the life of flavius josephus-第1章

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The　Life　of　Flavius　Josephus

by　Flavius　Josephus

Translated　by　William　Whiston





1。　The　family　from　which　I　am　derived　is　not　an　ignoble　one；　but
hath　descended　all　along　from　the　priests；　and　as　nobility　among
several　people　is　of　a　different　origin；　so　with　us　to　be　of　the
sacerdotal　dignity；　is　an　indication　of　the　splendor　of　a　family。
Now；　I　am　not　only　sprung　from　a　sacerdotal　family　in　general；
but　from　the　first　of　the　twenty…four　（1）　courses；　and　as　among
us　there　is　not　only　a　considerable　difference　between　one　family
of　each　course　and　another；　I　am　of　the　chief　family　of　that
first　course　also；　nay；　further；　by　my　mother　I　am　of　the　royal
blood；　for　the　children　of　Asamoneus；　from　whom　that　family　was
derived；　had　both　the　office　of　the　high　priesthood；　and　the
dignity　of　a　king；　for　a　long　time　together。　I　will　accordingly
set　down　my　progenitors　in　order。　My　grandfather's　father　was
named　Simon；　with　the　addition　of　Psellus：　he　lived　at　the　same
time　with　that　son　of　Simon　the　high　priest；　who　first　of　all　the
high　priests　was　named　Hyrcanus。　This　Simon　Psellus　had　nine
sons；　one　of　whom　was　Matthias；　called　Ephlias：　he　married　the
daughter　of　Jonathan　the　high　priest；　which　Jonathan　was　the
first　of　the　sons　of　Asamoneus；　who　was　high　priest；　and　was　the
brother　of　Simon　the　high　priest　also。　This　Matthias　had　a　son
called　Matthias　Curtus；　and　that　in　the　first　year　of　the
government　of　Hyrcanus：　his　son's　name　was　Joseph；　born　in　the
ninth　year　of　the　reign　of　Alexandra：　his　son　Matthias　was　born
in　the　tenth　year　of　the　reign　of　Archclaus；　as　was　I　born　to
Matthias　in　the　first　year　of　the　reign　of　Caius　Caesar。　I　have
three　sons：　Hyrcanus；　the　eldest；　was　born　in　the　fourth　year　of
the　reign　of　Vespasian；　as　was　Justus　born　in　the　seventh；　and
Agrippa　in　the　ninth。　Thus　have　I　set　down　the　genealog　of　my
family　as　I　have　found　it　described　（2）　in　the　public　records；
and　so　bid　adieu　to　those　who　calumniate　me　＇as　of　a　lower
original＇。

2。　Now；　my　father　Matthias　was　not　only　eminent　on　account　of　is
nobility；　but　had　a　higher　commendation　on　account　of　his
righteousness；　and　was　in　great　reputation　in　Jerusalem；　the
greatest　city　we　have。　I　was　myself　brought　up　with　my　brother；
whose　name　was　Matthias；　for　he　was　my　own　brother；　by　both
father　and　mother；　and　I　made　mighty　proficiency　in　the
improvements　of　my　learning；　and　appeared　to　have　both　a　great
memory　and　understanding。　Moreover；　when　I　was　a　child；　and　about
fourteen　years　of　age；　I　was　commended　by　all　for　the　love　I　had
to　learning；　on　which　account　the　high　priests　and　principal　men
of　the　city　came　then　frequently　to　me　together；　in　order　to　know
my　opinion　about　the　accurate　understanding　of　points　of　the　law。
And　when　I　was　about　sixteen　years　old；　I　had　a　mind　to　make　trim
of　the　several　sects　that　were　among　us。　These　sects　are　three：　…
The　first　is　that　of　the　Pharisees；　the　second　that　Sadducees；
and　the　third　that　of　the　Essens；　as　we　have　frequently　told　you；
for　I　thought　that　by　this　means　I　might　choose　the　best；　if　I
were　once　acquainted　with　them　all；　so　I　contented　myself　with
hard　fare；　and　underwent　great　difficulties；　and　went　through
them　all。　Nor　did　I　content　myself　with　these　trials　only；　but
when　I　was　informed　that　one；　whose　name　was　Banus；　lived　in　the
desert；　and　used　no　other　clothing　than　grew　upon　trees；　and　had
no　other　food　than　what　grew　of　its　own　accord；　and　bathed
himself　in　cold　water　frequently；　both　by　night　and　by　day；　in
order　to　preserve　his　chastity；　I　imitated　him　in　those　things；
and　continued　with　him　three　years。　（3）　So　when　I　had
accomplished　my　desires；　I　returned　back　to　the　city；　being　now
nineteen　years　old；　and　began　to　conduct　myself　according　to　the
rules　of　the　sect　of　the　Pharisees；　which　is　of　kin　to　the　sect
of　the　Stoics；　as　the　Greeks　call　them。

