Flavius Josephus, Jewish War (English) (XML Header) [genre: prose] [word count] [lemma count] [Joseph. BJ]. | ||
<<Joseph. BJ 1.138 | Joseph. BJ 1.152 (Greek) | >>Joseph. BJ 1.162 |
Now here it was that, upon the many hardships which the Romans underwent, Pompey could not but admire not only at the other instances of the Jews' fortitude, but especially that they did not at all intermit their religious services, even when they were encompassed with darts on all sides; for, as if the city were in full peace, their daily sacrifices and purifications, and every branch of their religious worship, was still performed to God with the utmost exactness. Nor indeed when the temple was actually taken, and they were every day slain about the altar, did they leave off the instances of their Divine worship that were appointed by their law; for it was in the third month of the siege before the Romans could even with great difficulty overthrow one of the towers, and get into the temple. Now he that first of all ventured to get over the wall, was Faustus Cornelius the son of Sylla; and next after him were two centurions, Furius and Fabius; and every one of these was followed by a cohort of his own, who encompassed the Jews on all sides, and slew them, some of them as they were running for shelter to the temple, and others as they, for a while, fought in their own defense.
1.150And now did many of the priests, even when they saw their enemies assailing them with swords in their hands, without any disturbance, go on with their Divine worship, and were slain while they were offering their drink-offerings, and burning their incense, as preferring the duties about their worship to God before their own preservation. The greatest part of them were slain by their own countrymen, of the adverse faction, and an innumerable multitude threw themselves down precipices; nay, some there were who were so distracted among the insuperable difficulties they were under, that they set fire to the buildings that were near to the wall, and were burnt together with them. Now of the Jews were slain twelve thousand; but of the Romans very few were slain, but a greater number was wounded.
1.152But there was nothing that affected the nation so much, in the calamities
they were then under, as that their holy place, which had been hitherto
seen by none, should be laid open to strangers; for Pompey, and those that
were about him, went into the temple itself note
whither it was not lawful for any to enter but the high priest, and saw
what was reposited therein, the candlestick with its lamps, and the table,
and the pouring vessels, and the censers, all made entirely of gold, as
also a great quantity of spices heaped together, with two thousand talents
of sacred money. Yet did not he touch that money, nor any thing else that
was there reposited; but he commanded the ministers about the temple, the
very next day after he had taken it, to cleanse it, and to perform their
accustomed sacrifices. Moreover, he made Hyrcanus high priest, as one that
not only in other respects had showed great alacrity, on his side, during
the siege, but as he had been the means of hindering the multitude that
was in the country from fighting for Aristobulus, which they were otherwise
very ready to have done; by which means he acted the part of a good general,
and reconciled the people to him more by benevolence than by terror. Now,
among the Captives, Aristobulus's father-in-law was taken, who was also
his uncle: so those that were the most guilty he punished with decollatlon;
but rewarded Faustus, and those with him that had fought so bravely, with
glorious presents, and laid a tribute upon the country, and upon
He also took away from the nation all those cities that they had
formerly taken, and that belonged to Celesyria, and made them subject to
him that was at that time appointed to be the Roman president there; and
reduced
Flavius Josephus, Jewish War (English) (XML Header) [genre: prose] [word count] [lemma count] [Joseph. BJ]. | ||
<<Joseph. BJ 1.138 | Joseph. BJ 1.152 (Greek) | >>Joseph. BJ 1.162 |