the antiquities of the jews-1-第133章

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lover　of　money；　and　for　that　reason；　because　he　did　not　pay　that
tax　of　twenty　talents　of　silver；　which　his　forefathers　paid　to
these　things　out　of　their　own　estates；　he　provoked　king　Ptolemy
Euergetes　to　anger；　who　was　the　father　of　Philopater。　Euergetes
sent　an　ambassador　to　Jerusalem；　and　complained　that　Onias　did
not　pay　his　taxes；　and　threatened；　that　if　he　did　not　receive
them；　he　would　seize　upon　their　land；　and　send　soldiers　to　live
upon　it。　When　the　Jews　heard　this　message　of　the　king；　they　were
confounded；　but　so　sordidly　covetous　was　Onias；　that　nothing　of
things　nature　made　him　ashamed。

2。　There　was　now　one　Joseph；　young　in　age；　but　of　great
reputation　among　the　people　of　Jerusalem；　for　gravity；　prudence；
and　justice。　His　father's　name　was　Tobias；　and　his　mother　was　the
sister　of　Onias　the　high　priest；　who　informed　him　of　the　coming
of　the　ambassador；　for　he　was　then　sojourning　at　a　village　named
Phicol；　（13）　where　he　was　born。　Hereupon　he　came　to　the　city
＇Jerusalem＇；　and　reproved　Onias　for　not　taking　care　of　the
preservation　of　his　countrymen；　but　bringing　the　nation　into
dangers；　by　not　paying　this　money。　For　which　preservation　of
them；　he　told　him　he　had　received　the　authority　over　them；　and
had　been　made　high　priest；　but　that；　in　case　he　was　so　great　a
lover　of　money；　as　to　endure　to　see　his　country　in　danger　on　that
account；　and　his　countrymen　suffer　the　greatest　damages；　he
advised　him　to　go　to　the　king；　and　petition　him　to　remit　either
the　whole　or　a　part　of　the　sum　demanded。　Onias's　answer　was　this：
That　he　did　not　care　for　his　authority；　and　that　he　was　ready；　if
the　thing　were　practicable；　to　lay　down　his　high　priesthood；　and
that　he　would　not　go　to　the　king；　because　he　troubled　not　himself
at　all　about　such　matters。　Joseph　then　asked　him　if　he　would　not
give　him　leave　to　go　ambassador　on　behalf　of　the　nation。　He
replied；　that　he　would　give　him　leave。　Upon　which　Joseph　went　up
into　the　temple；　and　called　the　multitude　together　to　a
congregation；　and　exhorted　them　not　to　be　disturbed　nor
aftrighted；　because　of　his　uncle　Onias's　carelessness；　but
desired　them　to　be　at　rest；　and　not　terrify　themselves　with　fear
about　it；　for　he　promised　them　that　he　would　be　their　ambassador
to　the　king；　and　persuade　him　that　they　had　done　him　no　wrong。
And　when　the　multitude　heard　this；　they　returned　thanks　to
Joseph。　So　he　went　down　from　the　temple；　and　treated　Ptolemy's
ambassador　in　a　hospitable　manner。　He　also　presented　him　with
rich　gifts；　and　feasted　him　magnificently　for　many　days；　and　then
sent　him　to　the　king　before　him；　and　told　him　that　he　would　soon
follow　him；　for　he　was　now　more　willing　to　go　to　the　king；　by　the
encouragement　of　the　ambassador；　who　earnestly　persuaded　him　to
come　into　Egypt；　and　promised　him　that　he　would　take　care　that　he
should　obtain　every　thing　that　he　desired　of　Ptolemy；　for　he　was
highly　pleased　with　his　frank　and　liberal　temper；　and　with　the
gravity　of　his　deportment。

