should do]. Now some
of them thought it best for Cestius to go up with his army, either to
punish the revolt, if it was real, or to settle the Roman affairs on a
surer foundation, if the Jews continued quiet under them; but he thought
it best himself to send one of his intimate friends beforehand, to
see the state of affairs, and to give him a faithful account of the
intentions of the Jews. Accordingly, he sent one of his tribunes, whose
name was Neopolitanus, who met with king Agrippa as he was returning
from Alexandria, at Jamnia, and told him who it was that sent him, and
on what errands he was sent.

2. And here it was that the high priests, and men of power among the
Jews, as well as the sanhedrim, came to congratulate the king [upon his
safe return]; and after they had paid him their respects, they lamented
their own calamities, and related to him what barbarous treatment
they had met with from Florus. At which barbarity Agrippa had great
indignation, but transferred, after a subtle manner, his anger towards
those Jews whom he really pitied, that he might beat down their high
thoughts of themselves, and would have them believe that they had
not been so unjustly treated, in order to dissuade them from avenging
themselves. So these great men, as of better understanding than the
rest, and desirous of peace, because of the possessions they had,
understood that this rebuke which the king gave them was intended
for their good; but as to the people, they came sixty furlongs out of
Jerusalem, and congratulated both Agrippa and Neopolitanus; but the
wives of those that had been slain came running first of all and
lamenting. The people also, when they heard their mourning, fell into
lamentations also, and besought Agrippa to assist them: they also
cried out to Neopolitanus, and complained of the many miseries they had
endured under Florus; and they showed them, when they were come into the
city, how the market-place was made desolate, and the houses plundered.
They then persuaded Neopolitanus, by the means of Agrippa, that he would
walk round the city, with one only servant, as far as Siloam, that he
might inform himself that the Jews submitted to all the rest of the
Romans, and were only displeased at Florus, by reason of his exceeding
barbarity to them. So he walked round, and had sufficient experience
of the good temper the people were in, and then went up to the temple,
where he called the multitude together, and highl