ce
observe what was done in the temple; which thing, when the chief men
of Jerusalem saw they were very much displeased at it; for it was not
agreeable to the institutions of our country or law that what was done
in the temple should be viewed by others, especially what belonged
to the sacrifices. They therefore erected a wall upon the uppermost
building which belonged to the inner court of the temple towards the
west, which wall when it was built, did not only intercept the prospect
of the dining-room in the palace, but also of the western cloisters that
belonged to the outer court of the temple also, where it was that the
Romans kept guards for the temple at the festivals. At these doings
both king Agrippa, and principally Festus the procurator, were much
displeased; and Festus ordered them to pull the wall down again: but the
Jews petitioned him to give them leave to send an embassage about this
matter to Nero; for they said they could not endure to live if any part
of the temple should be demolished; and when Festus had given them leave
so to do, they sent ten of their principal men to Nero, as also Ismael
the high priest, and Helcias, the keeper of the sacred treasure. And
when Nero had heard what they had to say, he not only forgave [22] them
what they had already done, but also gave them leave to let the wall
they had built stand. This was granted them in order to gratify Poppea,
Nero's wife, who was a religious woman, and had requested these favors
of Nero, and who gave order to the ten ambassadors to go their way home;
but retained Helcias and Ismael as hostages with herself. As soon as
the king heard this news, he gave the high priesthood to Joseph, who was
called Cabi, the son of Simon, formerly high priest.

CHAPTER 9. Concerning Albinus Under Whose Procuratorship James Was
Slain; As Also What Edifices Were Built By Agrippa.

1. And now Caesar, upon hearing the death of Festus, sent Albinus
into Judea, as procurator. But the king deprived Joseph of the high
priesthood, and bestowed the succession to that dignity on the son of
Ananus, who was also himself called Ananus. Now the report goes that
this eldest Ananus proved a most fortunate man; for he had five sons
who had all performed the office of a high priest to God, and who had
himself enjoyed that dignity a long time formerly, which had never
happened to any other of our high priests. But this younger Ananus, who,
as we have told you already, too