3。　When　Ptolemy's　ambassador　was　come　into　Egypt；　he　told　the
king　of　the　thoughtless　temper　of　Onias；　and　informed　him　of　the
goodness　of　the　disposition　of　Joseph；　and　that　he　was　coming　to
him　to　excuse　the　multitude；　as　not　having　done　him　any　harm；　for
that　he　was　their　patron。　In　short；　he　was　so　very　large　in　his
encomiums　upon　the　young　man；　that　he　disposed　both　the　king　and
his　wife　Cleopatra　to　have　a　kindness　for　him　before　he　came。　So
Joseph　sent　to　his　friends　at　Samaria；　and　borrowed　money　of
them；　and　got　ready　what　was　necessary　for　his　journey；　garments
and　cups；　and　beasts　for　burden；　which　amounted　to　about　twenty
thousand　drachmae；　and　went　to　Alexandria。　Now　it　happened　that
at　this　time　all　the　principal　men　and　rulers　went　up　out　of　the
cities　of　Syria　and　Phoenicia；　to　bid　for　their　taxes；　for　every
year　the　king　sold　them　to　the　men　of　the　greatest　power　in　every
city。　So　these　men　saw　Joseph　journeying　on　the　way；　and　laughed
at　him　for　his　poverty　and　meanness。　But　when　he　came　to
Alexandria；　and　heard　that　king　Ptolemy　was　at　Memphis；　be　went
up　thither　to　meet　with　him；　which　happened　as　the　king　was
sitting　in　his　chariot；　with　his　wife；　and　with　his　friend
Athenion；　who　was　the　very　person　who　had　been　ambassador　at
Jerusalem；　and　had　been　entertained　by　Joseph。　As　soon　therefore
as　Athenion　saw　him；　he　presently　made　him　known　to　the　king；　how
good　and　generous　a　young　man　he　was。　So　Ptolemy　saluted　him
first；　and　desired　him　to　come　up　into　his　chariot；　and　as　Joseph
sat　there；　he　began　to　complain　of　the　management　of　Onias：　to
which　he　answered；　〃Forgive　him；　on　account　of　his　age；　for　thou
canst　not　certainly　be　unacquainted　with　this；　that　old　men　and
infants　have　their　minds　exactly　alike；　but　thou　shalt　have　from
us；　who　are　young　men；　every　thing　thou　desirest；　and　shalt　have
no　cause　to　complain。〃　With　this　good　humor　and　pleasantry　of　the
young　man；　the　king　was　so　delighted；　that　he　began　already；　as
though　he　had　had　long　experience　of　him；　to　have　a　still　greater
affection　for　him；　insomuch　that　he　bade　him　take　his　diet　in　the
king's　palace；　and　be　a　guest　at　his　own　table　every　day。　But
when　the　king　was　come　to　Alexandria；　the　principal　men　of　Syria
saw　him　sitting　with　the　king；　and　were　much　offended　at　it。

4。　And　when　the　day　came　on　which　the　king　was　to　let　the　taxes
of　the　cities　to　farm；　and　those　that　were　the　principal　men　of
dignity　in　their　several　countries　were　to　bid　for　them；　the　sum
of　the　taxes　together；　of　Celesyria；　and　Phoenicia；　and　Judea；
with　Samaria；　＇as　they　were　bidden　for；＇　came　to　eight　thousand
talents。　Hereupon　Joseph　accused　the　bidders；　as　having　agreed
together　to　estimate　the　value　of　the　taxes　at　too　low　a　rate；
and　he　promised　that　he　would　himself　give　twice　as　much　for
them：　but　for　those　who　did　not　pay；　he　would　send　the　king　home
their　whole　substance；　for　this　privilege　was　sold　together　with
the　taxes　themselves。　The　king　was　pleased　to　hear　that　offer；
and　because　it　augmented　his　revenues；　he　said　he　would　confirm
the　sale　of　the　taxes　to　him。　But　when　he　asked　him　this
question；　Whether　he　had　any　sureties　that　would　be　bound　for　the
payment　of　the　money？　he　answered　very　pleasantly；　〃I　will　give
such　security；　and　those　of　persons　good　and　responsible；　and
which　you　shall　have　no　reason　to　distrust。〃　And　when　he　bid　him
name　them　who　they　were；　he　replied；　〃I　give　thee　no　other
persons；　O　king；　for　my　sureties；　than　thyself；　and　this　thy
wife；　and　you　shall　be　security　for　both　parties。〃　So　Ptolemy
laughed　at　the　proposal；　and　granted　him　the　farming　of　the　taxes
without　any　sureties。　This　procedure　was　a　sore　grief　to　those
that　came　from　the　cities　into　Egypt；　who　were　utterly
disappointed；　and　they　returned　every　one　to　their　own　country
with　shame。

