pany, and abused his authority over those about him, in order
to plunder those that lived quietly. The effect of which was this, that
those who lost their goods were forced to hold their peace, when they
had reason to show great indignation at what they had suffered; but
those who had escaped were forced to flatter him that deserved to be
punished, out of the fear they were in of suffering equally with the
others. Upon the Whole, nobody durst speak their minds, but tyranny
was generally tolerated; and at this time were those seeds sown which
brought the city to destruction.

2. And although such was the character of Albinus, yet did Gessius
Florus [18] who succeeded him, demonstrate him to have been a most
excellent person, upon the comparison; for the former did the greatest
part of his rogueries in private, and with a sort of dissimulation; but
Gessius did his unjust actions to the harm of the nation after a pompons
manner; and as though he had been sent as an executioner to punish
condemned malefactors, he omitted no sort of rapine, or of vexation;
where the case was really pitiable, he was most barbarous, and in things
of the greatest turpitude he was most impudent. Nor could any one outdo
him in disguising the truth; nor could any one contrive more subtle ways
of deceit than he did. He indeed thought it but a petty offense to get
money out of single persons; so he spoiled whole cities, and ruined
entire bodies of men at once, and did almost publicly proclaim it all
the country over, that they had liberty given them to turn robbers, upon
this condition, that he might go shares with them in the spoils they
got. Accordingly, this his greediness of gain was the occasion that
entire toparchies were brought to desolation, and a great many of the
people left their own country, and fled into foreign provinces.

3. And
truly, while Cestius Gallus was president of the province of Syria,
nobody durst do so much as send an embassage to him against Florus;
but when he was come to Jerusalem, upon the approach of the feast of
unleavened bread, the people came about him not fewer in number than
three millions [19] these besought him to commiserate the calamities of
their nation, and cried out upon Florus as the bane of their country.
But as he was present, and stood by Cestius, he laughed at their words.
However, Cestius, when he had quieted the multitude, and had assured
them that he would take care that Florus should hereafter