o Pollio. The Essens also,
as we call a sect of ours, were excused from this imposition. These
men live the same kind of life as do those whom the Greeks call
Pythagoreans, concerning whom I shall discourse more fully elsewhere.
However, it is but fit to set down here the reasons wherefore Herod had
these Essens in such honor, and thought higher of them than their mortal
nature required; nor will this account be unsuitable to the nature of
this history, as it will show the opinion men had of these Essens.

5. Now there was one of these Essens, whose name was Manahem, who had
this testimony, that he not only conducted his life after an excellent
manner, but had the foreknowledge of future events given him by God
also. This man once saw Herod when he was a child, and going to school,
and saluted him as king of the Jews; but he, thinking that either he did
not know him, or that he was in jest, put him in mind that he was but
a private man; but Manahem smiled to himself, and clapped him on his
backside with his hand, and said, "However that be, thou wilt be king,
and wilt begin thy reign happily, for God finds thee worthy of it. And
do thou remember the blows that Manahem hath given thee, as being a
signal of the change of thy fortune. And truly this will be the best
reasoning for thee, that thou love justice [towards men], and piety
towards God, and clemency towards thy citizens; yet do I know how thy
whole conduct will be, that thou wilt not be such a one, for thou wilt
excel all men in happiness, and obtain an everlasting reputation,
but wilt forget piety and righteousness; and these crimes will not be
concealed from God, at the conclusion of thy life, when thou wilt find
that he will be mindful of them, and punish time for them." Now at that
time Herod did not at all attend to what Manahem said, as having no
hopes of such advancement; but a little afterward, when he was so
fortunate as to be advanced to the dignity of king, and was in the
height of his dominion, he sent for Manahem, and asked him how long he
should reign. Manahem did not tell him the full length of his reign;
wherefore, upon that silence of his, he asked him further, whether he
should reign ten years or not? He replied, "Yes, twenty, nay, thirty
years;" but did not assign the just determinate limit of his reign.
Herod was satisfied with these replies, and gave Manahem his hand, and
dismissed him; and from that time he continued to honor all the Essens.