in our graues before we had seene that sacred Citie fired by a hostile hand before we beheld the holy temple destroied by impietie and seeing that the hope we had to be reuenged vpon our enemies is now vanished away and that we are left alone in miserie and necessitie let vs hasten to die well and take compassion vpon our selues our wiues and children and that whilest we haue time to compassionate our selues For both we are borne to die and all that are begotten by vs and the strongest men liuing cannot auoid it but iniurie and bondage and to see our wiues and children abused before our faces is no necessitie proceeding from mans nature but they onely are forced to endure it who when they might haue died without it did refuse for feare We first of all trusting to our strength rebelled against the Romans nowe lastly they exhorting vs to obedience we denied which of them then will not be enraged against vs if they can take vs aliue Most miserable shall those young men be whose strength will endure many torments and those olde men will mooue compassion whose aged yeeres cannot suffer tortures one shall see his wife carried away from him and another his sonne hauing his hands bound behind him crie vnto his father for helpe who now whilest they are free from the thraldome of their enemies may gloriously assist vs with their swords Let vs with our wiues and children die freemen let vs altogither depart out of this life This our religion commandeth this our wiues and children perswadeth God himselfe hath driuen vs vnto this necessitie for this purpose The Romans would haue it otherwise who feare least any of vs should perish and not fal into their hands aliue Let vs therefore hasten that in steed of their expected hope whereby they verily perswaded themselues to take vs aliue we may contrarie to their expectation daunt them with asodain admiration of our glorious deaths Whilest Eleazar was yet speaking and desirous still to continue his exhortation they all interrupted him euerie one now in a furie bent to follow his aduice made haste to effect it and as though they had been vrged by some bad spirit thereunto euerie one laboured to preuent one another in the execution thereof iudging him to shew most valour and fortitude that first dispatched himselfe They were also desirous to kill their wiues and their children with themselues And which is most strange their mindes were nothing altered when they came to effect this bloudy worke but with the same resolution that they had when they heard Eleazars speech euerie one retained his good affection towards his friends yet permitting reason to take no place and perswading themselues that thus they had well prouided for their children they all at once embraced their wiues and children for their last farewell and tooke their leaues of them kissing them with teares and then at once slew them as though it had been done by the hands of other men and not their owne comforting themselues being forced so to doe in that hereby they should escape the tyranny and crueltie of their enemies Finally no man was so cowardly who durst not presume to this action so euerie one of thē killed his deerest friends O miserable people whom necessitie forced to slay their wiues and children accounting the action thereof to be the verie least of all their miseries Wherefore now not enduring the griefe that ensued vpon this fact and thinking that in liuing any while after them they should iniure them whom they had slaine they with all speed possible gathered all their riches togither and set them on fire which done they elected ten by lot who should slay the rest euerie one prostrating himselfe vpon his wife and children embracing them in his armes and was was so slaine willingly by them that executed that wretched office who hauing without feare dispatched them they cast lots whose fortune it was to kill all the rest and he vpon whom the lot did fall should kill the other nine and lastly himselfe vpon them all euerie one so encouraging one another that there was no difference betweene them that were to be killed and them that were to kill and so the rest offered themselues to death which done one who was the last of all being yet aliue went amonst the dead bodies and searched to see if none liued that needed his hand in so great a multitude of slaine people and finding all of them dispatched he went and fired the pallace which done he with all his force thrust his sword into his owne bodie vp to the hilts and so fell downe by his deerest freinds In this maner they died thinking they had left no one aliue to haue fallen into the Romās hands but one certaine olde woman another that was Eleazars cosins who in learning wisedome surpassed all other women fiue children who all hid themselues in a caue wherein water was reserued to drinke whilest the rest were busied in this massacre who were in number 900. and 60 beside women and children This calamitie hapned the fifteenth day of Aprill In the morning the Romans expecting that the Iewes would fight with them made bridges from their mounts vnto the wals and so assaulted