5。　But　Joseph　took　with　him　two　thousand　foot　soldiers　from　the
king；　for　he　desired　he　might　have　some　assistance；　in　order　to
force　such　as　were　refractory　in　the　cities　to　pay。　And　borrowing
of　the　king's　friends　at　Alexandria　five　hundred　talents；　he　made
haste　back　into　Syria。　And　when　he　was　at　Askelon；　and　demanded
the　taxes　of　the　people　of　Askelon；　they　refused　to　pay　any
thing；　and　affronted　him　also；　upon　which　he　seized　upon　about
twenty　of　the　principal　men；　and　slew　them；　and　gathered　what
they　had　together；　and　sent　it　all　to　the　king；　and　informed　him
what　he　had　done。　Ptolemy　admired　the　prudent　conduct　of　the　man；
and　commended　him　for　what　he　had　done；　and　gave　him　leave　to　do
as　he　pleased。　When　the　Syrians　heard　of　this；　they　were
astonished；　and　having　before　them　a　sad　example　in　the　men　of
Askelon　that　were　slain；　they　opened　their　gates；　and　willingly
admitted　Joseph；　and　paid　their　taxes。　And　when　the　inhabitants
of　Scythopolis　attempted　to　affront　him；　and　would　not　pay　him
those　taxes　which　they　formerly　used　to　pay；　without　disputing
about　them；　he　slew　also　the　principal　men　of　that　city；　and　sent
their　effects　to　the　king。　By　this　means　he　gathered　great　wealth
together；　and　made　vast　gains　by　this　farming　of　the　taxes；　and
he　made　use　of　what　estate　he　had　thus　gotten；　in　order　to
support　his　authority；　as　thinking　it　a　piece　of　prudence　to　keep
what　had　been　the　occasion　and　foundation　of　his　present　good
fortune；　and　this　he　did　by　the　assistance　of　what　he　was　already
possessed　of；　for　he　privately　sent　many　presents　to　the　king；
and　to　Cleopatra；　and　to　their　friends；　and　to　all　that　were
powerful　about　the　court；　and　thereby　purchased　their　good…will
to　himself。

6。　This　good　fortune　he　enjoyed　for　twenty…two　years；　and　was
become　the　father　of　seven　sons　by　one　wife；　he　had　also　another
son；　whose　name　was　Hyrcanus；　by　his　brother　Solymius's　daughter；
whom　he　married　on　the　following　occasion。　He　once　came　to
Alexandria　with　his　brother；　who　had　along　with　him　a　daughter
already　marriageable；　in　order　to　give　her　in　wedlock　to　some　of
the　Jews　of　chief　dignity　there。　He　then　supped　with　the　king；
and　falling　in　love　with　an　actress　that　was　of　great　beauty；　and
came　into　the　room　where　they　feasted；　he　told　his　brother　of　it；
and　entreated　him；　because　a　Jew　is　forbidden　by　their　law　to
come　near　to　a　foreigner；　to　conceal　his　offense；　and　to　be　kind
and　subservient　to　him；　and　to　give　him　an　opportunity　of
fulfilling　his　desires。　Upon　which　his　brother　willingly
entertained　the　proposal　of　serving　him；　and　adorned　his　own
daughter；　and　brought　her　to　him　by　night；　and　put　her　into　his
bed。　And　Joseph；　being　disordered　with　drink；　knew　not　who　she
was；　and　so　lay　with　his　brother's　daughter；　and　this　did　he　many
times；　and　loved　her　exceedingly；　and　said　to　his　brother；　that
he　loved　this　actress　so　well；　that　he　should　run　the　hazard　of
his　life　＇if　he　must　part　with　her＇；　and　yet　probably　the　king
would　not　give　him　leave　＇to　take　her　with　him＇。　But　his　brother
bid　him　be　in　no　concern　about　that　matter；　and　told　him　he　might
enjoy　her　whom　he　loved　without　any　danger；　and　might　have　her
for　his　wife；　and　opened　the　truth　of　the　matter　to　him；　and
assured　him　that　he　chose　rather　to　have　his　own　daughter　abused；
than　to　overlook　him；　and　se　him　come　to　＇public＇　disgrace。　So
Joseph　commended　him　for　this　his　brotherly　love；　and　married　his
daughter；　and　by　her　begat　a　son；　whose　name　was　Hyrcanus；　as　we
said　before。　And　when　this　his　youngest　son　showed；　at　thirteen
years　old；　a　mind　that　was　both　courageous　and　wise；　and　was
greatly　envied　by　his　brethren；　as　being　of　a　genius　much　above
them；　and　such　a　one　as　they　might　well　envy；　Joseph　had　once　a
mind　to　know　which　of　his　sons　had　the　best　disposition　to
virtue；　and　when　he　sent　them　severally　to　those　that　had　then
the　best　reputation　for　instructing　youth；　the　rest　of　his
children；　by　reason　of　their　sloth　and　unwillingness　to　take
pains；　returned　to　him　foolish　and　unlearned。　After　them　he　sent
out　the　youngest；　Hyrcanus；　and　gave　him　three　hundred　yoke　of
oxen；　and　bid　him　go　two　days'　journey　into　the　wilderness；　and
sow　the　land　there；　and　yet　kept　back　privately　the　yokes　of　the
oxen　that　coupled　them　together。　When　Hyrcanus　came　to　the　place；
and　found　he　had　no　yokes　with　him；　he　contenmed　the　drivers　of
the　oxen