birds. This
thing provoked the Jews to an incurable degree, because their laws were
affronted, and the place was polluted. Whereupon the sober and moderate
part of the Jews thought it proper to have recourse to their governors
again, while the seditious part, and such as were in the fervor of their
youth, were vehemently inflamed to fight. The seditions also among the
Gentiles of Cesarea stood ready for the same purpose; for they had, by
agreement, sent the man to sacrifice beforehand [as ready to support
him;] so that it soon came to blows. Hereupon Jucundus, the master of
the horse, who was ordered to prevent the fight, came thither, and took
away the earthen vessel, and endeavored to put a stop to the sedition;
but when [20] he was overcome by the violence of the people of Cesarea,
the Jews caught up their books of the law, and retired to Narbata, which
was a place to them belonging, distant from Cesarea sixty furlongs.
But John, and twelve of the principal men with him, went to Florus, to
Sebaste, and made a lamentable complaint of their case, and besought
him to help them; and with all possible decency, put him in mind of the
eight talents they had given him; but he had the men seized upon, and
put in prison, and accused them for carrying the books of the law out of
Cesarea.

6. Moreover, as to the citizens of Jerusalem, although they took this
matter very ill, yet did they restrain their passion; but Florus acted
herein as if he had been hired, and blew up the war into a flame, and
sent some to take seventeen talents out of the sacred treasure, and
pretended that Caesar wanted them. At this the people were in confusion
immediately, and ran together to the temple, with prodigious clamors,
and called upon Caesar by name, and besought him to free them from the
tyranny of Florus. Some also of the seditious cried out upon Florus, and
cast the greatest reproaches upon him, and carried a basket about, and
begged some spills of money for him, as for one that was destitute of
possessions, and in a miserable condition. Yet was not he made ashamed
hereby of his love of money, but was more enraged, and provoked to get
still more; and instead of coming to Cesarea, as he ought to have done,
and quenching the flame of war, which was beginning thence, and so
taking away the occasion of any disturbances, on which account it was
that he had received a reward [of eight talents], he marched hastily
with an army of horsemen and footm