the wals and seeing none of their enemies appeare but all the wals wasted and on fire and deepe silence in euerie place they could not coniecture what was done and at last they made a crie at once as though they had beene beating the wals with a Ramme thereby to see if they could make any enemies come out The women in the vaults heard this crie and comming forth they declared vnto the Romans all that had hapned one of them relating vnto them the euent of all the whole matter yet for all this the Romans did not easily beleeue her words by reason of the greatnesse of that fact but they endeuored to quench the fire and passing through it they presently came into the pallace where they beheld all the dead bodies yet they did not insult ouer them as their enemies but admired that so many should be so obstinately minded to despise death CHAP. XXIX Of the death of the Sicarians that were fled vnto Alexandria and Thebes THe Castle being thus taken the generall of the Romans leauing a garrison there went vnto Caesarea for there was no one enemie left in all that countrey but now all Iudaea was destroyed through continuance of long wars and many of that nation though far distant from it tasted of those troubles for it so fell out that afterward many Iewes perished in Aegypt at Alexandria for those Sicarians who had escaped thither were not content to be safe and free from daunger but there also they attempted alteration and to defend their liberty against the the Romans esteeming themselues nothing inferiour vnto them and that onely God was their Lord. And some of the nobler race of the Iewes
Nabal for such was his name was a rude and currish person leading his life in hunting Yet had he a wife that was good wise and faire To this Nabal did Dauid send tenne of his seruants about the time of his sheepe-shearing both to salute him as also to wish him all good and to beseech God that for diuers yeares hee would grant him grace to doe the like Meane while he requested him that he would impart vnto him somewhat of that which was in his power when as his shepheards could informe him that hauing long time remained in the desart we haue said they beene so farre off from doing your flockes any harme as we haue rather seemed to be their shepheards and keepers they promised him likewise that whatsoeuer courtesie he should shew vnto Dauid he should bestowe it on a mindfull and thankfull personage Thus spake the messengers vnto Nabal but he answered them verie discourteously and rudely demaunding of them what that Dauid was and being informed that he was the sonne of Iesse Now said he these fugitiues and slaues forsaking their masters liue proudly and insolently Dauid hearing of this report was grieuously displeased and commanded fower hundreth of his men to take vp their weapons and follow him commanding two hundreth to keepe the baggage for at that time he had sixe hundreth and in this equipage marched he forward against Nabal swearing that that verie night he would vtterly exterminate roote out all his race and ransacke all his riches Neither was he onely displeased for that Nabal was ingratefull towards them without respect of that humanitie which they had shewed towards him and his but also for that without any cause or iniurie offered he had iniured outraged him in words In the meane while certaine shepheards that attended Nabals cattell told their mistresse their maisters wife that Dauid hauing sent vnto her husband to require some small courtesie had not onely obtained nothing but also receiued insupportable iniuries whereas till that day he had suffered his flocks to be vntouched telling her that that insolencie of their Lord might breede them all much woe and miserie Which when Abigal heard for so was the woman called she loded diuers Asses with all sorts of presents without making any motion to her husband who was so drunke that he was insensible and went towards Dauid As therefore she descended the streights of the mountaine Dauid encountred her marching towards Nabal accompanied with foure hundreth men As soone as Abigal perceiued him she leaped from her Steed and falling vpon her face she prostrated her selfe before him beseeching him to forget Nabals words knowing that Nabals nature was answerable to his name For in the Hebrew tongue Nabal signifieth folly she excused her selfe likewise saying that she saw none of them that were sent vnto her husband For which cause she said I beseech thee grant me pardon and giue God thankes that by my meanes he hath hindred you from polluting your hands in innocent bloud for if thou remaine pure and innocent from bloudshed he shall exact a punishment at their hands that haue hurt thee For those misfortunes that attend on Nabal shall fall on the heads of thine enemies onely be thou fauourable vnto me in accepting these my humble presents and for my sake remit that wrath which thou hast iustly conceiued against my husband for clemencie and humanitie becommeth him whom the fates haue destinated a kingdome Dauid accepting her presents gaue her an answere after this manner Women said he God of his