3。　But　when　I　was　in　the　twenty…sixth　year　of　my　age；　it　happened
that　I　took　a　voyage　to　Rome；　and　this　on　the　occasion　which　I
shall　now　describe。　At　the　time　when　Felix　was　procurator　of
Judea　there　were　certain　priests　of　my　acquaintance；　and　very
excellent　persons　they　were；　whom　on　a　small　and　trifling
occasion　he　had　put　into　bonds；　and　sent　to　Rome　to　plead　their
cause　before　Caesar。　These　I　was　desirous　to　procure　deliverance
for；　and　that　especially　because　I　was　informed　that　they　were
not　unmindful　of　piety　towards　God；　even　under　their　afflictions；
but　supported　themselves　with　figs　and　nuts。　（4）　Accordingly　I
came　to　Rome；　though　it　were　through　a　great　number　of　hazards　by
sea；　for　as　our　ship　was　drowned　in　the　Adriatic　Sea；　we　that
were　in　it；　being　about　six　hundred　in　number；　（5）　swam　for　our
lives　all　the　night；　when；　upon　the　first　appearance　of　the　day；
and　upon　our　sight　of　a　ship　of　Cyrene；　I　and　some　others；　eighty
in　all；　by　God's　providence；　prevented　the　rest；　and　were　taken
up　into　the　other　ship。　And　when　I　had　thus　escaped；　and　was　come
to　Dieearchia；　which　the　Italians　call　Puteoli；　I　became
acquainted　with　Aliturius；　an　actor　of　plays；　and　much　beloved　by
Nero；　but　a　Jew　by　birth；　and　through　his　interest　became　known
to　Poppea；　Caesar's　wife；　and　took　care；　as　soon　as　possible；　to
entreat　her　to　procure　that　the　priests　might　be　set　at　liberty。
And　when；　besides　this　favor；　I　had　obtained　many　presents　from
Poppea；　I　returned　home　again。

4。　And　now　I　perceived　innovations　were　already　begun；　and　that
there　were　a　great　many　very　much　elevated　in　hopes　of　a　revolt
from　the　Romans。　I　therefore　endeavored　to　put　a　stop　to　these
tumultuous　persons；　and　persuaded　them　to　change　their　minds；　and
laid　before　their　eyes　against　whom　it　was　that　they　were　going
to　fight；　and　told　them　that　they　were　inferior　to　the　Romans　not
only　in　martial　skill；　but　also　in　good　fortune；　and　desired　them
not　rashly；　and　after　the　most　foolish　manner；　to　bring　on　the
dangers　of　the　most　terrible　mischiefs　upon　their　country；　upon
their　families；　and　upon　themselves。　And　this　I　said　with
vehement　exhortation；　because　I　foresaw　that　the　end　of　such　a
war　would　be　most　unfortunate　to　us。　But　I　could　not　persuade
them；　for　the　madness　of　desperate　men　was　quite　too　hard　for　me。

5。　I　was　then　afraid；　lest；　by　inculcating　these　things　so　often；
I　should　incur　their　hatred　and　their　suspicions；　as　if　I　were　of
our　enemies'　party；　and　should　run　into　the　danger　of　being
seized　by　them；　and　slain；　since　they　were　already　possessed　of
Antonia；　which　was　the　citadel；　so　I　retired　into　the　inner　court
of　the　temple。　Yet　did　I　go　out　of　the　temple　again；　after
Manahem　and　the　principal　of　the　band　of　robbers　were　put　to
death；　when　I　abode　among　the　high　priests　and　the　chief　of　the
Pharisees。　But　no　small　fear　seized　upon　us　when　we　saw　the
people　in　arms；　while　we　ourselves　knew　not　what　we　should　do；
and　were　not　able　to　restrain　the　seditious。　However；　as　the
danger　was　directly　upon　us；　we　pretended　that　we　were　of　the
same　opinion　with　them；　but　only　advised　them　to　be　quiet　for　the
present；　and　to　let　the　enemy　go　away；　still　hoping　that　Gessius
＇Florus＇　would　not　be　long　ere　he　came；　and　that　with　great
forces；　and　so　put　an　end　to　these　seditious　proceedings。

