<p><SPAN name="linkpreface" id="linkpreface"></SPAN></p>
<h2> PREFACE </h2>
<p>1. <SPAN href="#linkprenote-1" name="linkprenoteref-1" id="linkprenoteref-1">1</SPAN>
Whereas the war which the Jews made with the Romans hath been the greatest
of all those, not only that have been in our times, but, in a manner, of
those that ever were heard of; both of those wherein cities have fought
against cities, or nations against nations; while some men who were not
concerned in the affairs themselves have gotten together vain and
contradictory stories by hearsay, and have written them down after a
sophistical manner; and while those that were there present have given
false accounts of things, and this either out of a humor of flattery to
the Romans, or of hatred towards the Jews; and while their writings
contain sometimes accusations, and sometimes encomiums, but no where the
accurate truth of the facts; I have proposed to myself, for the sake of
such as live under the government of the Romans, to translate those books
into the Greek tongue, which I formerly composed in the language of our
country, and sent to the Upper Barbarians; <SPAN href="#linkprenote-2"
name="linkprenoteref-2" id="linkprenoteref-2">2</SPAN> Joseph, the son of
Matthias, by birth a Hebrew, a priest also, and one who at first fought
against the Romans myself, and was forced to be present at what was done
afterwards, [am the author of this work].</p>
<p>2. Now at the time when this great concussion of affairs happened, the
affairs of the Romans were themselves in great disorder. Those Jews also
who were for innovations, then arose when the times were disturbed; they
were also in a flourishing condition for strength and riches, insomuch
that the affairs of the East were then exceeding tumultuous, while some
hoped for gain, and others were afraid of loss in such troubles; for the
Jews hoped that all of their nation which were beyond Euphrates would have
raised an insurrection together with them. The Gauls also, in the
neighborhood of the Romans, were in motion, and the Geltin were not quiet;
but all was in disorder after the death of Nero. And the opportunity now
offered induced many to aim at the royal power; and the soldiery affected
change, out of the hopes of getting money. I thought it therefore an
absurd thing to see the truth falsified in affairs of such great
consequence, and to take no notice of it; but to suffer those Greeks and
Romans that were not in the wars to be ignorant of these things, and to
read either flatteries or fictions, while the Parthians, and the
Babylonians, and the remotest Arabians, and those of our nation beyond
Euphrates, with the Adiabeni, by my means, knew accurately both whence the
war begun, what miseries it brought upon us, and after what manner it
ended.</p>
<p>3. It is true, these writers have the confidence to call their accounts
histories; wherein yet they seem to me to fail of their own purpose, as
well as to relate nothing that is sound. For they have a mind to
demonstrate the greatness of the Romans, while they still diminish and
lessen the actions of the Jews, as not discerning how it cannot be that
those must appear to be great who have only conquered those that were
little. Nor are they ashamed to overlook the length of the war, the
multitude of the Roman forces who so greatly suffered in it, or the might
of the commanders, whose great labors about Jerusalem will be deemed
inglorious, if what they achieved be reckoned but a small matter.</p>
<p>4. However, I will not go to the other extreme, out of opposition to those
men who extol the Romans nor will I determine to raise the actions of my
countrymen too high; but I will prosecute the actions of both parties with
accuracy. Yet shall I suit my language to the passions I am under, as to
the affairs I describe, and must be allowed to indulge some lamentations
upon the miseries undergone by my own country. For that it was a seditious
temper of our own that destroyed it, and that they were the tyrants among
the Jews who brought the Roman power upon us, who unwillingly attacked us,
and occasioned the burning of our holy temple, Titus Caesar, who destroyed
it, is himself a witness, who, daring the entire war, pitied the people
who were kept under by the seditious, and did often voluntarily delay the
taking of the city, and allowed time to the siege, in order to let the
authors have opportunity for repentance. But if any one makes an unjust
accusation against us, when we speak so passionately about the tyrants, or
the robbers, or sorely bewail the misfortunes of our country, let him
indulge my affections herein, though it be contrary to the rules for
writing history; because it had so come to pass, that our city Jerusalem
had arrived at a higher degree of felicity than any other city under the
Roman government, and yet at last fell into the sorest of calamities
again. Accordingly, it appears to me that the misfortunes of all men, from
the beginning of the world, if they be compared to these of the Jews <SPAN href="#linkprenote-3" name="linkprenoteref-3" id="linkprenoteref-3">3</SPAN>
are not so considerable as they were; while the authors of them were not
foreigners neither. This makes it impossible for me to contain my
lamentations. But if any one be inflexible in his censures of me, let him
attribute the facts themselves to the historical part, and the
lamentations to the writer himself only.</p>
<p>5. However, I may justly blame the learned men among the Greeks, who, when