goodnes hath this day brought thee hither otherwise thou haddest not liued or seene the next morning For I haue sworne that this night I would ouerthrow thy house and leaue none aliue of that vngratefull mans familie who hath so contumeliously abused both me and mine but now God hath put thee in mind wisely to preuent and pacifie my wrath As touching Nabal although at this present he be exempted by thy meanes from punishment yet shall he not escape but he shall lose his life for his manners vpon an other occasion shall be the cause of his ruine This said he dismissed Abigal who returning to her house and finding her husband amidst his other companions loaden and ouerwhelmed in wine told him nothing at that time of that which had hapned but the next day when he was sober certifying him thereof he lost all his forces and his body became mortified thorow the griefe he conceiued at her words so that some ten daies after and no more he departed out of this life Which when Dauid vnderstood he said that he was deseruedly punished by God because that his owne wickednesse was the cause of his punishment and that he was afflicted and yet his hands who receiued the iniurie were vndistained with bloud and by this example he learnt that no wicked man can escape Gods iudgement and that all humane affaires are not rashly disposed as if neglected by God but that the good are rewarded with goodnesse and the wicked punished according to their wickednesse He afterwards sent messengers to his wife and caused her to come vnto him to the intent he might marrie her and take her to his wife She answered the messengers that she thought her selfe vnworthy to lie at his feete notwithstanding she repaired vnto him with all her furniture and meanes whatsoeuer and was married to Dauid hauing obtained that degree of honour both in that she was modest and iust as also for that she was beautifull Now Dauid had a wife before her whom he had married out of the Citie of Abesar As touching Michol the daughter of Saul and other-whiles his wife Saul gaue her to wife at Lissa to the sonne of Phalti of the Citie of Gethla After this certaine Ziphians comming vnto Saul told him that Dauid was returned againe into their countrey and that if it pleased him to assist them they might easily apprehend him Whereupon Saul issued with three thousand armed men and being surprised by night he encamped in a certaine place called Sicelleg When Dauid was certified that Saul was issued forth against him he sent out certaine spies whom he gaue in charge to bring him intelligence into what place at that time Saul was retired who ascertaining him that he was at Sicelleg he watched all that night without the knowledge of any of his followers and went into Sauls campe attended onely by Abisai his sister Saruias sonne and Achimelech the Chittite Now whilest Saul was a sleepe and both his generall Abner with all his souldiers wholy deuoured in drowsinesse Dauid entred into the kings campe and although he knew the kings pauilion by reason of his Iauelin that stood at the dore thereof yet slew he him not neither permitted he Abisai who was both willing and addressed to execute the slaughter to performe it But this he said that although the king were euill yet notwithstanding it were a strange and vndecent
he called vnto him one of his officers who certifying him of the truth he arose and washed himselfe and put on a white garment and presented himselfe before the tabernacle of God and commanded his dinner to be made ready Whereat his friends and seruants were verie sore amazed and wondred why he hauing done none of these things during the childes sicknesse should now after his death doe all these things at once they besought him therefore that it might be lawfull for them to demaund the cause of these his proceedings To whom he answered that he would teach and discouer that vnto them of which they were ignorant Vnderstand you not said he that while the childe was aliue and I had hope of his recouerie I omitted no means whereby I might moue God vnto mercie but now after that he is dead it were in vaine for me to spend my selfe with vnnecessarie griefe Which when they heard they praised the wisedome and consideration of the king After this he knew Bethsabe his wife who became with childe and was brought a bed of a sonne who by Nathans direction was called Salomon Meanewhile Ioab pressed the Ammonites with a sore siege and cut off their water and other commodities and things necessarie so that they were welny famished for want of victuall and prouision for they drew their water from a little spring in such sort that they feared least if they should vse it to their owne contentment it would be sodainly dried He therefore wrote vnto the king and certified him of the estate of the Citie and exhorted him to come in person and be present at the surprisall thereof to the intent that the victorie might be famed by his name The king vnderstanding that which Ioab had written allowed of his readines good-will and faith and taking with him all the forces which he had he came to the taking in of Rabatha