The Genuine Works of Flavius Josephus, the Learned and Authentic Jewish Historian, and Celebrated Warrior (Volume 6)

This historic book may have numerous typos, missing text or index. Purchasers can download a free scanned copy of the original book (without typos) from the publisher. 1815. Not illustrated. Excerpt: ... " will not such things sharpen your souls to revenge ? Is " therefore that most honourable and most natural of our pas" sions utterly lost, I mean the desire of liberty ? Truly we " are in love with slavery, and in love with those that lord it 18 over us, as if we had received that principle of sub"jection from our ancestors; yet did they undergo ma" ny and great wars for the sake of liberty, nor were " they so far overcome by the power of the Egyptians, " or the Medes, but that they still did what they thought " fit, notwithstanding their commands to the contrary.-- " And what occasion is there now for a war with the " Romans ? (I meddle not with determining whether it be " an advantageous and profitable war or not:) what presence is there for it? Is it not that we may enjoy our " liberty? Besides shall we not bear the lords of the habitable " earth to be lords over us, and yet bear tyrants of our owu " country ? Although I must say that submission to foreign* " ers may be born, because fortune hath already doomed us * to it, while submission to wicked people of our own nation " is too unmanly, and brought upon us by our owu consent, " However, since T have had occasion to mention the " Romans, I will not conceal a thing that, as I am speaking, " comes iuto my mind, and affects me considerably; it is " this, that though we should be taken by them, (God " forbid the event should be so,) yet can we undergo "nothing that will be harder to be borne then what these " men have already brought upon us. How then can we " avoid shedding of tears, when we see the Roman dona" tions in our temple, while we withal see those of our own " nation taking our spoils and plundering our glorious me" tropolis, and slaughtering our men, from which enormities " those Romans themselve...