such great actions have been done in their own times, which, upon the
comparison, quite eclipse the old wars, do yet sit as judges of those
affairs, and pass bitter censures upon the labors of the best writers of
antiquity; which moderns, although they may be superior to the old writers
in eloquence, yet are they inferior to them in the execution of what they
intended to do. While these also write new histories about the Assyrians
and Medes, as if the ancient writers had not described their affairs as
they ought to have done; although these be as far inferior to them in
abilities as they are different in their notions from them. For of old
every one took upon them to write what happened in his own time; where
their immediate concern in the actions made their promises of value; and
where it must be reproachful to write lies, when they must be known by the
readers to be such. But then, an undertaking to preserve the memory Of
what hath not been before recorded, and to represent the affairs of one's
own time to those that come afterwards, is really worthy of praise and
commendation. Now he is to be esteemed to have taken good pains in
earnest, not who does no more than change the disposition and order of
other men's works, but he who not only relates what had not been related
before, but composes an entire body of history of his own: accordingly, I
have been at great charges, and have taken very great pains [about this
history], though I be a foreigner; and do dedicate this work, as a
memorial of great actions, both to the Greeks and to the Barbarians. But
for some of our own principal men, their mouths are wide open, and their
tongues loosed presently, for gain and law-suits, but quite muzzled up
when they are to write history, where they must speak truth and gather
facts together with a great deal of pains; and so they leave the writing
such histories to weaker people, and to such as are not acquainted with
the actions of princes. Yet shall the real truth of historical facts be
preferred by us, how much soever it be neglected among the Greek
historians.</p>
<p>6. To write concerning the Antiquities of the Jews, who they were
[originally], and how they revolted from the Egyptians, and what country
they traveled over, and what countries they seized upon afterward, and how
they were removed out of them, I think this not to be a fit opportunity,
and, on other accounts, also superfluous; and this because many Jews
before me have composed the histories of our ancestors very exactly; as
have some of the Greeks done it also, and have translated our histories
into their own tongue, and have not much mistaken the truth in their
histories. But then, where the writers of these affairs and our prophets
leave off, thence shall I take my rise, and begin my history. Now as to
what concerns that war which happened in my own time, I will go over it
very largely, and with all the diligence I am able; but for what preceded
mine own age, that I shall run over briefly.</p>
<p>7. [For example, I shall relate] how Antiochus, who was named Epiphanes,
took Jerusalem by force, and held it three years and three months, and was
then ejected out of the country by the sons of Asamoneus: after that, how
their posterity quarreled about the government, and brought upon their
settlement the Romans and Pompey; how Herod also, the son of Antipater,
dissolved their government, and brought Sosins upon them; as also how our
people made a sedition upon Herod's death, while Augustus was the Roman
emperor, and Quintilius Varus was in that country; and how the war broke
out in the twelfth year of Nero, with what happened to Cestius; and what
places the Jews assaulted in a hostile manner in the first sallies of the
war.</p>
<p>8. As also [I shall relate] how they built walls about the neighboring
cities; and how Nero, upon Cestius's defeat, was in fear of the entire
event of the war, and thereupon made Vespasian general in this war; and
how this Vespasian, with the elder of his sons <SPAN href="#linkprenote-4"
name="linkprenoteref-4" id="linkprenoteref-4">4</SPAN> made an expedition
into the country of Judea; what was the number of the Roman army that he
made use of; and how many of his auxiliaries were cut off in all Galilee;
and how he took some of its cities entirely, and by force, and others of
them by treaty, and on terms. Now, when I am come so far, I shall describe
the good order of the Romans in war, and the discipline of their legions;
the amplitude of both the Galilees, with its nature, and the limits of
Judea. And, besides this, I shall particularly go over what is peculiar to
the country, the lakes and fountains that are in them, and what miseries
happened to every city as they were taken; and all this with accuracy, as
I saw the things done, or suffered in them. For I shall not conceal any of
the calamities I myself endured, since I shall relate them to such as know
the truth of them.</p>
<p>9. After this, [I shall relate] how, When the Jews' affairs were become
very bad, Nero died, and Vespasian, when he was going to attack Jerusalem,
was called back to take the government upon him; what signs happened to
him relating to his gaining that government, and what mutations of
government then happened at Rome, and how he was unwillingly made emperor
by his soldiers; and how, upon his departure to Egypt, to take upon him
the government of the empire, the affairs of the Jews became very
tumultuous; as also how the tyrants rose up against them, and fell into
