re; him they took and confined; as they did in the next place
to Levias, a person of great note, with Sophas, the son of Raguel, both
which were of royal lineage also. And besides these, they did the
same to the principal men of the country. This caused a terrible
consternation among the people, and everyone contented himself with
taking care of his own safety, as they would do if the city had been
taken in war.

5. But these were not satisfied with the bonds into which
they had put the men forementioned; nor did they think it safe for them
to keep them thus in custody long, since they were men very powerful,
and had numerous families of their own that were able to avenge them.
Nay, they thought the very people would perhaps be so moved at these
unjust proceedings, as to rise in a body against them; it was therefore
resolved to have them slain accordingly, they sent one John, who was the
most bloody-minded of them all, to do that execution: this man was also
called "the son of Dorcas," [3] in the language of our country. Ten more
men went along with him into the prison, with their swords drawn, and
so they cut the throats of those that were in custody there. The grand
lying pretence these men made for so flagrant an enormity was this,
that these men had had conferences with the Romans for a surrender of
Jerusalem to them; and so they said they had slain only such as were
traitors to their common liberty. Upon the whole, they grew the more
insolent upon this bold prank of theirs, as though they had been the
benefactors and saviors of the city.

6. Now the people were come to that degree of meanness and fear, and
these robbers to that degree of madness, that these last took upon
them to appoint high priests. [4] So when they had disannulled the
succession, according to those families out of which the high priests
used to be made, they ordained certain unknown and ignoble persons
for that office, that they might have their assistance in their wicked
undertakings; for such as obtained this highest of all honors, without
any desert, were forced to comply with those that bestowed it on them.
They also set the principal men at variance one with another, by several
sorts of contrivances and tricks, and gained the opportunity of doing
what they pleased, by the mutual quarrels of those who might have
obstructed their measures; till at length, when they were satiated with
the unjust actions they had done towards men, they transfe