The Wars of the Jews; Or, The History of the Destruction of JerusalemJosephus, Flavius
Religion
The Wars of the Jews; Or, The History of the Destruction of Jerusalem
Josephus, Flavius
Jews -- History
of rage [that family consisted of a wife and children, and his aged
parents]; so, in the first place, he caught his father by his grey
hairs, and ran his sword through him, and after him he did the same to
his mother, who willingly received it; and after them he did the like
to his wife and children, every one almost offering themselves to his
sword, as desirous to prevent being slain by their enemies; so when he
had gone over all his family, he stood upon their bodies to be seen
by all, and stretching out his right hand, that his action might be
observed by all, he sheathed his entire sword into his own bowels. This
young man was to be pitied, on account of the strength of his body and
the courage of his soul; but since he had assured foreigners of his
fidelity [against his own countrymen], he suffered deservedly.
5. Besides this murder at Scythopolis, the other cities rose up against
the Jews that were among them; those of Askelon slew two thousand five
hundred, and those of Ptolemais two thousand, and put not a few into
bonds; those of Tyre also put a great number to death, but kept a
greater number in prison; moreover, those of Hippos, and those of
Gadara, did the like while they put to death the boldest of the Jews,
but kept those of whom they were afraid in custody; as did the rest of
the cities of Syria, according as they every one either hated them or
were afraid of them; only the Antiochtans the Sidontans, and Apamians
spared those that dwelt with them, and would not endure either to kill
any of the Jews, or to put them in bonds. And perhaps they spared them,
because their own number was so great that they despised their
attempts. But I think the greatest part of this favor was owing to their
commiseration of those whom they saw to make no innovations. As for the
Gerasans, they did no harm to those that abode with them; and for those
who had a mind to go away, they conducted them as far as their borders
reached.
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