Hereupon Josephus, who hitherto suspected nothing of John's plots
against him, wrote to the governors of the city, that they would provide
a lodging and necessaries for John; which favors, when he had made use
of, in two days' time he did what he came about; some he corrupted with
delusive frauds, and others with money, and so persuaded them to revolt
from Josephus. This Silas, who was appointed guardian of the city by
Josephus, wrote to him immediately, and informed him of the plot against
him; which epistle when Josephus had received, he marched with great
diligence all night, and came early in the morning to Tiberias; at which
time the rest of the multitude met him. But John, who suspected that his
coming was not for his advantage, sent however one of his friends, and
pretended that he was sick, and that being confined to his bed, he could
not come to pay him his respects. But as soon as Josephus had got the
people of Tiberias together in the stadium, and tried to discourse with
them about the letters that he had received, John privately sent some
armed men, and gave them orders to slay him. But when the people saw
that the armed men were about to draw their swords, they cried out; at
which cry Josephus turned himself about, and when he saw that the
swords were just at his throat, he marched away in great haste to the
sea-shore, and left off that speech which he was going to make to the
people, upon an elevation of six cubits high. He then seized on a ship
which lay in the haven, and leaped into it, with two of his guards, and
fled away into the midst of the lake.

7. But now the soldiers he had with him took up their arms immediately,
and marched against the plotters; but Josephus was afraid lest a civil
war should be raised by the envy of a few men, and bring the city to
ruin; so he sent some of his party to tell them, that they should do no
more than provide for their own safety; that they should not kill any
body, nor accuse any for the occasion they had afforded [of disorder].
Accordingly, these men obeyed his orders, and were quiet; but the people
of the neighboring country, when they were informed of this plot, and of
the plotter, they got together in great multitudes to oppose John. But
he prevented their attempt, and fled away to Gischala, his native
city, while the Galileans came running out of their several cities to
Josephus; and as they were now become many ten thousands of armed men,
they cried out, that