The Life of Flavius Josephus | Page 6

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 resolution; otherwise he was himself naturally of a good and
virtuous character. But the second faction was composed of the most ignoble persons,
and was determined for war. But as for Justus, the son of Pistus, who was the head of the
third faction, although he pretended to be doubtful about going to war, yet was he really
desirous of innovation, as supposing that he should gain power to himself by the change
of affairs. He therefore came into the midst of them, and endeavored to inform the
multitude that "the city Tiberius had ever been a city of Galilee, and that in the days of
Herod the tetrarch, who had built it, it had obtained the principal place, and that he had
ordered that the city Sepphoris should be subordinate to the city Tiberias; that they had
not lost this preeminence even under Agrippa the father, but had retained it until Felix
was procurator of Judea. But he told them, that now they had been so unfortunate as to be
made a present by Nero to Agrippa, junior; and that, upon Sepphoris's submission of
itself to the Romans, that was become the capital city of Galilee, and that the royal library
and the archives were now removed from them." When he had spoken these things, and a
great many more, against king Agrippa, in order to provoke the people to a revolt, he
added that "this was the time for them to take arms, and join with the Galileans as their
confederates (whom they might command, and who would now willingly assist them, out
of the hatred they bare to the people of Sepphoris; because they preserved their fidelity to
the Romans), and to gather a great number of forces, in order to punish them." And as he
said this, he exhorted the multitude, [to go to war;] for his abilities lay in making
harangues to the people, and in being too hard in his speeches for such as opposed him,
though they advised what was more to their advantage, and this by his craftiness and his
fallacies, for he was not unskilful in the learning of the Greeks; and in dependence on that
skill it was, that he undertook to write a history of these affairs, as aiming, by this way of
haranguing, to disguise the truth. But as to this man, and how ill were his character and
conduct of life, and how he and his brother were, in great measure, the authors of our

destruction, I shall give the reader an account in the progress of my narration. So when
Justus had, by his persuasions, prevailed with the citizens of Tiberias to take arms, nay,
and had forced a great many so to do against their wills, he went out, and set the villages
that belonged to Gadara and Hippos on fire; which villages were situated on the borders
of Tiberias, and of the region of Scythopolis.
10. And this was the state Tiberias was now in. But as for Gischala, its affairs were thus:
- When John, the son of Levi, saw some of the citizens much elevated upon their revolt
from the Romans, he labored to restrain them, and entreated them that they would keep
their allegiance to them. But he could not gain his purpose, although he did his endeavors
to the utmost; for the neighboring people of Gadara, Gabara, and Sogana, wth the Tyrians,
got together a great army, and fell upon Gischala, and took Gischala by force, and set it
on fire; and when they had entirely demolished it, they returned home. Upon which John
was so enraged, that he armed all his men, and joined battle with the people
forementioned; and rebuilt Gischala after a manner better than before, and fortified it
with walls for its future security.
11. But Gamala persevered in its allegiance to the Romans, for the reason following: -
Philip, the son of Jacimus, who was their governor under king Agrippa, had been
unexpectedly preserved when the royal palace at Jerusalem had been besieged; but, as he
fled away, had fallen into another danger, and that was, of being killed by Manahem, and
the robbers that were with him; but certain Babylonians, who were of his kindred, and
were then in Jerusalem, hindered the robbers from executing their design. So Philip staid
there