to sit down beside him. Then spake Theudas unto the king,
"O king, live for ever under the shelter of the favour of the most
puissant gods! I have heard that thou hast foughten a mighty fight with
the Galileans, and hast been crowned with right glorious diadems of
victory. Wherefore I am come, that we may celebrate together a feast
of thanksgiving, and sacrifice to the immortal gods young men in the
bloom of youth and well-favoured damsels, and eke offer them an
hecatomb of bullocks and herds of beasts, that we may have them from
henceforth for our allies invincible, making plain our path of life
before us."

Hereto the king made answer, "We have not conquered, aged sir, we have
not conquered: nay, rather have we been defeated in open fight. They
that were for us turned suddenly against us. They found our host a
wild, half-drunken, feeble folk, and utterly overthrew it. But now, if
there be with thee any power and strength to help our fallen religion
and set it up again, declare it."

Theudas replied in this wise, "Dread not, O king, the oppositions and
vain babblings of the Galileans: for of what worth against reasonable
and sensible men are the arguments that they use? These methinks shall
be more easily overthrown than a leaf shaken with the wind. They shall
not endure to face me, far less join argument, or come to propositions
and oppositions with me. But, in order that the coming contest and all
our wishes may prosper, and that our matters may run smoothly with the
stream, adorn thou with thy presence this public festival, and gird on
for thy strong sword the favour of the gods, and well befall thee!"

When the mighty in wickedness had thus boasted himself and thought of
mischief all the day long (let David bear his part in our chorus), and
when, as saith Esay, he had given his neighbour a drink of turbid
dregs, by the help of the evil spirits his comrades he made the king
utterly to forget the thoughts that inclined him to salvation, and
caused him again to cleave to his wonted ways. Then the king
despatched letters hither and thither, that all men should gather
together to this loathsome assembly. Then mightest thou have seen
multitudes streaming in, and bringing with them sheep and oxen and
divers kinds of beasts.

So when all were assembled, the king arose, with that deceiver Theudas,
and proceeded to the temple, bringing one hundred and twenty bullocks
and many animals for sacrifice. And they ce