which being by him forcibly surprised and giuen in pillage vnto his souldiers he retained for himselfe the crowne of the king of the Ammonites waighing a talent of gold in the midst vvherof was enchased a Sardonyx of great valew which Dauid wore vpon his head He found likewise in that citie diuers spoyles of great price but as touching the inhabitants he put them to the sword and did the like in all the Cities of the Ammonites which he tooke by force But after that the king was returned vnto Ierusalem there fell a grieuous accident in his family vpon this occasion He had a daughter at that time which was a virgin faire and beautifull and surpassed all other vvomen in admirable perfections whose name was Thamar borne by the same mother that Absalon was Of her Amnon the eldest sonne of Dauid became enamoured and for that he could not enioy her at his pleasure by reason of her virginitie and the hand that was had of her he grew so melancholy that his body dried vp and his colour changed thorow the verie griefe that consumed him A certaine cousin and friend of his called Ionathan a man of great reach and quick vnderstanding perceiuing this his passion and noting euerie day howe Amnons beauty and strength decaied and wasted he came vnto him and asked him the cause thereof alleadging that that indisposition of his seemed to proceede from some amorous affection Which when Amnon confessed and how he was growne passionate thorow the loue he bare vnto his sister by the fathers side Ionathan suggested him both the meanes and inuention to compasse his desires for he perswaded him to counterfeit himselfe to be sicke and that if his father came to visit him hee should desire him to send his sister to minister vnto him by which meanes he should easily and speedily be deliuered of his sicknesse This counsell of his was plausible in Amnons eares who presently counterfaited sicknesse and laid him downe on his bed according as Ionathan had aduised him and when Dauid was come to visit him he required him to send his sister vnto him which he did She being arriued he praied her with her owne hands that she would temper and frie some fritters for him because they would the more content him if they were of her owne making for which cause she in her brothers presence tempered the flower and made certaine cakes and fried them in the frying pan and presented them vnto him but he tasted them not but commanded all his seruants to retire themselues out of his lodging because he intended to take his rest without noise or trouble As soone as this commaundement of his was performed hee prayed his sister to bring the meate into his most retired and priuie chamber whereunto the damsell condescended whereupon he sodainly surprised her began to perswade her to grant him her company But the virgin exclaiming said vnto him Forbeare my brother forbeare to offer me violence for it is a hainous sinne to perpetrate so foule a fact Giue ouer this thy most hatefull concupiscence which will breed nought els but disgrace and infamy to our whole family or if thou hast not the power to resist the same require me at my fathers hands and extort not mine honour from me by force But hee enraged with loue neglected all these sayings and wholy poisoned with the sting of disordinate passion rauished and violated her notwithstanding all her resist And as soone as he had aslaked his lustfull desire a certaine hatred entred into his heart which extorted from his mouth many iniurious words against Thamar so that he commanded her to arise and depart She answered that this second outrage was more hainous then the former for that hauing violated her he would not suffer her to remaine there vntill night time but thrust her out incontinently by day time and during the light to the end she might meet with such as might testifie her dishonour Notwithstanding all these iust reasons of hers he commanded his seruant to driue her out of the doores She strangely agrieued at the outrage and violence that had been offered her tore her garment which was such as the noble and princely virgins were wont to weare and strewed ashes on her head running thorow the Citie with cries and lamentations wherein she expressed what wrong had beene done vnto her With her thus distracted her brother Absalon met enquiring of her what euill hap had befallen her To whom she reported all the iniurie which her brother Amnon had done her whereupon he exhorted her to pacifie her selfe and to suffer moderately whatsoeuer had befallen her and not to suppose her selfe to be indignified by any act of their brother Whereunto she condescended forbearing her exclaimes and surceasing to publish the iniuries she had receiued in the eares of the people And thus remained she a long time with her brother Absalon in the qualitie of a widow Dauid hauing intelligence of that which had hapned was sore displeased notwithstanding he loued Amnon
