had beene driuen by force had they liued in pouertie or miserie perhaps they might haue beene induced to haue done it but seeing they inhabited a fortunate and rich citie and passed a goodly fertile soile far better then Aegypt what might moue them therto what reason had they at the request of their ancient enemies and they also so diseased as they of Ierusalem could not abide their owne friends amongst them that had the like diseases to thrust them selues into daunger they could nor foreknow the kings intent to flie for as Manethon himselfe saith he met them at Pelusia with three hundreth thousand men And this they that went to warre well knew But what reason had they to coniecture that the kings mind would change and he flie Then he saith the armie of Ierusalem getting the granaries of Aegypt into their hands did much harme and this he vpbraideth them withall as who should say they were not requested to come as enemies or as though these matters be to be cast in souldiers teethes that are straungers and sent for from out of another countrey when as the Aegyptians themselues had before their comming done the like and bound themselues by an oath to performe the same But short time after Amenophis fought with his enemies and got the victorie of them and put them to flight and pursued them vnto the borders of Syria As though that Aegypt were a contrie so easily to be wonne by any man that at any place or part thereof inuadeth it and that the souldiers of Ierusalem hauing now by the lawes of armes possessed that and knowing Amenophis to be yet aliue would not haue fortified that part of the countrey where by he might haue inuaded them hauing all opportunity to doe it or at least they would haue gotten more helpe from one place or another Amenophis as he saith pursued them euen vnto Syria through the sandie and drie places as though it were easie for an armie that had nothing else to doe but to march on forward to passe leasurely thorough them To conclude therefore our nation neither came of the Aegyptians as Manethon confesseth neither was it mingled with the deseased of that countrie for it is probable that many of those sicke people perished in the stone works many in the great fight and battaile and the rest of them in the flight It now remaineth that I refute that which he speaketh of Moses The Aegyptians do all agree that this man was a diuine person and one to be admired but they commit great impietie in labouring to challenge him for their contriman saying that he was a a priest of Heliopolis banished with the rest for leprosie For he is recorded to haue liued fiue hundreth and eighteene yeeres before this time and to haue guided our auncestors out of Aegypt into that countrey wherein we now inhabite and his owne words testifie his bodie to haue beene cleane from that disease of leprosie for he commaundeth all lepers to be expelled out of the townes and villages and to liue a part by themselues also to be clothed in some torne garment that whosoeuer toucheth them or commeth vnder the same roofe with thē is to be accounted an vncleane person And if so be a leper happen to be cured of that disease he appointed certaine purifications clensings and bathes of fortunate waters and all his haire should be shaued off and that then after many and sundrie sacrifices he should be admitted into the holy citie But contrariwise had he bin vrged with that misfortune and calamitie himselfe he would surely haue beene more prouident more mercifull to such as should haue beene afflicted with that disease He did not onely make these seuere lawes against lepers but he also interdicted all that wanted any ioint or parcell of the bodie from being priests or exercising any office at the Altar yea he also appointed that if any priest should haue any of these defects b◅tide him after he was a priest that then he should be be depriued of the dignitie How can it then be probable that to his owne preiudice and discredit he would haue enacted such lawes Also the changing of his name is incredible for he was called as he saith Osarsiph which nothing agreeth with the transmutation of his name but his true name betokeneth that Moses was saued from the water For Moy in the Hebrew tongue signifieth Water But I haue now sufficiently as I thinke declared how Manethon whilst he followed the auncient writers did not much erre but when he fell to olde wiues tales he then either absurdly feined them of his owne head or else for hatred he bare to our nation beleeued them I now thinke it not amisse to examine alittle the words of Chaeremon who professing himselfe to write the Aegyptian historie maketh mention of the sameking Amenophis his sonne Rhamesses as Manethon doth and he reporteth that Isis appeared to Amenophis in his sleepe checking him for that her temple was destroyed and that Phiritiphantes a holy scribe told the king that if he would expell all polluted and vncleane persons our of Aegypt that then he should not be any more terrified with these night visions Moreouer that hereupon he making search for all sicke and diseased persons he banished them out of his land to the number of two hundreth and fiftie thousand and that their captaines were called Moses and Ioseph holy scribes also that theis Aegyptian names were so that Moses was named Tisithes and Ioseph Petesephus and that they came vnto Pelusium where they found three hundreth and fourescore thousand left thereby Amenophis whom he would not permit to come into Aegypt also that they