; but on the third night they watched their opportunity, and cut
all their throats, some as they lay unguarded, and some as they lay
asleep. The number that was slain was above thirteen thousand, and then
they plundered them of all that they had.

4. It will deserve our relation what befell Simon; he was the son of
one Saul, a man of reputation among the Jews. This man was distinguished
from the rest by the strength of his body, and the boldness of his
conduct, although he abused them both to the mischieving of his
countrymen; for he came every day and slew a great many of the Jews of
Scythopolis, and he frequently put them to flight, and became himself
alone the cause of his army's conquering. But a just punishment overtook
him for the murders he had committed upon those of the same nation with
him; for when the people of Scythopolis threw their darts at them in the
grove, he drew his sword, but did not attack any of the enemy; for he
saw that he could do nothing against such a multitude; but he cried out
after a very moving manner, and said, "O you people of Scythopolis, I
deservedly suffer for what I have done with relation to you, when I gave
you such security of my fidelity to you, by slaying so many of those
that were related to me. Wherefore we very justly experience the
perfidiousness of foreigners, while we acted after a most wicked manner
against our own nation. I will therefore die, polluted wretch as I am,
by nine own hands; for it is not fit I should die by the hand of our
enemies; and let the same action be to me both a punishment for my great
crimes, and a testimony of my courage to my commendation, that so no one
of our enemies may have it to brag of, that he it was that slew me,
and no one may insult upon me as I fall." Now when he had said this, he
looked round about him upon his family with eyes of commiseration and
of rage [that family consisted of a wife and children, and his aged
parents]; so, in the first place, he caught his father by his grey
hairs, and ran his sword through him, and after him he did the same to
his mother, who willingly received it; and after them he did the like
to his wife and children, every one almost offering themselves to his
sword, as desirous to prevent being slain by their enemies; so when he
had gone over all his family, he stood upon their bodies to be seen
by all, and stretching out his right hand, that his action might be
observed by all, he sheathed his entire swor