rushing in amongst them made a great slaughter of them so that thorow the great quantitie of bloud which he shed his sword stuck fast to his hand and the Israelites seeing the Philistines put to flight by him came downe and ranne vpon them and obtained a miraculous and famous victorie ouer them For Eleazar slaughtered those that fled and the rest of the army followed and spoyled those that were slaine The third was the sonne of Ilus called Sebas who fighting against the Philistines in a place called the Iawe and seeing the Hebrewes to be affraid of their power and almost out of heart resisted them alone as if he had bin an arraunged army and slew some of them and pursued and put the rest to flight in that they were vnable to sustaine his force and violence These three exploited with their owne hands these executions of warre About that time that the king liued in Ierusalem the army of the Philistines came out to make warre vpon him and Dauid as we haue declared heretofore was gone vp into the higher citie to aske counsell of God what the euent of that warre should bee and the enemies being incamped in that valley that extendeth it selfe as farre as Bethleem a Citie some twentie furlongs distant from Ierusalem Dauid said to his companions There is verie good water in the place where I was born and especially that which is in the pitte which is neere vnto the gate if any one will bring me of that water to drinke I shall esteeme it more then if he gaue me great riches These three men hearing these words instantly ranne out and past thorow the enemies campe and went to Bethleem where hauing drawne water they returned backe vnto the king sallying thorow the midst of their enemies bringing newes that the Philistines being affraid of their hardinesse and great courage kept themselues vpon their guard not daring to charge them notwithstanding their small number But the king tasted not of this water which they brought him saying that it was bought with the danger of mens liues and therefore that it was no reason he should drinke thereof but he powred it out as an oblation vnto God giuing him thankes because he had deliuered his seruants After these three followed Abisai Ioabs brother who slew six hundreth of the enemy in one day The fift was Banaia of the race of the Leuites who being defied by certaine brothers famous amongst the Moabites for their vertue ouercame them Moreouer a certaine Aegyptian of a wonderfull stature hauing defied him notwithstanding the said Banaia was naked and the other armed yet charged he him and tooke away his iauelin and slewe him To these foresaid actes of his a man may annex this as the most valiant or very neerely equalling the rest For it came to passe that after a certaine snow a Lyon tossing amidst the flakes thereof fell into a pit whose mouth was so narrow that a man could not discerne where it was especially for that at the same time it was couered with snow where being inclosed and seeing no means to escape he roared out amaine which when Banaia who passed that way heard he followed the voice and drew neere vnto the place and afterwards went downe into the pit where with a staffe he bare in his hand he fought with ouercame and slew the Lyon The thirtie three other were of like valour and vertue But King Dauid being desirous to know how many thousands of men he could number amongst the people and forgetting the commaundement ordained by Moses who had giuen order that if the people had beene numbred there should be paid vnto God for euerie head halfe a sicle he commanded Ioab to go and number all the people and although Ioab had manifestly proued vnto him that it was a thing no waies necessarie yet could he not perswade him but that he enioyned him with all expedition to set forward on his way and muster the people of the Hebrewes Hereupon Ioab tooke with him the principals of the Tribes and Scribes and after circuited all the countrey of the Hebrewes to know how many men there were and at the end of nine moneths and twenty daies he returned to Ierusalem to the king and presented him with the list of the people the tribe of Beniamin only excepted for he neither numbred that tribe nor the tribe of Leui. This done the king perceiuing that he had displeased God was verie sorrowful and pensiue The route of the other Israelites was of nine hundreth thousand men able to beare armes and to follow the warre besides that the only tribe of Iuda contained 400. thousand men When the Prophets had certified Dauid how God was displeased with him he began to pray beseech him that it might please him to appease his wrath and to pardon his offence Hereupon God sent the Prophet Gad vnto him who brought him the choise of three things willing him to make election which of the three he would endure either that famine for seuen yeers space should raigne in his countries or that warre for three moneths space should afflict the same wherein he should haue the worst or that the plague and pestilence should for three daies space raunge amongst the Hebrewes Being thus distraught and troubled by reason of his difficult election amidst these imminent miseries and the Prophet vrging him to returne a short answere whereby God might be satisfied the king bethinking him that if he should aske famine he should rather