thing it is to
take arms against those that are so kind to you. Have pity, therefore,
if not on your children and wives, yet upon this your metropolis, and
its sacred walls; spare the temple, and preserve the holy house, with
its holy furniture, for yourselves; for if the Romans get you under
their power, they will no longer abstain from them, when their former
abstinence shall have been so ungratefully requited. I call to witness
your sanctuary, and the holy angels of God, and this country common
to us all, that I have not kept back any thing that is for your
preservation; and if you will follow that advice which you ought to do,
you will have that peace which will be common to you and to me; but if
you indulge four passions, you will run those hazards which I shall be
free from."

5. When Agrippa had spoken thus, both he and his sister wept, and by
their tears repressed a great deal of the violence of the people; but
still they cried out, that they would not fight against the Romans, but
against Florus, on account of what they had suffered by his means. To
which Agrippa replied, that what they had already done was like such as
make war against the Romans; "for you have not paid the tribute which
is due to Caesar [25] and you have cut off the cloisters [of the temple]
from joining to the tower Antonia. You will therefore prevent any
occasion of revolt if you will but join these together again, and if
you will but pay your tribute; for the citadel does not now belong to
Florus, nor are you to pay the tribute money to Florus."

CHAPTER 17.

How The War Of The Jews With The Romans Began, And
Concerning Manahem.

1. This advice the people hearkened to, and went up into the temple with
the king and Bernice, and began to rebuild the cloisters; the rulers
also and senators divided themselves into the villages, and collected
the tributes, and soon got together forty talents, which was the sum
that was deficient. And thus did Agrippa then put a stop to that war
which was threatened. Moreover, he attempted to persuade the multitude
to obey Florus, until Caesar should send one to succeed him; but they
were hereby more provoked, and cast reproaches upon the king, and
got him excluded out of the city; nay, some of the seditious had the
impudence to throw stones at him. So when the king saw that the violence
of those that were for innovations was not to be restrained, and being
very angry at the contumelies he had