dissensions among themselves.</p>
<p>10. Moreover, [I shall relate] how Titus marched out of Egypt into Judea
the second time; as also how, and where, and how many forces he got
together; and in what state the city was, by the means of the seditious,
at his coming; what attacks he made, and how many ramparts he cast up; of
the three walls that encompassed the city, and of their measures; of the
strength of the city, and the structure of the temple and holy house; and
besides, the measures of those edifices, and of the altar, and all
accurately determined. A description also of certain of their festivals,
and seven purifications of purity, <SPAN href="#linkprenote-5"
name="linkprenoteref-5" id="linkprenoteref-5">5</SPAN> and the sacred
ministrations of the priests, with the garments of the priests, and of the
high priests; and of the nature of the most holy place of the temple;
without concealing any thing, or adding any thing to the known truth of
things.</p>
<p>11. After this, I shall relate the barbarity of the tyrants towards the
people of their own nation, as well as the indulgence of the Romans in
sparing foreigners; and how often Titus, out of his desire to preserve the
city and the temple, invited the seditious to come to terms of
accommodation. I shall also distinguish the sufferings of the people, and
their calamities; how far they were afflicted by the sedition, and how far
by the famine, and at length were taken. Nor shall I omit to mention the
misfortunes of the deserters, nor the punishments inflicted on the
captives; as also how the temple was burnt, against the consent of Caesar;
and how many sacred things that had been laid up in the temple were
snatched out of the fire; the destruction also of the entire city, with
the signs and wonders that went before it; and the taking the tyrants
captives, and the multitude of those that were made slaves, and into what
different misfortunes they were every one distributed. Moreover, what the
Romans did to the remains of the wall; and how they demolished the strong
holds that were in the country; and how Titus went over the whole country,
and settled its affairs; together with his return into Italy, and his
triumph.</p>
<p>12. I have comprehended all these things in seven books, and have left no
occasion for complaint or accusation to such as have been acquainted with
this war; and I have written it down for the sake of those that love
truth, but not for those that please themselves [with fictitious
relations]. And I will begin my account of these things with what I call
my First Chapter.</p>
<p>WAR PREFACE FOOTNOTES <SPAN name="linkprenote-1" id="linkprenote-1">
<!-- Note --></SPAN></p>
<p class="foot">
1 (<SPAN href="#linkprenoteref-1">return</SPAN>)<br/> [ I have already observed
more than once, that this History of the Jewish War was Josephus's first
work, and published about A.D. 75, when he was but thirty-eight years of
age; and that when he wrote it, he was not thoroughly acquainted with
several circumstances of history from the days of Antiochus Epiphanes,
with which it begins, till near his own times, contained in the first and
former part of the second book, and so committed many involuntary errors
therein. That he published his Antiquities eighteen years afterward, in
the thirteenth year of Domitian, A.D. 93, when he was much more completely
acquainted with those ancient times, and after he had perused those most
authentic histories, the First Book of Maccabees, and the Chronicles of
the Priesthood of John Hyrcanus, etc. That accordingly he then reviewed
those parts of this work, and gave the public a more faithful, complete,
and accurate account of the facts therein related; and honestly corrected
the errors he had before run into.]</p>
<p><SPAN name="linkprenote-2" id="linkprenote-2">
<!-- Note --></SPAN></p>
<p class="foot">
2 (<SPAN href="#linkprenoteref-2">return</SPAN>)<br/> [ Who these Upper
Barbarians, remote from the sea, were, Josephus himself will inform us,
sect. 2, viz. the Parthians and Babylonians, and remotest Arabians [of the
Jews among them]; besides the Jews beyond Euphrates, and the Adiabeni, or
Assyrians. Whence we also learn that these Parthians, Babylonians, the
remotest Arabians, [or at least the Jews among them,] as also the Jews
beyond Euphrates, and the Adiabeni, or Assyrians, understood Josephus's
Hebrew, or rather Chaldaic, books of The Jewish War, before they were put
into the Greek language.]</p>
<p><SPAN name="linkprenote-3" id="linkprenote-3">
<!-- Note --></SPAN></p>
<p class="foot">
3 (<SPAN href="#linkprenoteref-3">return</SPAN>)<br/> [ That these calamities of
the Jews, who were our Savior's murderers, were to be the greatest that
had ever been seen the beginning of the world, our Savior had directly
foretold, Matthew 24:21; Mark 13:19; Luke 21:23, 24; and that they proved
to be such accordingly, Josephus is here a most authentic witness.]</p>
<p><SPAN name="linkprenote-4" id="linkprenote-4">
<!-- Note --></SPAN></p>
<p class="foot">
4 (<SPAN href="#linkprenoteref-4">return</SPAN>)<br/> [ Titus.]</p>
<p><SPAN name="linkprenote-5" id="linkprenote-5">
<!-- Note --></SPAN></p>
<p class="foot">
5 (<SPAN href="#linkprenoteref-5">return</SPAN>)<br/> [ These seven, or rather
five, degrees of purity, or purification, are enumerated hereafter, B. V.
ch. 5. sect. 6. The Rabbins make ten degrees of them, as Reland there
informs us.]</p>
<p><br/></p>
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