seeme to respect his owne securitie then the common-weale in that no daunger might by that meanes touch him for that he had great store of corne in his barne and they vnfurnished and if for three moneths he should make choise to be ouercome by the enemy in that case also he might seeme to haue care of himselfe in that he had many strong Castles and a valiant guard of men to attend his person he therefore made choise of a plague that was both as incident to the prince as the subiect wherein each man was touched with equall and imminent feare saying that it was better to fall into the hands of God then into the hands of his enemies When the Prophet had receiued this answere from him he reported it vnto God who sent a plague and mortalitie amongst the Hebrewes whereby they died after diuers manners so that it was very hard to discerne the malady which being but one in kinde yet notwithstanding seased the people by ten thousand causes and vnknowne occasions For one of them died after another and the sicknesse surprising them at vnwares brought a sodain dissolution of the spirits and swouning vpon them so that some of them gaue vp the ghost with grieuous torments and most strange dolors Others were presently partched vp thorow the burning agonies they endured and vnrecouerable by any counsell or remedy consumed away amidst their languishing fits and tortures Others died strangled
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
fiftie yeeres before the foundations of Carthage The truth whereof I haue heretofore approued out of the records of the Phoenicians who report that Hyrâ—…m was Salomons friend who builded the temple in Ierusalem and that he furnished him with much timber and other matter toward the finishing of that building Now Salomon builded the temple sixe hundreth and twelue yeeres after the departure of the Israelites out of Aegypt and after he had inconsiderately reckened the number of those which were driuen out of Egypt in like manner as Lysimachus had done namely of one hundred and ten thousand men he yeeldeth a most admirable reason and such as may be easily beleeued from whence he pretendeth that the name of Sabath was deriued For saith he after they had trauailed for the space of six daies there grew certaine inflamations in their groines by reason whereof they rested on the seuenth day being safely arriued in the countrey which at this day is called Iudaea because the Egyptians cal Sabatosis an Vlcer that groweth about the groine Who can otherwise chuse but laugh at this fopperie or contrariwise who would not hate such an impudent custome in writing and coyning of lies For he reporteth as farre as a man may coniecture by his writings that all the Iewes who were to the number of one hundred and tenne thousand persons had these Vlcers in their secrets Now had all of them beene haulte lame blinde and sickely as Apion reporteth they could not haue iournied one day but since they trauailed thorow the desart and vanquished all armies that resisted them it is no likely matter that all of them were sicke of a disease in their priuy parts euerie seuenth day neither is it naturally possible that such a disease should befall so many thousand men in their iourney and that they euerie day should trauell a certaine space and a limited march neither standeth it with any probabilitie but rather a manifest absurditie that any such thing should befall them but this admirable Apion saith that they arriued in Iudaea within the space of sixe daies Againe he writeth that Moses ascending vp the mount Sinai which is betwixt Arabia and Aegypt hid himselfe in that place for the space of fortie daies and descending from thence gaue lawes vnto the Iewes But how I pray you was it possible for him to remaine fortie daies in a desart without water or how could all the Iewes within six daies trauell from Aegypt into Iewrie As for his Grammaticall diuination of the word Sabaoth it sauoureth too much of impudencie or at least of ignorance for these words Sabbo and Sabatum doe greatly differ for Sabatum in the Iewes language signifieth rest from worke but Sabbo in the Aegyptian tongue betokeneth a disease about the priuie parts as Apion saith See here what cauilling fictions this Aegyptian Apion vseth concerning Moses and our departure out of Aegypt wherein he counterfeiteth and coineth absurdities vnthought of by any others Shall we then wonder if he belie our forefathers who maketh no bones to belie himselfe for being brone at Oasis a towne in Aegypt this heigh vnreputed honour of the Aegyptians forsweareth both his countrey and nation and counterfeiting himselfe to be an Alexandrian he ratifieth his nations wickednesse No maruell then though he terme them Aegyptians whom he hateth and raileth against for if he had not been perswaded that the Aegyptians were wicked base people he would neuer haue denied himselfe to be their countriman for such as prowdly boast of their famous countrey esteeme it a credit to beare the denomination thereof and reprehend such as without iust cause make themselues of their nation Wherefore the Aegyptians