6。　But；　upon　his　coming　and　fighting；　he　was　beaten；　and　a　great
many　of　those　that　were　with　him　fell。　And　this　disgrace　which
Gessius　＇with　Cestius＇　received；　became　the　calamity　of　our　whole
nation；　for　those　that　were　fond　of　the　war　were　so　far　elevated
with　this　success；　that　they　had　hopes　of　finally　conquering　the
Romans。　Of　which　war　another　occasion　was　ministered；　which　was
this：　…　Those　that　dwelt　in　the　neighboring　cities　of　Syria
seized　upon　such　Jews　as　dwelt　among　them；　with　their　wives　and
children；　and　slew　them；　when　they　had　not　the　least　occasion　of
complaint　against　them；　for　they　did　neither　attempt　any
innovation　or　revolt　from　the　Romans；　nor　had　they　given　any
marks　of　hatred　or　treacherous　designs　towards　the　Syrians。　But
what　was　done　by　the　inhabitants　of　Scythopolis　was　the　most
impious　and　most　highly　criminal　of　all；　（6）　for　when　the　Jews
their　enemies　came　upon　them　from　without；　they　forced　the　Jews
that　were　among　them　to　bear　arms　against　their　own　countrymen；
which　it　is　unlawful　for　us　to　do；　（7）　and　when；　by　their
assistance；　they　had　joined　battle　with　those　who　attacked　them；
and　had　beaten　them；　after　that　victory　they　forgot　the
assurances　they　had　given　these　their　fellow　citizens　and
confederates；　and　slew　them　all；　being　in　number　many　ten
thousands　＇13；000＇。　The　like　miseries　were　undergone　by　those
Jews　that　were　the　inhabitants　of　Damascus。　But　we　have　given　a
more　accurate　account　of　these　things　in　the　books　of　the　Jewish
war。　I　only　mention　them　now；　because　I　would　demonstrate　to　my
readers；　that　the　Jews'　war　with　the　Romans　was　not　voluntary；
but　that；　for　the　main；　they　were　forced　by　necessity　to　enter
into　it。

7。　So　when　Gessius　had　been　beaten；　as　we　have　said　already；　the
principal　men　of　Jerusalem；　seeing　that　the　robbers　and
innovators　had　arms　in　great　plenty；　and　fearing　lest　they；　while
they　were　unprovided　of　arms；　should　be　in　subjection　to　their
enemies；　which　also　came　to　be　the　case　afterward；　and；　being
informed　that　all　Galilee　had　not　yet　revolted　from　the　Romans；
but　that　some　part　of　it　was　still　quiet；　they　sent　me　and　two
others　of　the　priests；　who　were　men　of　excellent　characters；
Joazar　and　Judas；　in　order　to　persuade　the　ill　men　there　to　lay
down　their　arms；　and　to　teach　them　this　lesson；　…　That　it　were
better　to　have　those　arms　reserved　for　the　most　courageous　men
that　the　nation　had　＇than　to　be　kept　there＇；　for　that　it　had　been
resolved；　That　those　our　best　men　should　always　have　their　arms
ready　against　futurity；　but　still　so；　that　they　should　wait　to
see　what　the　Romans　would　do。

8。　When　I　had　therefore　received　these　instructions；　I　came　into
Galilee；　and　found　the　people　of　Sepphoris　in　no　small　agony
about　their　country；　by　reason　that　the　Galileans　had　resolved　to
plunder　it；　on　account　of　the　friendship　they　had　with　the
Romans；　and　because　they　had　given　their　right　hand；　and　made　a
league　with　Cestius　Gallus；　the　president　of　Syria。　But　I
delivered　them　all　out　of　the　fear　they　were　in；　and　persuaded
the　multitude　to　deal　kindly　with　them；　and　permitted　them　to
send　to　those　that　were　their　own　hostages　with　Gessius　to　Dora；
which　is　a　city　of　Phoenicia；　as　often　as　they　pleased；　though　I
still　found　the　inhabitants　of　Tiberias　ready　to　take　arms；　and
that　on　the　occasion　following：　…　

9。　There　were　three　factions　in　this　city。　The　first　was　composed
of　men　of　worth　and　gravity；　of　these　Julius　Capellus　was　the
head。　Now　he；　as　well　as　all　his　companions；　Herod　the　son　of
Miarus；　and　Herod　the　son　of　Gamalus；　and　Compsus　the　son　of
Compsus；　（for　as　to　Compsus's　brother　Crispus；　who　had　once　been
governor　of　the　city　under　the　great　king　＇Agrippa＇　（8）　he　was
beyond　Jordan　in　his　own　possessions；）　all　these　persons　before
named　gave　their　advice；　that　the　city　should　then　continue　in
their　allegiance　to　the　Romans　and　to　the　king。　But　Pistus；　who
was　guided　by　his　son　Justus；　did　not　acquiesce　in　that
re