are one of these two waies affected towards vs Iewes for either they claime vs to be their countrimen as glorying of vs and their countrey or else for that they and their countrey being infamous they desire that we should be partakers of their ignominie But indeed this worthy Apion seemeth so to inueigh against vs as thereby rewarding the Alexandrians for bestowing their Cities vpon him and knowing them to be at variance with the Iewes of Alexandria he as it were casteth a bone betweene them and raileth not onely on the Iewes of that Citie but of all wheresoeuer but he belieth both of them most impudently But let vs examine those hainous and enormous matters and as he saith such as are not to be suffered of which he accuseth the Alexandrian Iewes Comming quoth he out of Syria they seated themselues neere the sea coast where there was no hauen neere vnto the surges of the water Now if this place which they inhabited were ignominious yet it followeth not that the Iewes owne countrey was so also yet herein Apion raileth against Alexandria which he maketh his owne countrey for the sea coast is part of Alexandria and as all men iudge the best place thereof to dwell in Now if the Iewes by force of armes so vanquished this place that they could neuer since be driuen out of it it is no discredit to them but rather an argument of the valour But Alexander gaue them that place to inhabite and the Macedonians did allot them as great priuiledges as the Alexandrians had I know not what Apion would haue said if the Iewes had dwelt about Necropolis and not about the kings seate their tribes being euen at this time called Macedonians If therefore Apion haue read the Epistles of king Alexander and Ptolomaeus Lagus or others their successors kings of Egypt or seene the pillars that are erected in Alexandria containing the priuiledges that Caesar the great granted vnto the Iewes if I say he knew of these and yet did presume to write the contrarie then he was a bad fellow but if he was ignorant hereof he was then an vnlearned person The like ignorance also discouereth he where he wonders that the Iewes that were in Alexandria were called Alexandrians For all that are on Colonie though verie different people yet doe they all beare the name of their founder and that I may shun prolixitie the Iewes of Antioch are called Antiochians for Seleucus the founder made them also Citizens the like may also be said of the Iewes of Ephesus and at the other Ionia who by the kings gifts enioy the same priuiledges with the rest of the Citizens The Romans also of their clemencie haue granted the name of their nation which is no small gift not only to priuate persons but to great nations in generall To be short the auncient Spaniards the Tyrrhenes Sabines are called Romans or if Apion will take away this denomination of the Citie wherein men inhabite let him cease to call himselfe an Alexandrian for he being borne in the hart of Aegypt can no wise be an Alexandrian if the priuiledge of the Citie be taken from him as he would haue it from vs. And the Lords of the whole world the Romans haue amongst all other nations onely
Moses Moses was not a leper Moses tooke his name of Moy which in the Egyptian tongue signifieth water Against Chaeremon the historiographer Messenes son of Amenophis Manethons historie and Chaeremons compared together The difference betweene Manethons and Chaeremons historie Lysimachus is reproued for lying According to Lysimachus yeâ—…abbed and leprous Iewes were to be conueied into the wildernes and cast into the sea When the Iews got Iudaea and built Ierusalem Lysimus his opinion confuted Nothing is to be said against an impudent liâ—… Apion wrote something verie coldly Apion concerning Moses and the Iewes Apions fiction concerning the temple and Moses is 〈◊〉 The computatioÌ„ of the time is different among the Historiographerâ—… The friendship betweene Hiram and Salomon whereof we made mention in the first booke against Apion in the beginning The Egyptians doe call a disease about the priuie parts Sabatosis Apions fiction of the six daies iourney is confuted Apion denieth his countrey and origen Apion raileth against the Iewes as therby rewarding the Alexandrians The sea coast of Alexandria The liberties and priuiledges granted vnto the Iewes Alexander 1 Ptolomaeus Lagus 2 Ptolomaeus Philadelphus The seuentie interpreters 3. Ptolomaeus Euergetes 4. Ptolomaeus Philometor 5. Ptolomaeus Physcon ceased to to persecute the Iewes Of Cleopatra the last queene of Alexandria Anthonie the husband of Cleopatra The Iewes haue beene alwaies trustie to their princes The Egyptians do worship beasts not agreeable to mans nature The discord of the Iewes and the Alexandrians in religion The cause of discord betweene the Iewes and Alexandrians Apions fiction touching the Iewes being authors oâ—… sedition at Alexandria is confuted The Romans magnanimitie towards the Iewes The Iewes may haue no Images How Emperours and magistrates ought to be honored The lye of Possidonius and Apollonius concerning the Iewesis confuted An answere to the objection of the Asses head Who are accounted Asses amongst the Iewes and other wisemen Certaine Histo riographers endeuour to couer and hide Antiochus hiâ—… periutie and sacriledge That the Iewes ought once a yeare to sacrifice a Grecian The description of the Temple porches What was in the temple Foure Tribes of Priests and of euerie tribe more then fiue thousand men Another fable deuised by Apion of Zabidus Dora is a Citie of Phaenicia and not of Idumaea The gates of the temple Apions lie concerning the oath is confuted Apion vpbraided the Iewes with captiuitie Dauids and Salomons power Apion praiseth himselfe Why the Iewes doe sacrifice coÌ„mon beasts and do not eat swines flesh The Egyptian priests circumcised and eate no swines flesh Apions death The defence of Moses against Apolonius and Lysimachus Wherein Apolonius accuseth the Iewes The louers of order common lawes are excellent in meeknesse and vertue Moses more ancient then all other law-makers 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 This word law is not in Homer The life of Moses Moses maketh God his guide and counceller The Origen of lawes amongst the Greeks The opinion of the wisest Greeks coÌ„cerning God Moses compared with other lawmakers Two methods of moralitie and discipline Moses commaunded all the Iewes to come heare the law The concord of the Iewes in religion What sort of people are to be made priests Of God and of the diuine prouidence The workes of God The sacrifices of the old testament Purifications vsed in sacrifice Of marriage The punishment for him that doth rauish a virgine The purification for the bodie Of the funerals of the dead The honour due to parents Against these and vsurie How we ought to vse our enemies A repetition of the precepts of the law The reward of such as keepe the law The continuance of the lawes amongst the Iewes Plato admired amongst the Greekes Lycurgus the law-maker amongst the Lacedemonians The Iewes compared with the Lacedemonians The streit laws of the lewes Moses forbiddeth to deride and blaspheme false gods only for the name of God impured vnto them The number of Gods amongst the gentle infinit The fable of Iupiter and Pallas Iupiter What is the cause of such error concerning God Poets and pain ters cause the multitude of gods Plato decreed that no poet should be permitted in a comon wealth The Lacedemonians did expell al strangers The AtheniaÌ„s manners Socrates a citizen of Athens Anaxagoras A talent is 600 crownes The Scithians The Persians manners The Iewes coÌ„stancy in their lawes Against the lawmakers of the Gentiles The iniustice of lawmakers The Iewes strict obseruation of the law The Iewes lawes are of great antiquitie The lawes of the Gentiles The Epilogue of this booke The cause why Ioseph writ these bookes against Apion A briefe rehearsall of all that is aboue said The intention of the Iewes lawes The origen of the Iewes lawes Reason hath dominion ouer our passions The death of the seuen brethren and their mother The description of reason and wisedome Griefe and paine cause or hinder passion Reason resembleth a skilfull gardener An instance of Iosephs chastitie An instance of Dauids chirst Samuel 2. 28. Dauid in his thirst refused to drinke the water he so desired Seleucus and Nicanor Simon a traitor to his countrey Appolonius captaine of Syria came with an army to Ierusalem Angels vpon horses shining with fierie brightnesse Onias by prayers obtained Appolonius his life Antiochus his rage against the Iewes Eleazar is brought vnto Antiochus 〈◊〉 Macch. 6. Antiochus his exhortation to Eleazar Eleazars answere to Antiochus Eleazar constancie Eleazar cruelly whipped Eleazars last words in the fire Reasons victorie A similitude taken from the rocke Eleazars praise Antiochus caused seueÌ„ noble young men of the Hebrews and their mother to bee brought to Antioch 2. Macch. 7. The kings exhortation to the seuen brethren The young mens constancie The seuen brethren reply vnto Antiochus Antiochus coÌ„manded Macchabeus to bee racked The death of the elder brother The second brother bought Machir the third brother is brought Iudas the fourth brother is brought The death of the fourth brother Achas The fifth brother presecnted himselfe to torments before he was called The valour of the sixt brother The sixt brother sharpely reproueth Antiochus Iacob the seuenth brother brought to torments All men are borne and must die alike The death of the youngest brother Reason mistres of our affection A similitude of the waues The seuen brethren exhort one another to suffer death manfully True brotherhood A pledge and signe of brotherly amitie The mothers griefe The mother suffered seuen torments before she was tormented A similitude from the Deluge The mothers speech exhorting her seuen sons to suffer A golden saying of the mother of her seuen children The mother followed her sonnes in torments The light of the iust 1. Cor. 15. Antiochus leuied an armie of footemen from amongst the Hebrewes Antiochus dyed stinking exceedingly 2. Mach. 9. An Epitome of the life of the seuen sonnes and their mother The ioy of the blessed in euerlasting life